PLAINFIELD ORDNANCE MDL. 71 .22rf & .25acp - PICS
I purchased this little pistol earlier today and would like for the forum experts to verify some information that came with it.
Was told it was a CIA backed project, designed by Colt, produced by Plainfield, and once production goals were met the CIA cancelled it. Then, I'm told, Plainfield decided to offer it to the public. After a few had already gotten into civilian hands, the CIA came for the tooling they had paid for and destroyed them. Then - I'm told - the CIA proceeded to obtain all available pieces still in the hands of distributors. What it finally boiled down to was that less than a couple hundred pieces actually were acquired by the general populace.
Can any of you forum directors substantiate any of this? I saw where someone offered a consecutive numbered pair at auction on GunBroker.com a couple of months ago, and they had a similar story in their listing.
Check the photos below and give me some info if possible. Thanks in advance for your help. This gun, and its .25acp conversion kit, are both mint, even though the yellow background piece in the box has been cut up and altered, and the two paper pieces have some oil stains.
[img][/img]
Above is the original box with the .25acp conversion kit, intruction book and ammo info insert still retained.
Below is a comparison of this gun to a standard 1911A1 .45acp. It's about same thickness, heft and feel as the .45.
[img][/img]
Below is close-up of the 3-digit serial number which is covered since this will be on the net.
[img][/img]
I have not learned what the final sale price was on the pair advertised. So, if you have any current value ideas I would also appreciate those.
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"Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music." George Carlin
Was told it was a CIA backed project, designed by Colt, produced by Plainfield, and once production goals were met the CIA cancelled it. Then, I'm told, Plainfield decided to offer it to the public. After a few had already gotten into civilian hands, the CIA came for the tooling they had paid for and destroyed them. Then - I'm told - the CIA proceeded to obtain all available pieces still in the hands of distributors. What it finally boiled down to was that less than a couple hundred pieces actually were acquired by the general populace.
Can any of you forum directors substantiate any of this? I saw where someone offered a consecutive numbered pair at auction on GunBroker.com a couple of months ago, and they had a similar story in their listing.
Check the photos below and give me some info if possible. Thanks in advance for your help. This gun, and its .25acp conversion kit, are both mint, even though the yellow background piece in the box has been cut up and altered, and the two paper pieces have some oil stains.
[img][/img]
Above is the original box with the .25acp conversion kit, intruction book and ammo info insert still retained.
Below is a comparison of this gun to a standard 1911A1 .45acp. It's about same thickness, heft and feel as the .45.
[img][/img]
Below is close-up of the 3-digit serial number which is covered since this will be on the net.
[img][/img]
I have not learned what the final sale price was on the pair advertised. So, if you have any current value ideas I would also appreciate those.
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"Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music." George Carlin
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You have a real nice outfit there! Don't believe I ever saw one, complete before, with both .22 & .25 slides etc., in the box.
I did own a .22 years ago. It worked fine as long as you fed it high-speed ammo. I quit shooting it after awhile because the aluminum breech face was getting battered. Did'n want to ruin it's value by screwing it up. Even then they were long out of production, no spare parts available.
The story you were given was so much horsepucky! It was a heavy clunky little pistol, that wasn't viable either as a sporting pistol or self-defense pistol. This was because of size, weight and erginomicks, ( don't believe I spelled that word correctly ).
Every time I picked mine up, I said to myself what the heck was the designer and the Plainfield People who put up the money to build it thinking of? I could never figure it out? It just didn't fit any commerical category that was viable.0 -
Now you need to find the Rifle conversion, you remove slide from pistol and the frame fits into the rifle upper...the ultimate conversion kit.. 0 -
Sold mine in 1977
Serial range 00117?0 -
A rifle conversion? Now THAT I'd definately be interested in obtaining. I'm hooked on rifle/pistol outfits in .22rf. I was afraid that CIA story was so much horse hockey.
Haven't taken this one for a spin yet. Going out next week hopefully.
Thanks for the feedback.
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"Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music." George Carlin0
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