1931 Prices

[Jim K]

Hi, Big G and guys,

During WWII, gas was $.09 a gallon if/when available, price controlled of course and on a ration book. After WWII, it went to .12, then to around .18, which is the lowest price I personally bought it at (about 1949).

As to the 1-30 in the pre WWII period, I saw a 1938 menu today posted in a restaurant. Sandwiches were $.10, same for a bottle of beer and pie or cake. A soft drink was $.05. With the 1-30, that would translate to $3.00 each for the sandwich, beer and dessert, $1.50 for the soft drink. That is just about what they charge today for those same things.

Jim

 

[Monkeyleg]

Hmmm. That would mean that a Thompson cost about $30 (not adjusted for the '86 full-auto ban price jump). We need a weeping smiley.

 

[Tango Sierra]

An advertisement for Hillman's grocery stores in Chicago dated August 14, 1935

Lettuce .05
Apples 7lbs .19
Fresh limes 2 doz .25
Calif. oranges 2 doz .25
Tomatoes 2 Lbs .09
Coffee 3 Lbs .55
Fresh Butter 2 Lbs .49
Fresh Eggs 2 doz .57
Pot Roast .10 per Lb
Standing Rib Roast .14 per Lb
Rolled Rib Roast .17 per Lb
Hens .20 per Lb
Chickens .23 per Lb
Ducks .20 per Lb
American Cheese .17 per Lb
Munster Cheese .17 per Lb
Private stock Bourbon .95 Pint
Hiram Walker's Bourbon 1.79 Pint
"Supra" Gin .77 fifth
20Yr.Old Scotch 2.79 fifth
No guns listed.

 

[Kharn]

Monkeyleg: Tommys sold for $200 direct from the factory in 1934.

Kharn

 

[Sean Smith]

Sean: Col. Charles Askins, Jr. made many a record with a Colt Shooting Master caliber .38 Special. He earned something like 547 awards for pistol shooting. Sucker musta known somethin. I believe he said he favored Colt's because the S&W folks were snotballs and the Colt's factory reps were cool. This was at Camp Perry, iirc. Best!

I meant that the National Match was not the same gun as the Colt Shooting Master, not that it was better. Haven't shot either one to know.

 

[BigG]

OK, Sean, if you mean a cheaper gun than a National Match 45 ACP, it may well have been. The Shooting Master was a target variation of the New Service Colt revo that everyone has seen in .45 ACP flavor. From the pictures and descriptions I;ve seen, the SM had a smaller grip than the NS, since one of the complaints about the NS was the large hand it took to hold onto the gun and to reach the trigger. Guess it was like unto a 2X4 - or a Glock 21! The Shooting Master also had better sights, probably adjustable and of course was available in different calibers.

 

[Monkeyleg]

Kharn, thanks for that info. I always wondered what the price was. That would probably go a long way toward explaining why they didn't sell many to the general public.