When did you last see one of these

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1962 - Dr. No - the first Sean Connery Bond flick
1971 - Diamonds Are Forever - "I am NEVER doing a Bond picture again"
1974 - Zardoz - How the mighty have fallen
1983 - NEVER Say NEVER Again - the last Sean Connery Bond flick
 
“Price of Freedom"......

BB0EF47B-E9BA-4FFB-A516-5F2B50228B68.jpeg
The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History has on display, in its splendid exhibit, “The Price of Freedom— Americans at War,” a bronze pistol of Washington’s that was gifted to him by Maj. Gen. Edward Braddock in 1755. It is a .71-cal. English flintlock pistol made by William Gabbitas (photo by Jaclyn Nash, National Museum of American History). It is inscribed with the initials “E.B.” for Edward Braddock. During the campaign for independence in 1777, Washington noticed the gun had gone missing. Washington asked an aide to write to another aide: “Sir, His Excellency Gen. Washington desires you to look among his effects for a pistol which was mislaid or possibly lost. You will know it by being a large brass barrel and the lock of which is also of brass with the name of Gabbitas, the Spanish armorer, (he was actually English) thereon. It has also a heavy brass butt. His Excellency is much exercised over the loss of this pistol, it being given him by Gen. Braddock, and having since been with him through several campaigns, and he therefore values it very highly." If only all guns claiming historic provenance came with such concise letters of identification.


It’s a good read at:

https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2016/2/15/the-guns-of-us-presidents/
 
prez_21.jpg Ulysses S. Grant
He was the 18th President of the United States and the eighth President of the National Rifle Association. For a few years in the early 1970s the NRA Museum was able to display President Grant’s Smith & Wesson Model Number 1 ½ .32 rimfire revolver. Again, provenance is everything when trying to establish the authenticity of anything and this gun has airtight papers that include copies of the original factory ledger that indicate the gun was presented to President Grant on August 1, 1870 as well as a letter to its then current owner, a great-great grandson of Grant, from his Father, mentioning the gun by its serial number and detailing a brief history of the gun as well.

Ornately engraved, inlayed in gold and complete in case with pearl grips, Grant’s S&W was one of the standout highlights of the National Firearms Museum when it was located on Rhode Island Ave. in Northwest Washington, D.C.

President Grant's Smith & Wesson Model No. 1½ was featured on the cover of The American Rifleman in 1969.
 
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I Have This Old Gun: Elmer Keith’s Single Action Army

by Rick Hacker - Tuesday, November 3, 2015

At first glance, it would be easy to misconstrue this well-used first-generation Colt Single Action Army (SAA) as just another buggered-up sixgun that some early 20th century “gun nut” (as they often called themselves) experimented on. After all, during those post-World War I years, the SAA was basically looked upon as a relic from the Wild West that had become trampled in the stampede of modern double-action revolvers and semi-automatic pistols.


Nonetheless, certain shooters still appreciated the old Model P’s rugged action and ergonomically shaped grip. It was just such an individual who altered this 7½"-barreled version made in 1917 and chambered in .44 Russian/.44 Spl. The owner was clearly an innovative experimenter, for he had a gunsmith mill out the SAA’s grooved topstrap, and in its place affix a long-base Smith & Wesson adjustable rear sight. The shooter also replaced the front sight with a sleeved, thick blade inlaid with three silver bands for various elevations when used with the rear sight’s white-outlined square notch. The Colt’s original hammer was replaced with an offset, lowered-spur “Cockeyed Hammer” from the no-longer-existing King Gun Sight Co. of San Francisco, Calif. Likewise, the trigger was replaced with a wide, hand-checkered version. And being well ahead of its time, this SAA features a professionally altered “short stroke” hammer throw, a feature that is only now showing up on many Cowboy Action Shooting single-action replicas.


Normally, a 60-percent gun such as this, as interesting as it may be, but with a faulty action that doesn’t stay on half-cock, would bring $2,500 to $3,500, the two-piece carved ivory stocks notwithstanding. But the crudely engraved name on the right side of the frame and scratched “EMK” initials inside each stock elevate this gun to a higher status, for this is the late Elmer Keith’s “King short action job” Single Action Army, as depicted on page 103 of his book Sixguns, and which helped pave the way to the .44 Mag. Formerly on display as part of the Keith museum at Cabela’s in Boise, Idaho, the family had Keith’s guns auctioned off on March 15, 2015, by James D. Julia Auctioneers of Fairfield, Maine. This gun, fully documented by Keith’s writings and his son Ted, was estimated to sell for $3,000 to $5,000, but ended up fetching $12,000. Such is the monetary importance of a gun with provenance.


From. https://www.americanrifleman.org/ar...his-old-gun-elmer-keith-s-single-action-army/
 
daboyleroy said:
View attachment 795149Ulysses S. Grant
He was the 18th President of the United States and the eighth President of the National Rifle Association. For a few years in the early 1970s the NRA Museum was able to display President Grant’s Smith & Wesson Model Number 1 ½ .32 rimfire revolver. Again, provenance is everything when trying to establish the authenticity of anything and this gun has airtight papers that include copies of the original factory ledger that indicate the gun was presented to President Grant on August 1, 1870 as well as a letter to its then current owner, a great-great grandson of Grant, from his Father, mentioning the gun by its serial number and detailing a brief history of the gun as well.

Ornately engraved, inlayed in gold and complete in case with pearl grips, Grant’s S&W was one of the standout highlights of the National Firearms Museum when it was located on Rhode Island Ave. in Northwest Washington, D.C.

President Grant's Smith & Wesson Model No. 1½ was featured on the cover of The American Rifleman in 1969.
Click to expand...

Nice! I have the plain Jane version of that revolver. Cute little gun even without the extra doo - dads.
 
BRIDESBURG CONTRACT RIFLE-MUSKET WITH THE NEEDHAM CONVERSION

THE NEEDHAM CONVERSION SYSTEM
The Needham Patent system by Joseph and George Needham of London, England, involved the removal of most of the breech end of the barrel and replacing it with an assembly containing a side hinged breech block with a handle extending vertically for opening. Much of the original lockplate also had to be cut away for the side block clearance.
After insertion of a .58 Caliber rimfire cartridge, the Needham was fired by the hammer striking a pin extending through the block. Most of the rifles converted in this manner will be found with Civil War era dates.
 
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Berkley got it correct it is a Needham Conversion 1861/63 done by Bridesburg they appear every once in a while but are not usually recognized.
 
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