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Colt-Thompson Sling Swivels - Where did they come from?


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I often wondered where exactly Auto-Ordnance got the peculiar offset sling swivels for installation on the Navy Overstamp Thompsons. Colt wouldn't have had them on hand because they weren't a contractor for the M1917 rifle during WWI, and the M1917 butt swivel wasn't used on the BAR which they did produce. So, they had to have come from an outside supplier. One possibility I had in mind was Remington, since they were a contractor for the M1917, and they also supplied the wood furniture for the 15,000 Colt guns. But, I never found anything anywhere to support such an hypothesis. In fact, I never found anything regarding the origin of these sling swivels until now.

 

By chance today, after getting a haircut, I picked up the latest issue of Man At Arms for the Gun and Sword Collector at the local newsstand, and on page 41 is a half-page synopsis of the findings of the Nye Commission, assembled in 1934 to investigate whether the US munitions industry had tricked the US into entering the Great War. Among the witnesses called to testify at the hearing was Reginald F. Sedgely, president of R.F. Sedgely, Inc of Philadelphia, PA. In the course of his testimony, Sedgely disclosed that his company had sold to Auto-Ordnance "Butt Sling Swivels and Parts" on four occasions:

 

27January, 1928 500 units @ $100.00

07 August, 1928 500 units @ $150.00

24 August, 1929 500 units @ $150.00

12 June, 1930 500 units @ $175.00

 

Based on these numbers, it can be safely assumed that there are at least 1,500 Colt-Thompsons equipped with sling swivels, assuming the last order of 500 was not depleted by the time WWII started.

Edited by Big Al
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Good catch. I tried to drum up some interest before but no one bit. Of interest, Remington also had a contract to make Berthier guns. Who knows what they had in stock.

 

Of all the gun rags, Men at Arms is about the only one I still enjoy and subscribe. I still get SAR too but I wish theyd have more NFA and less black rifle.

 

http://www.machinegunboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21526&hl=

 

Big Al, PM sent.

 

Ron

Edited by ron_brock
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