Did J.D. "Buck" Buchanan Do Any Gunsmithing For 1930's Gan

[Arthur Fliegenheimer]

Buchanan was a famous Los Angeles 1930's gunsmith specializing in the Colt 1911 .45 Auto, S&W's and customized a 12 ga. Remington for the legendary Col. Charles Askins, Jr. He was rumored to have worked on a Dillinger pistol.

[OCM]

Never heard of him that I know of, Dutch. Never heard of JD being in the LA area, but nothing surprises me anymore.........

Lot of " Dillinger slept Here " stories back then

[Arthur Fliegenheimer]

@OCM,

 

The notion that a legitimate gunsmith would risk their reputation and possible freedom to do commission work for a customer on the list of the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives does seem unlikely. Of course Hymie Lebman claimed he didn't realize the customer who commissioned the Colt M1911 .45 machine pistol was Dillinger or that Lester M Gillis, the customer whom he also sold a Lebman 1911 machine pistol, was Baby Face Nelson. While these transactions were fact to face, it is conceivable that a Los Angeles gunsmith might do mail order business with a customer (even a fugitive from justice) who resides out of state.

[OCM]

Certainly could, Lebman was mailing Thompsons to the Nelson group, up in St Paul. He told the FBI, as did his son, they were just dealing with customers in Business suits, that's all. Of course Lebman and his wife had the Gillis' for Thanksgiving dinner in November 1933. I wonder what Mrs. Lebman thought about this whole thing.

These guys were very connected to all sorts of networks across the country. So it could very well be Buck Buchanan did some work for these guys, would not surprise me at all.

[Arthur Fliegenheimer]

@Sandy,

 

Buchanan was one of the first to specialize in accurizing the Colt 1911 .45 in the 1930's. That type of skill was probably not sought after by the Depression-era gangsters. I know Lebman made boots for WJH and a saddle for you. Do you know if Lebman produced gun cases?

[OCM]

That's a good question that I can't answer. Maybe Bill can. BTW, the saddle I had wasn't directly made for me, I just had it. I think Bill's boots were made for him, but not necessarily by H.S. himself. He had an assistant , that did a lot of the leather work. The Lebman saddle, did have his name & company embossed on the back, probably the boots too.

A gun case with HS Lebman would be quite a find. I'll ask Bill .

[OCM]

Talked to Bill, needed to update him on the Nelson gun anyway.

Bill was not aware of any Lebman gun case, but certainly could of made a rifle or shotgun case.

I didn't know this, Lebman had like two stores, a Saddle shop and a Gun shop. Bill said he had maybe 200 rifles on display and maybe a dozen glass cases with pistols and all. I just assumed Lebman did gunsmithing in the basement under the saddle shop. Bill has a fairly good memory of the Lebman gun shop.

About all I know on this.