HANS

Thanks, another one for the list! Cheers HANS

Thanks David, I've read that of course. I've also read the accounts in Swearengen's THE WORLD'S FIGHTING SHOTGUNS and TEAR GAS MUNITIONS. Unfortunately, none of these accounts deal with production figures or serial numbers. As I said, the serial numbers I've seen so far suggest a much more substantial production than I thought, but there could be other explanations -- for example, the serials could include those of the M512 revolvers or some such. Cheers HANS

I've never seen production numbers for the Manville Gas Guns in 12-gauge and 25mm. I found serial numbers for the latter between No.787 and No.2017, which suggests a pretty substantial production for a weapon that nobody seems to have used (except for two National Guards and a couple police departments, as far as I can tell). I've even seen No.33322, but I'm assuming that's a mistake or some other special case. I haven't seen a single number for a 12-gauge gun. So what gives? Does anyone have more information? Failing that, does anyone have additional serial numbers that would allow us to form an opinion as to likely production totals? Many thanks! Cheers HANS

The scene in The Public Enemy where the burst takes off the edge of a brick wall shows two belt-fed Vickers guns (presumably Colt M1915), as seen here, but as you can see in the next clip, narrated by Cagney, they actually used a Model 1921A for that. Cheers HANS

Thanks for mentioning this event. Unfortunately I'm only looking at May next year, so Big Sandy is out. I may go to Ohio instead though, any suggestions there? Many thanks! Cheers HANS

Thanks Ron! I had originally planned to fly out to Missouri and check out some outlaw items and pay an extended visit to Ozark Machine Guns, but since Tyler's range seems to be closed I've been looking at other options. I'm thinking Las Vegas might be fun overall (even though I neither drink or gamble), there are a couple of machine gun ranges with nice rentals, some of the desert trips look cool, the Punk Rock Museum seems interesting, and while I'm there I might as well check out the Mob Museum. If they actually have the complete Goddard collection, it might be worth inquiring about seeing the non-SVDM stuff as well. Cheers HANS

Is it any good? Especially concerning guns. I heard the Goddard collection ended down there via Neal Trickel, correct? The entire collection or just the SVDM bullets? Would someone know? Many thanks! Cheers HANS

No. 8251 was not stolen by the Barker-Karpis Gang from responding officers outside the Post Office in 1933; Roger Cox claimed that in his book but he was wrong. They took No. 7679. Cheers HANS

Yes. I also have a third number that probably ended up with them. Frank Thompson later claimed that he had supplied as many as six Thompson guns to that gang, but I think that was at best an inflated boast. Cheers HANS

Fire away, either in this thread or in a private message. Thanks! Cheers HANS

All the box magazine conversions date to 1930 or later, since Haenel did not start making them until October 1930. Even if we didn't know this, the serial numbers alone prove it, since we find box conversions throughout the range. The interesting thing I discuss is that the M.P.18,III (and probably also the M.P.18,II and definitely the M.P.18,IV, and probably the M.P. Schmeisser I, the forerunner of the M.P.28,II) all have a box magazine, but a different one than the converted M.P.18,I, one that uses a double feed. I discuss its origins and likely timeframe in the article. Cheers HANS

'fraid so Indeed, one of the questions I address is the theory that the weapon was originally intended for a box rather than the drum. I think I make a reasoned and well-supported argument (and obviously the editors agreed) that no, it wasn't, but truthfully we still don't know for certain -- very, very few original documents from that timeframe have survived the two wars ... Cheers HANS

Thanks Rekraps! Cheers HANS

My article on Hugo Schmeisser’s early submachine guns, that is the Bergmann M.P.18,I through M.P.18,IV and the SIG-Bergmann M.P., has now been published as the latest issue of ARMAX is shipping. In this, I’m tracing the curious designation of the original pattern, the M.P.18,I, and follow the evolution of the design, debunking a number of other theories trying to explain it. I’m also tracking the production through serial numbers and try to establish that there were probably a few more of the weapons manufactured than is often claimed. Cheers HANS

Over the course of my research on gangster gats, I've collected over 100 serial numbers of Colt Thompson guns that were used by gangsters (including bankrobbers etc) of the 1920s and 1930s; in many cases, I have extensive histories, in some only the mere fact that a certain gun was used by criminals. I also have some negatives, that is guns that were supposedly used by gangsters but probably weren't. Since I'm still looking to publish my complete data at a later point, I'm not prepared to put all this on the internet, but if you have a gun and would like to have it checked against my list, I'd be happy to accommodate you. Cheers HANS