Search the Community

Public Enemy #1 Alvin Karpis escape from the Atlantic City Dan-Mor Hotel January 20, 1935 made national news. By January 27, the A.C.P.D. made their intention known (See Chicago Tribune article) that they would make provisions in the 1935 municipal budget to purchase six Colt TSMGs from Federal Laboratories. Chief McMenamin and Commissioner Cuthbert made good on their commitment as the A.C.P.D. did indeed purchase six Colt TSMGs. The Colt TSMG that Karpis stole August 30, 1933 from the St. Paul, Minnesota P.D. was recovered January 8, 1935 by authorities from "Doc" Barker's apartment. Yet Karpis and Harry Campbell had at least one Colt TSMG, maybe two, they used twelve days later in the shootout with police in their escape from the Dan-Mor hotel. It didn't appear that P.D.'s with access to Colt TSMG's had the upper hand when Depression Era gangsters came to their town. But if they acquired them after the last of the Public Enemy #1's were incarcerated or dead, they had a better chance of securing them in their armories until they would eventually sell or trade them to NFA dealers in the 1970's. The photo shows members of the A.C.P.D. with a 1921A Colt TSMG and Colt 1921/28AC TSMG.

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.