Did a Colt NAVY-A just hit the market?

[Got Uzi]

Am I missing something or does this appear to be a Colt NAVY-A with what appears to be a Colt horizontal fore end listed on GB right now? Seems like a fair price if it’s legit….

 

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1097655753

[bmarvin]

Is $45,000 with a replacement barrel a good price nowadays? I haven't kept track of the Colt market

[gijive]

According to Gordon Herigstad's book, # 4505 is a 1928 Navy with an A barrel.  Although, the ad says the barrel has been replaced, that doesn't appear to be the case.  Also, Gordon says the original owner was McColl South Carolina Police Department.  That doesn't match the D.P.D. 4 stamped into the buttstock.  It is a nice looking gun, though.  It has the original Colt made horizontal grip with the Enfield swivel, as does the buttstock.

[TD.]

NO 4505 is definitely a NAVY model. However, with a replacement barrel (I examined this Colt at Knob Creek in October 2021) that has no Index line, fins that match reproduction Thompson barrels also for sale at the Creek and Denver Police Department marked Colt era wood, it is a stretch to say it is an original NAVY A. I believe Roger Cox was involved in the past history. I know his good friend Joe Miller was involved. I doubt Gordon ever saw it. I do believe it would make an excellent shooter grade Colt. It definitely catches your eye. If I was wanting a shooter grade Colt, I would be bidding!   

[Bridgeport28A1]

So my question is did the Denver PD have a Colt Thompson with a buttstock marked D.P.D. 4 with a Enfield swivel on the buttstock?

[APEXgunparts]

14 minutes ago, Bridgeport28A1 said:

So my question is did the Denver PD have a Colt Thompson with a buttstock marked D.P.D. 4 with a Enfield swivel on the buttstock?

Forgive my ignorance, why Denver PD and not, say, Detroit PD or Dallas PD.. etc..?

Richard

[Bridgeport28A1]

4 hours ago, TD. said:

NO 4505 is definitely a NAVY model. However, with a replacement barrel (I examined this Colt at Knob Creek in October 2021) that has no Index line, fins that match reproduction Thompson barrels also for sale at the Creek and Denver Police Department marked Colt era wood, it is a stretch to say it is an original NAVY A. I believe Roger Cox was involved in the past history. I know his good friend Joe Miller was involved. I doubt Gordon ever saw it. I do believe it would make an excellent shooter grade Colt. It definitely catches your eye. If I was wanting a shooter grade Colt, I would be bidding!   

I

 

2 hours ago, APEXgunparts said:

Forgive my ignorance, why Denver PD and not, say, Detroit PD or Dallas PD.. etc..?

Richard

Richard, I asked about Denver PD because Tom Davis referred to it as Denver Police Department marked Colt era wood.  

[TD.]

Great questions! I have been tracking down the DPD marked guns and stocks since 2007 when Autoweapons.com advertised a British marked NAVY with British proof marks in the low 2000 serial number range. What got my attention was the butt stock and horizontal fore grip with Enfield off-set sling swivels marked D.P.D. 5. Based on Gordon's book, I now believe this early Colt is from the City of Gloucester Massachusetts Police Department and not from a police department starting with the letter "D." This was the start of my collection of British proofed Colt's that ultimately led to a chapter in my 4th book, Thompson: Colt's, West Hurley's & More. At the time, I did not know the police department that the D.P.D. marking was actually referencing. And I did not have an early copy of Gordon's book at that time.

So now I was collecting information on British marked Colt's and D.P.D. marked Colt's and/or Colt wood!

I have always collected Roger Cox advertisements to aid in my research. An eight-page July 1975 Cox listing of guns showed 28 Navy NO 14318 for sale with "DPD 2" markings from the Denver Police Department. 

 According to Gordon, Denver PD acquired a total of 7 Colt Thompson's. I have pictures of NO 4472 with D.P.D. 1 markings on the gun and butt stock:

I also have pictures of NO 1253 with D.P.D. 2 marked on the left side receiver like NO 4472, above:

The wood on NO 1253 has been sanded and refinished and the metal re-blued. Note how Cox advertised NO 14318 in 1975, above, with "DPD 2" markings. Could the number 2 in the Cox advertisement above be a typo? Or did someone swap out some wood? 

I also have pictures of a butt stock only marked D.P.D. 6 sold on gunbroker.com in 2022. 

I later learned that Roger Cox had given the Denver Police Department a framed copy of an early Auto-Ordnance advertisement. This writing was on the back of the advertisement when it was listed for sale on ebay in 2023:

Of the 7 Colt's listed at the Denver Police Department, 4 have no civilian transfers listed in Gordon's 6th Edition. I have wondered if one or more of these 4 could have been Form 10 guns that were cut up for parts by Roger Cox.

I still collect information on the D.P.D. marked butt stocks. When I saw the D.P.D. 4 markings on the Colt butt stock with an Enfield off-set sling swivel (and horizontal fore grip with the same type of swivel) on NO 4505 at Knob Creek in 2021, I had a feeling the wood was not original. Given the obvious replacement barrel and how Joe Miller and Roger Cox were good friends, the answer as to how this D.P.D. marked Colt era wood found its way on NO 4505 seemed pretty obvious. 

Does anyone have any more D.P.D. marked wood. Or owns NOs 4145, 7876, 14398 or 14423? 

All good stuff!!!  

 

 

 

[Dpedersen]

I have stock marked D.P.D. 6. The seller I purchased it from stated it was a Denver PD stock that was originally acquired from Roger Cox. 

[ron_brock]

I would rule out Detroit.  Although they have marked guns DPD (I have a Glock) and have seen many revolvers either DPD or spelled out.  My understanding is that they have their Thompsons and likely won’t leave, but I never thought St.Louis would sell and they did. 
 

Ron 

[2ndArmored]

It sold for $34K.

[TD.]

I think that is a fair price for a Colt Thompson with a replacement barrel. It will make an excellent shooter grade gun. While not original, I really like the NAVY "A" configuration.