I thought this might make an interesting thread for everyone to read and/or post to. Here's mine:
In 1992, as a LEO (and avid Colt 1911 fan!), I was assigned to our 'Street Crime Unit'. Most of the work was hanging out in the downtown core, in plainclothes, and doing street level drug interdiction. One night, my partner and I spotted three males headed into a 'dead-end' alley that was frequented for drug deals. We gave them a few moments, thinking we'd interrupt, a very minor drug exchange, and moved in. We made a very quick approach. I was the 'contact' officer and my partner 'cover'. The male that we figured for the "dealer" immediately turned to me, as I shouted "police don't move", and in his hand, instead of a drug package which I intended to grab away, I could see the outline of "old slabsides". He yelled back "it's not loaded, it's not loaded!" I yelled, "Gun!", for my partners benefit, and being too close to the male, was just committed to moving in on him. Luckily, he kept the muzzle pointed down and I was able to grab it right out of his grasp. The other two males immediately went to prone when ordered and the third, who'd had the gun, very soon after.
Let me say that having now been a LEO for 21 years, handguns are still not often encountered by law enforcement in Canada (at least in the westcoast city where I live and work). Legally owned handguns have been registered in Canada federally since 1935. So, if the 1911, by serial number was not on the national computer system as 'stolen', at least it could be returned to the rightful owner, if 'registered', as in this case.
This 1911 was an original Colt Commercial serial # C66XX (yeah, four digit!!)that had obviously seen some use. There was a name and military unit name engraved on the slide.
To make a long story short, the rightful owner was contacted. He was a retired, federal fisheries (peace)officer. The 1911 had been his father's, the name on the slide, and he had carried it in WWI. The 1911 had been stolen in a break-in around 1972, and the owner thought he'd never see it again. At home he had another 1911, about 100 numbers off the serial number of the recovered 1911, that had been owned and carried by his father's brother also in WWI.
It is very gratifying to return such an item to it's proper owner! I told the old gent that if he ever considered selling his 1911's to please contact me. I didn't hear from him again and then about 5 years later received a letter asking me to contact him. I did and he said that his health was getting poor and no one in his family was interested in firearms. He wanted to give me the Colt's if I was interested. Was I interested??!!
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We met a short time later and worked out a deal. I became the proud owner of two four digit serial numbered Colt Commercial 1911's (both made in 1914) He also threw in a H&R nine shot .22 revolver as well.
Well, that's my best Colt acquisition story, what's yours? NAA
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Colt 1911: Best damn "Government" in the World!
In 1992, as a LEO (and avid Colt 1911 fan!), I was assigned to our 'Street Crime Unit'. Most of the work was hanging out in the downtown core, in plainclothes, and doing street level drug interdiction. One night, my partner and I spotted three males headed into a 'dead-end' alley that was frequented for drug deals. We gave them a few moments, thinking we'd interrupt, a very minor drug exchange, and moved in. We made a very quick approach. I was the 'contact' officer and my partner 'cover'. The male that we figured for the "dealer" immediately turned to me, as I shouted "police don't move", and in his hand, instead of a drug package which I intended to grab away, I could see the outline of "old slabsides". He yelled back "it's not loaded, it's not loaded!" I yelled, "Gun!", for my partners benefit, and being too close to the male, was just committed to moving in on him. Luckily, he kept the muzzle pointed down and I was able to grab it right out of his grasp. The other two males immediately went to prone when ordered and the third, who'd had the gun, very soon after.
Let me say that having now been a LEO for 21 years, handguns are still not often encountered by law enforcement in Canada (at least in the westcoast city where I live and work). Legally owned handguns have been registered in Canada federally since 1935. So, if the 1911, by serial number was not on the national computer system as 'stolen', at least it could be returned to the rightful owner, if 'registered', as in this case.
This 1911 was an original Colt Commercial serial # C66XX (yeah, four digit!!)that had obviously seen some use. There was a name and military unit name engraved on the slide.
To make a long story short, the rightful owner was contacted. He was a retired, federal fisheries (peace)officer. The 1911 had been his father's, the name on the slide, and he had carried it in WWI. The 1911 had been stolen in a break-in around 1972, and the owner thought he'd never see it again. At home he had another 1911, about 100 numbers off the serial number of the recovered 1911, that had been owned and carried by his father's brother also in WWI.
It is very gratifying to return such an item to it's proper owner! I told the old gent that if he ever considered selling his 1911's to please contact me. I didn't hear from him again and then about 5 years later received a letter asking me to contact him. I did and he said that his health was getting poor and no one in his family was interested in firearms. He wanted to give me the Colt's if I was interested. Was I interested??!!
We met a short time later and worked out a deal. I became the proud owner of two four digit serial numbered Colt Commercial 1911's (both made in 1914) He also threw in a H&R nine shot .22 revolver as well.
Well, that's my best Colt acquisition story, what's yours? NAA
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Colt 1911: Best damn "Government" in the World!
