Anyone own a famous/celebrity gun?
- Thread starter EdInk
- Start date
The nearest I can come up with is a shotgun belonging to a Former U.S. Postmaster General. He was a self made man coming from nothing and becoming an exceedingly wealth individual.
The gun itself is not indicative of the wealth of the former owner. It is probably more indicative if the current owner's.
I have numerous other guns I have bought used and have no idea of their provenance. Who knows the stories some of our guns might be able to tell.
The gun itself is not indicative of the wealth of the former owner. It is probably more indicative if the current owner's.
I have numerous other guns I have bought used and have no idea of their provenance. Who knows the stories some of our guns might be able to tell.
Green Giant
New member
I have a S&W 625-4 4" that once belonged to Wiley Clapp.
Depends on what you think is famous (infamous)? My great grandfather was part of a citizens committee that ran some folks, who had been determined an undesireable element, out of town (hint: for about fifty years, it was the only major port city on the west coast without what we now call an "international district"). Nickel-plated, 6" S&W M&P.
claydoctor
New member
I regret passing on an opportunity years ago to buy a Colt Single Action that once belonged to Garry Cooper. They wanted thirty five hundred dollars. Right now, if you have a spare nineteen thousand, Turnbull Restoration will sell you a rifle belonging to Tom Selleck.
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Sharpsdressed Man
Moderator
Just looked at Turnbull's. They don't advertise it as owned by Tom Selleck, only that it might have been made for him. Odd in that..........
claydoctor
New member
SHARPDRESSED MAN:
I'm on Turnbull's E-mail list. They recently sent one showing 4-5 rifles.
A Marlin 1881 lever action restored, and engraved with Selleck's initials is described as "currently owned by Tom Selleck".
I'm on Turnbull's E-mail list. They recently sent one showing 4-5 rifles.
A Marlin 1881 lever action restored, and engraved with Selleck's initials is described as "currently owned by Tom Selleck".
I found a memorbilia website selling a S&W that belonged to Elvis. The price was not listed like all the other stuff. The gun is advertised as coming with a letter from S&W to verify it's previous ownership.
They had one of the TVs he shot for sale too. I guess it REALLY WAS a pain to get up and turn off the set in the old days.
In all seriousness, Elvis was one of the biggest gun-loving celebrities ever. He was one of the most irresponsible ones too.
It just goes to prove, you can take the hillbilly out of the hills but you can't take the hills out of the hillbilly.
They had one of the TVs he shot for sale too. I guess it REALLY WAS a pain to get up and turn off the set in the old days.
In all seriousness, Elvis was one of the biggest gun-loving celebrities ever. He was one of the most irresponsible ones too.
It just goes to prove, you can take the hillbilly out of the hills but you can't take the hills out of the hillbilly.
I have an 1886 Winchester that lettered as shipped to Buffalo Bill's 101 Wild West Show. I had a guy that owed me rent back in 1979. He didn't have the $135.00 to pay so he offered me the gun in trade. I had just started collecting Winchester levers so I jumped on the offer. The gun was nickle plated that turned to frost and had the heavy barrel with knife blade front sight. Caliber 40-65. I still have it.
I've never owned a gun that belonged to a famous person, but I worked on Jean-Claude Duvalier's Gold Cup in the 80s, and also Herbert Hoover's Remington Model 11 that got passed to his grandson.
Duvalier's Gold Cup needed the front sight restaked (LOL!!!!), and Hoover's gun had a broken carrier spring.
In the 70s, I had the dubious privilege of knowing John Ek. He had Fidel Castro's .45 that had been intercepted by U.S. Customs when, after Castro had sent it to Colt for some repair work, he openly declared he was a Communist. How Ek came to possess it is a mystery, but he had "connections in high places," I guess.
Sadly, after he died in '76, the gun disappeared and no one knows what happened to it (with the possible exception of his son, Gary).
Edit: I did once own a Colt 1902 Military .38 auto that, by serial number in Colt's records, was delivered to the "Browning Brothers." I assume it was just something that went to their store, and not actually owned by either of the Brownings, but they may have actually touched it...
Duvalier's Gold Cup needed the front sight restaked (LOL!!!!), and Hoover's gun had a broken carrier spring.
In the 70s, I had the dubious privilege of knowing John Ek. He had Fidel Castro's .45 that had been intercepted by U.S. Customs when, after Castro had sent it to Colt for some repair work, he openly declared he was a Communist. How Ek came to possess it is a mystery, but he had "connections in high places," I guess.
Sadly, after he died in '76, the gun disappeared and no one knows what happened to it (with the possible exception of his son, Gary).
Edit: I did once own a Colt 1902 Military .38 auto that, by serial number in Colt's records, was delivered to the "Browning Brothers." I assume it was just something that went to their store, and not actually owned by either of the Brownings, but they may have actually touched it...
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My granddads Stevens favorite. It had been shot by a friend of his that went on to beat Christy Mathewson in the 1912 World Series.
One of the few series that went to eight games.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Bedient
The story goes that Hugh took a shot at a window in an old abandoned shack only to have the owner come running out yelling and shaking his fist.
I guess that was before the four laws.
One of the few series that went to eight games.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Bedient
The story goes that Hugh took a shot at a window in an old abandoned shack only to have the owner come running out yelling and shaking his fist.
I guess that was before the four laws.
Stalone Thompson 45
I picked up a Thompson 45 a few years ago that was owned by Sylvester Stalone, it also has SLY as the serial number. I also checked with auto odinance who confirmed that it was given to him by auto odinance as a birthday present. Just curious what it would be worth today.
I picked up a Thompson 45 a few years ago that was owned by Sylvester Stalone, it also has SLY as the serial number. I also checked with auto odinance who confirmed that it was given to him by auto odinance as a birthday present. Just curious what it would be worth today.