[Jbar4Ranch]

I've always wanted to pick one of these up, but over the years, the price has gone from ridiculous to ludicrous to utterly insane. I thought I'd better do it before it required a second mortgage.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/jbar4ranch/FP-45009sm.jpg

And even more rare than the pistol itself are the *original* instructions. This is the only one I've actually ever laid eyes on, and the patina, wear, and proper watermark would tend to authenticate it. Even though the instructions are considerably rarer than the gun, they don't cost nearly as much, thank goodness. The tough one to find is the original outer box, which in good condition can bring one to two thousand dollars. I've yet to see one, even in a museum, and have only seen pictures of them on the Web so far. I had a heck of a time taking a decent pic of this after I put it in the frame, glass is hard to avoid glare or reflections.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/jbar4ranch/FP-45_InstructionsSm.jpg

[Popeye]

WOW!! Now there's a MIL-SURP! Congratulations.

[Rabbi]

I think that you have to consider that a Christmas blessing.

Won't you please fire it at least once? And then let us know. It's no cherry, so give it one more shot for our generation.

Good on ya, Bro.

[John Henry]

That IS great !
Where did you find 'em .... Did they come from the same source ?

[cheekser]

awesome find :up:

[matthewdanger]

Holy smokes that is cool! Are you going to shoot it? (Had to ask.)

And speaking as a tech writer... those are some of the very best instructions I have ever seen in print. Less words is mo better.

[Pathfinder]

A Liberator????

Holy schmokes! :faint:

Ya did good!

[Jbar4Ranch]

I have some mouse phart loads consisting of a 200 grain cast bullet and a few grains of Trail Boss... Nice low-pressure loads...

Not too many people have even seen one of these, let alone own one, and I think shooting it would be quite an experience, not to mention the bragging rights associated with pulling the trigger two or three times.

(edit) John Henry, yes, the instructions came with the pistol, as did the ejector dowel. I don't know how in the world the dowel could ever be authenticated, but it's the right size (1/4" x 5") and looks old, lol. The instructions are in good to very good condition and would probably bring around $300 by themselves. I've rounded up three sets of ten rounds of original .45acp with '42 headstamps; Two different RP headstamp styles, and one Winchester. The original cost to the government in 1942 was $2.10, including ten rounds of ammo.

[BrockthePaine]

And they made one on the order of one every five seconds... that is SWEET!

[Jbar4Ranch]

I've never seen an estimate of how many may exist today, but this is only the third one I've ever seen. I've seen more Ruger Hawkeyes, and there were only 3300 of those made.

[BrockthePaine]

Most of them were smelted down after the war, if I recall right. Not that there were that many in good condition after the war anyway...

[Jbar4Ranch]

I've read that a lot of them were dumped in the English Channel too, along with other unwanted surplus war materials. Who knows. Fascinating stuff, this history.

[Jim V]

Most got dumped into the North Atlantic since the various resistance groups in Europe wanted STEN guns. However, there are enough reports that have authenticated where various police agencies in Europe after the war used them until something better could be provided.

The porduction figures I have seen is 1,000,000 pistols.

FP-45 + Flare Projector - 45

And with 230 grain military ball ammo you know you shot something. And I got mine, with out the instruction sheet and dowel, for $50.00.

[Jbar4Ranch]

Fiddy bucks? Dayum! :eek: I've researched these things for years, and that's gotta be the best deal I've ever heard of! :bow:

[Rabbi]

JBar,

Thank you so much for the report.

Man, do I envy you .......... and Jim.

History is interesting indeed ......... and I read about five years ago that in the 1970s, the Brits took eight barges of "lend-lease" rifles and pistols that we had given them and deep-sixed 'em into the North Sea because "Britons don't need guns" ................

F**k 'em, I hope we never give them military aid again.

[matthewdanger]

50 bucks!?!?! Jim, that may be the deal of the century.

[BrockthePaine]

$50!?!?

Was it the last one and who can I contact for this deal???

[Popeye]

$50.00? You bought that one a while ago.

[Jim V]

Within the past 15 years. You have to be at the right spot at the right time. :D

[Blammer]

It's on my list of things to grab after I hit the Lottery :D - right after the Baby Nambu and the Norwegen version of the 1911A, and the Eurfert Artillery Luger with the shoulder stock holster and the drum mag ( it's time for my meds now... bye!) ;) :P :D

[Jim V]

Blammer, since I have 75% of your wish list, perhaps I should look to add the last one.

The Norweigan .45 (M-1914) is a 1911 not a 1911A1 and they remained that way until production stopped.

[Lupey]

Blammer, since I have 75% of your wish list, perhaps I should look to add the last one.

The Norweigan .45 (M-1914) is a 1911 not a 1911A1 and they remained that way until production stopped.


Nothing like braggin :D :D I am truely envious of the collections that people on the board have!

[Jim V]

And for me the last one would be the Nambu.

Hmm, I wonder if any of the New Nambu 9m/m pistols made it to the US? They looked sorta like a 1911 that was with to a Star.