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Outstanding Documented Pre-World War II, Special Order, Factory Engraved Colt Government Model National Match Semi-Automatic Pistols Inscribed to Detective Emmet E. Jones from Famous Los Angeles Gunsmith, J.D. Buchanan with Box and Factory Letter - Serial no. C184988, 45 ACP cal., 5 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. Manufactured in 1937, this Colt Government Model National Match pistol was presented by the California gunsmith J.D. Buchanan. On p. 44 of “American Beauty: The Prewar Colt National Match Government Model Pistol” by Timothy Mullin, he notes that there were many talented custom gunsmiths available during the pre-war period, but “Perhaps the best of this already elite group was the legendary gunsmith J.D. Buchanan of Los Angeles, California...” Buchanan is noted for doing all manner of performance tuning work during the pre-
war period, with one of his advertisements in “The American Rifleman” in 1939 proclaiming a “New tune-up job with Buchanan Hi-Sights, special new hand-fitted bushing, real trigger pull and other improvements.”The included factory letter lists the pistol in .45 caliber with a 5 inch barrel and blue finish when shipped to Hoffman Hardware Co. in Los Angeles for J.D. Buchanan on 24 June 1937. The letter goes on to state that the ledger did not show engraving at the time of shipment, but did note that the pistol was special ordered with the top and rear of the slide sandblasted, which the pistol features. The writer believes the engraving on this pistol was clearly executed at the factory by Colt’s master engraver Wilbur A. Glahn. The lack of complete factory records in this time period to document this is unfortunate for the historical record, though a well-known fact. A very similarly engraved Colt Government Model National Match pistol is pictured on p. 599 of “The Colt Engraving Book Vol. II” by R.L. Wilson. The left side of the slide on this pistol is inscribed “EMMET E. JONES/NATIONAL INDIVIDUAL CHAMPION 1937/PRESENTED BY J.D. BUCHANAN LOS ANGELES”. Emmet E. Jones was a detective for the Los Angeles Police Department as well as an incredibly skilled target shooter. An article in the Los Angeles Times from 4 September 1937 reporting from Camp Perry, Ohio states that Jones shot a 195 out of possible 200 in the .45-caliber timed fire match to win the event, a win that is likely what earned him this incredible pistol. A 1947 article from the same paper indicates that the Los Angeles P.D. competition team beat a field of over 300 teams in the national and international matches in Florida and Cuba, with Jones winning over half of the team’s awards by placing first in 11 events. The left side