Subject: "public enemy" outlaw
Culture: Depression-era Anglo-American
Setting: Great Depression / Dust Bowl, America 1930s
Object: guns (various)
* National Museum of Crime and Punishment > A Notorious History of American Crime
"COLT MODEL 1908 HAMMERLESS POCKET PISTOL
This is an exact model of the weapon found on John Dillinger's body after his fatal encounter with the FBI at the Biograph Theater.
"Made in 1910, this was the second model pocket automatic Colt manufactured. It was another of John Browning's designs and it developed into one of Colt's most successful pistols."* National Museum of Crime and Punishment > A Notorious History of American Crime
"COLT MINI .45 SUBMACHINE GUN
This replica weapon represents a 'hybrid' produced by H.S. Lebman, known as the gunsmith to the 'Depression Era' gangsters. He combined the parts of a 1911 Colt .45 with several parts from the Thompson to make this pistol a mini submachine gun.
"This weapon was used by the likes of John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson. In fact, one was recovered by police in St. Paul, Minnesota, shortly after Dillinger's escape in his 1933 Essex now on display in our museum lobby."* National Museum of Crime and Punishment > A Notorious History of American Crime
"DEVELOPMENT OF THE SUBMACHINE GUN
Presented here is a model of the original 1921 Thompson submachine gun with a 20-round magazine clip manufactured by Colt.
"On display with the model is one of the original prototype drawings of the Tommy gun called the 'Persuader', an original sales/advertisment poster to the public and a period photo of General John Taliaferro Thompson developer of the Tommy - 'the gun that made the twenties roar'."Thompson was inspired by the trench warfare of World War I and wanted a 'one-man, hand-held machine gun,' that could fire a rifle-caliber round. He utilized a patent issued to John B. Blish and found a financial backer in Thomas Fortune Ryan, then started the Auto-Ordnance Corporation in 1916 for the purpose of developing his weapon."By late 1917, it had been found that the only cartridge currently in U.S. service suitable for use with the lock was the .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol). The project was then titled 'Annihilator I', and by 1918, most of the design issues had been resolved."At an Auto-Ordnance board meeting in 1919 to discuss the marketing of the 'Annihilator', with the war over, the weapon was officially renamed the 'Thompson Submachine Gun'. The Thompson was the first weapon to be labeled and marketed as a 'submachine gun'."The Thompson first entered production as the Model of 1921. It was available to civilians, though its high price resulted in few sales. The model of 1921 were [SIC] first sold in small quantities to the U.S. Post Office (to protect the mail from a spate of robberies), followed by several police departments in the United States."* National Museum of Crime and Punishment > A Notorious History of American Crime
"REMINGTON 35 RIFLE Representative of the actual weapon used in the Bonnie & Clyde ambush by officer Prentis Oakley (he was credited with firing the fatal bullet that killed Clyde)."
"'REPLICA' BAR RIFLE, 'A FAVORITE OF CLYDE'S'" Clyde Barrow used a shortened BAR (stolen from National Guard armories) during his spree in the 1930s. The six lawmen that killed Bonnie and Clyde also used a variant of the BAR called the Monitor in their ambush.
"The Browning Automatic Rifle (more formally designated first as the Rifle, Caliber .30, Automatic, Browning, M1918 and later the Browning Automatic Rifle, Caliber .30, M1918A2; and commonly known as the BAR) is a family of automatic rifles (or machine rifles) and light machine guns used by the United States and other countries during the 20th century.""REPLICA COLT MONITOR MACHINE RIFLE
Representative of the weapon used by Texas Ranger Frank Haimer, the leader of the infamous Bonnie & Clyde ambush.
"This rifle was also a favorite waepon used by Baby Face Nelson."* National Museum of Crime and Punishment > A Notorious History of American Crime
"COLT MODEL 1911 .45 AUTOMATIC (COMMERCIAL)
A favored and typical model handgun used by the criminals of the Depression Era.
"The M1911 is a single-action, semiautomatic handgun chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. It was designed by John M. Browning, and was the standard-issue side arm for the United States armed forces from 1911 to 1985. It was widely used in World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War."* Denton County Historical Museum
"H & R HANDY GUN
made by Harrington & Richardson
ca. 1920's to 1934
smooth bore, 410 gauge"
* Old Red Museum > Hunt "Big D" Gallery
"Shuyler Marshall's Revolvers
Dallas County Sheriff Schuyler Marshall, Jr. brandished these .38 cal. Smith & Wesson revolvers in quelling a 1925 mob that threatened two prisoners in the Criminal Courts Building." ...
* Old Red Museum > Hunt "Big D" Gallery
"Clyde Barrow Gun
This gun, attributed to Clyde Barrow, came into the possession of George Henry Brooks, sheriff of Bowie County from 1928 to 1965. The Barrow gang staged several bank robberies in the area." ...
