Rare Springfield Armory .22 LR Gallery Kit sn 2 for sale (991362364)

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1919 Springfield Armory .22 Gallery Unit s/n 2

Extremely rare Springfield Armory .22LR caliber Gallery practice unit manufactured by Springfield Armory sometime between 13 June 1916 and 18 July 1919. Serial number 2 of only 25 units ever produced. The initial cost estimate submitted in the funding request in 1916 was $100 each…which was a lot of money back then. The first Springfield Armory M1911 pistols only cost $7.50 each to produce. The final cost in each of the 25 Gallery units presumably well exceeded $100 each, due to multiple setbacks and problems encountered.

Development and production was suspended May 10, 1918 due to WWI and the demand for spare parts for the M1903 rifle which Springfield Armory produced. The project was resumed post-WWI. This unit, serial number 2, was assembled on Colt M1911 s/n 564868 for testing. The pistols with their Gallery practice units were later issued for field testing. The units experienced various failures and were returned to Springfield Armory for further research, development and testing over the next five years. Springfield Armory never fully perfected the units, even though they spent a great deal of time and money to do so. Work was discontinued pending testing of the Colt Ace pistol. This unit has matching serial numbers. The breach block is still in the white. Parkerizing was introduced at Springfield Armory in 1919. The right side ejection port displays evidence of the work Springfield Armory did in their efforts to develop a satisfactory model. In front of that port is the Springfield Armory eagle, partially removed due to the extension of the port during modifications made by Springfield Armory.

“Failure to eject empty cases” is the first deficiency listed in the field test reports on these units dated March 21, 1923. This unit is a prime example of the work in progress at the time the project was discontinued in 1924.

I believe there are only a few (less than 10) of the 25 units known to exist today. Extremely rare.

No FFL or C&R required. Payment by USPS postal money orders or Western Union transfer. 3 day inspection period. Return privilege provided item is returned exactly as shipped. Please contact me with any questions.

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I am a collector of all U.S. military issue handguns, especially the M1911, M1911A1 and Colt Govt. Model pistols. My primary interest involves U.S. military pistols and revolvers manufactured before 1947. However, I also collect high quality WWII Axis pistols and Colts manufactured up about 1980.

I am a Life Member of the N.R.A., CCA and several other collector associations. I am a member of several online forum sites, but generally only post in the collector boards. I administer a website to provide inspection services for USGI handguns and provide collector information and photos.

I regularly buy to upgrade my collection. We attend more than 30 gun shows each year and regularly exhibit displays at some of the major shows and the Colt Collector Association annual conventions. I also provide paid inspections at the shows through our website.

I am acknowledged in Clawson's Collectors Guide and Meadows' Volume II and have acquired several pistols featured in books and articles authored by Clawson, Meadows, Pate and Brunner. feel free to contact me for more information or references.

I am not an 01 FFL and use a local shop for all transactions requiring shipment and dealer transfers. I do legal face-to-face transactions only where permitted by law.

Rare Springfield Armory .22 LR Gallery Kit s/n 2

Listed in category: Colt Automatic Pistols (1911 & Var)