66mustang

GT, I have thought about this also, but I am more inclined to believe there were maybe 10 to 20 pistols, with 10 a good number. During testing, they would want 2-3 weapons (minimum, with six sounding logical to me).


My reasoning is that just 20-30 years before there were many gunsmiths that made their own parts and guns. John Browning for one, although for models, he would sometimes use other guns and adapt them (his first automatic was based on a Win 30-30 or like model).


Many gun manufacturers / smiths would toss out those pieces of pre-production after showing their guns. I do think some jigs would have been used, and have never (of course, ) looked at the two real .45's in the US. One is documented as having been from the tests, the other has rumors of having been brought "back" by a GI? If so, I would think there would be a couple more.


I can just imagine some older guy or his son, taking out his Luger once a year and popping off a box of .45 rounds! And thinking very little about it, to them it is just a war trophy and they happened to make it in .45!


I have always heard stories and such of Thompson 9 mm's during the war. So it is obvious to me that many GI's would just think it was odd, but common...


Ed