ltwguns.com

Thanks to Joel Babcock for allowing me to repost this thread from the 1911Forum : http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=130683

From Joel Babcock:
"Attached are some photos from the late 20's to the late 30's of a few phases of production. I will not publish photos undoctored at this time. I'm sure you'll understand I don't own the rights to do that....I doubt.

The Colt Factory

The Steel Room, hundreds of different types of steel; rods, bars, flats, and strips waiting to begin their journey through the plant.


The Forge Shop, where gigantic drop forges beat such parts as frames, slides and receivers from solid bars of steel. The pile on the left in the photo are receivers, and slides on the right.


The Heat Treat Room, where the ovens give steel the proper strength and toughness.


Drilling Machines, where millions of holes are drilled in receivers and frames every year. Note the rack of receivers lower left in photo.


Broach Machines, for cutting out the inside sections of frames and receivers. Note the rack of receivers lower right in photo.


Profiling Machines, note the stack of receivers between the workers.


Barrel drilling machine, where the barrels are drilled in a delicate operation necessary to produce a perfect barrel.


Barrel rifling machine, an operation that calls for skill, care and years of training....done on a machine of special design.


Barrel Proof testing machine....this photo was obviously taken in a staged photo, at least it seems the proofer would be wearing some kind of hearing protection as the proof loads were 25% overloads.


Rough polish, this worker is working on Woodsman pistols.



Final Polish room, where small and large parts are polished.

Bluing Furnace, a drum revolves slowly until the operation is completed. They are built to hold a maximum number of pieces, yet allow ample room for air circulation with no chance for parts touching each other. There are racks for barrels, racks for hammers, triggers, extractors, grip safety, etc. All screws and pins are blued in bulk in the small furnaces. Matched parts, such as slide and receiver are alternately fastened in place in the bluing rack. The bluing room has twin rows of revolving drums - thirty large furnaces and eight small parts furnaces.



Assembly Room, dozens of highly skilled experts fitting parts until complete.



Grip Checkering room, where hand checkering is putting on the sharp diamond points for automatic pistols and revolvers.



Repair/Shipping Depts. under the Supervision of one individual, and the pistols are boxed, wrapped and shipped.


Stock Room, guns ready for shipment.


Colt frame forging in my collection.
"

Thanks again Joel for the awesome piece of Colt history!!

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John Del Pinto

Very cool! Thanks for posting that.

Great stuff, thanks! I must have that book.... some info please.

The hump on top of the receiver forging is to give the broach a perpendicular surface to start on, I'd presume.

What a nice parlor item would that barrel proofing fixure be!

Thanks John, that cleared some mental images up for me. Any idea on the origin of the pictures and explanations. I agree, if it is in a book, it would be nice to find it.

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Heirloom Precision, LLC.
480-804-1911

"If everyone is thinking alike, someone isn't thinking."
- General George Patton Jr

Outstanding! Thanks, JDP.

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CT Brian Custom
'Blending Art With Firepower'

Per Joel, he said the pictures are from a small pamphlet obtained from Colt documenting their manufacturing techniques from 1936 or 1937.

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John Del Pinto

That's really neat stuff John. Thanks for sharing. My father, who went home to be with the Lord in 1976 at the age of 69, always worked in shipping and receiving for various manufacturering firms and always wore a white shirt and tie to work. Different times .....

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Sic Semper Tyrannis

i recently worked at chrylser trenton, michigan engine plant. (sub contractor)and i saw an "old timer" checking engine blocks. id say at least 60yrs. old. wearing dress slacks, and a button up white shirt... kinda got me thinkin about the old times ect......

Witherspoon....don't worry, your father's legacy must live on it you! He left a perfect gentleman behind in his son! I am one of the lucky ones, in that I know you personally! And from meeting YOUR son, I believe the chain will be strong for at least another generation!

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"There is a true glory and a true honor, the glory of duty done, the honor of integrity and principle."--Gen. Robert Edward Lee

Is that the "Colt, a Century of Arms" book? If so, I have a copy around here somewhere. What I liked was the description of the de-greasing operation before blueing: they dunked the racks of parts in vats of boiling gasoline, then air-dryed them to degrease them.

The entire EPA would have a fainting spell were you to even suggest such a thing today.

Wonderful look into the great Colt of old, in their hey-day... thanks for sharing those pics... very cool.

wonder what it looks like today??

My thoughts as well.....
Thanks,
Gary

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Gary Pennington
email........ brewdog57@hotmail.com


I've learned age is a very high price to pay for maturity

No pics, but here's a narrative just written by a fellow who took a tour of the Colt factory just a couple of weeks ago...

http://members.aol.com/lmanwebdesign/ColtTour.html

From the sounds of it, it's a very tiny operation these days... nothing like the sprawling operation it once was.

My wife and I toured the plant in 1997 for a full morning.

The part of the plant where the 1911's and SAA's were being made was very old school. The side of the plant where (at the time) the Cadet .22 pistol was being made was a bit more high tech. with fitters standing at work stations receiving bins full of parts then assembling the complete guns.

The AR/M-16 section in the back was very different and seemed to be working on full steam unlike the other parts of the plant in which real people seemed to be involved in every part of the process.

The sad part of the tour was when the guide pointed out the final pallet of stainless Delta Gold Cup 10mm's awaiting shipping, the production of 10mm's having ended some time before the tour.

Brent

Is in that Picture?? Mark