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Coltautos.com Gun of the Month - December 2017
Factory Presentation
Colt .22LR Automatic Target (Pre-Woodsman) Serial Number 1468
Presented by Colt President Col. C.L.F. Robinson to Phil B. Bekeart (ca. 1916)

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - A very unique and rare factory inscribed presentation from Colt President Col. C.L.F. Robinson (from 1911-1916) to Colt's Pacific Coast Distributor Phil B. Bekeart on April 7, 1916. (Formerly in the Joe Kiser Collection)

Phil B. Bekeart Col. C.L.F. Robinson
Phil Baldwin Bekeart
Colt's Pacific Coast Representative
(ca. 1927)
Connecticut State Library, State Archives, PG 460,
 Colt Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company,
 Box 4, Folder 9, Item 4.
Colonel Charles Leonard Frost Robinson
President of Colt's Patent Fire Arms Company
(1911-1916)
Connecticut State Library, State Archives, PG 460,
Colt Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company,
Box 1, Folder 3, Item 1

Phil B. Bekeart Co., San Francisco, Cal, West End Front Office, January 1927 - A portrait of Phil B. Bekeart and his employees (from left to right) William J. Mc Cubbin, Phil K. Bekeart, Henry S. Nelson, Phil B. Bekeart at the Phil B. Bekeart Co. in San Francisco, California. Taken in the west end front office where pictures of former Col's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company presidents and executives hang. There are photos of Robinson, Skinner, Stone and Nichols all of which hang on the wall to the left of Phil B. Bekeart. Connecticut State Library, State Archives, PG 460, Colt Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company, Box 4, Folder 9, Item 4.

Colt Firearms Ad (ca. 1917) - Pacific Coast Representative, Phil B. Bekeart Co, San Francisco

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - Colt Factory Special Order Record indicates the following regarding the pistol and inscription.  The record is date stamped APR 10, 1916:

(Factory Order No.) 146/1 Presentation 4/7/16
S Automatic 6 1/2" #1468
Check Walnut.
Engraved as below
Sights Regular
Pull Regular
Engraved on right of
slide

PHIL. B. BEKEART  APR. 7, 1916
FROM COL. C.L.E. (sic. C.L.F.) ROBINSON
 

This early Model S "Pre-Woodsman" is in nice condition and has most of the early features:

  • early slide markings with Colt horse located to the right of the left side slide serrations
  • pencil barrel with the latest patent date of 1903
  • checkered walnut grips with uncheckered diamond around the grip screw
  • smooth trigger centered in trigger guard
  • early style magazine with brass follower

Some other interesting features of note:

  • Early style checkered mainspring housing has been upgraded to the later style in order to handle high speed ammunition
  • Early style magazine with single hole near the top of the left side has been engine turned and polished smooth (base of the magazine is still blue)
  • Slide rails near the chamber have been engine turned and polished

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - Close-up of the inscription:

Phil. B. Bekeart April, 7. 1916
From Col. C.L.F. Robinson

The significance of the date is unknown at this time and is still being researched.

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - smooth trigger centered in trigger guard
 

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - Left side showing early style slide legend, location of Colt horse and diamond pattern checkered walnut grips.

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - adjustable early style rear sight.

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - smooth trigger centered in trigger guard

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - muzzle and adjustable front sight

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - muzzle and adjustable front sight

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - base plate of earliest style magazine marked "CAL. 22" over "COLT"

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - showing chamber device (slide appendage).

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - showing close-up of chamber device (slide appendage)

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - Profile of chamber to show chamber device (slide appendage).

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - showing breech face and relief for chamber device (slide appendage).

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - Slide rails near the chamber have been engine turned and polished

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - Slide rails near the chamber have been engine turned and polished

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - Slide rails near the chamber have been engine turned and polished

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - earliest style magazine has been engine turned and polished

 

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - earliest style magazine has been engine turned and polished

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - earliest style magazine has been engine turned and polished

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - Original checkered pattern mainspring housing has been replaced with the later style lined pattern mainspring housing indicating that gun has been upgraded to fire high speed ammunition.

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - Pencil barrel with the latest patent date of December 22, 1903

 

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 -Serial number 1468 stamped inside the slide.

Factory Presentation Colt Automatic Target Pistol .22 LR Serial Number 1468 - Serial number 1468 stamped on front grip strap.

 

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