Cossacks and .45 Colt

[Arto O]

Hi,
In some paintings appears cossacks with .45 Colt. From where they got them, or were they just paint without really having them?
thanks
Arto

[ML59]

Are you sure they don't depict FN GP35, Browing HP or Radom wz35? They were all built for the German forces in quite substantial numbers and are, superficially, pretty similar to the Colt M1911.

[OpanaPointer]

USSR got 12,997 M1911A or M1911A1 from the US via Lend-Lease.

[ML59]

So, now we have a full range of options!

[Arto O]

Thanks ML59 and OpanaPointer,
Here one painting, which might tell what kind of pistol is it. Why the curiosity, is because one don´t see them in german hands often.
cheers
Arto

COLT.jpg (56.46 KiB) Viewed 1094 times

Source: Uniforms&Traditions of the German Army 1933-1945 by John R. Angolia & Adolf Schlicht, vol 2

[ROLAND1369]

This pistol looks to me to be a Russian TT 33 7.62 mm automatic due to the large grooves at it's rear.

[OpanaPointer]

This pistol looks to me to be a Russian TT 33 7.62 mm automatic due to the large grooves at it's rear.

Good match.

[PF]

No exposed hammer...not a .45 Colt or even a 9mm Browning

[Arto O]

Thanks ROLAND1369, one learning lesson more.
Cheers
Arto

[clement]

During WW1 the Russians purchased a lot of firearms on the world market for their forces one of which was a contract w/Colt for the 1911 Colt .45. These guns were all in the commercial "C" block serial series & were marked in Cryllic characters "English Contract" on the right frame. This particular Colt was reworked by the Soviets w/a dull blue finish, a small batch of these guns were offered on the market a few years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuNIZd0dwjs

[clement]

Interesting link from AHF
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=102463

[James A Pratt III]

I believe the 1911s used by the Russians in WW I were in the C23,000 to 89,000 serial number range.

One C71905 is in the Central Museum of the Revolution in Moscow. It's what Yakov Yurovsky used to kill ex-Tsar Nicholas II and later finish off his son Alexei. There is also his Mauser C96 pistol and Peter Ermakov's C96 and Winchester M-1895 bayonet as well as Grigory Nikulin's Browning 1900. All used to kill the Tsar and his family and remaining retainers. See the book Last days of the Romanov by Helen Rappenport for a account of their fate.

The book "The Russian Revolution by R pipes mentions the use of "Colts" as the Russians called the 1911 to shoot people.

On archive.org there is the book Memiors of Life in Old Russia by Count Ivan Stenbock-Ferman a Guards cavalry officer who mentions carrying a "Colt"

[Arto O]

Thanks clement and James A Pratt III,
here another example: now with hands who seems to be a Turkistani volunteer. Maybe imposible to see details.

truthww2-22x2.jpg (25.62 KiB) Viewed 595 times

Source: mourningtheancient.com