Presidential Arms

THE  PRESIDENTS'  ARMS

 Fascinating information and pictures.  Pay particular attention to the first quote by JFK just below, and the last one by Ronald Reagan.

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This is the GOLD-PLATED AR-15 presented to President Kennedy by Colt Firearms back in the day.
- From R. L. Wilson's The Colt Heritage

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JOHN F. KENNEDY- New Frontier Colt
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With a serial number of PT-109, Colt manufactured this custom New Frontier Colt for President John F. Kennedy.   The 35th president never received his revolver as a result of his tragic assassination in 1963.

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RICHARD M. NIXON - Colt .45
In their December 21, 1970 meeting, Elvis Presley gave Nixon a commemorative World War II Colt .45...and requested to be made "Federal Agent at Large" in the war against drugs.

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RICHARD M. NIXON - Colt Presentation Single-Action Army Colt crafted this elegant Presentation grade single-action army for Nixon in 1972. It was never presented though as a result of the Watergate Scandal. The serial number is RMN No. 1 Image Courtesy the Autry Museum

RONALD REAGAN - Colt Presentation Single-Action Army Manufactured in 1984 with the serial number RR-1, this elegant Colt Single-Action Army was crafted for our nation's 40th president. Like Nixon's Single-Action Army, the presentation

of this revolver never happened.
       Image Courtesy the Autry Museum

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GEORGE WASHINGTON Steel-Mounted Saddle Pistols

   -  Marquis de Lafayette, a young French soldier who volunteered to fight for the United States, gave Washington this pair of saddle pistols with barrels made of Damascus steel.  Washington reportedly carried these sidearms at Valley Forge, Monmouth, Yorktown and during the Whiskey Rebellion as president.  Washington maintained possession of the pistols until his death in 1799.  Andrew Jackson owned them for a spell, until bequeathing them back to the Lafayette family.
Image courtesy of Christies

THOMAS JEFFERSON
One of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Jefferson has many quotes that resonate strongly with the Right to Bear Arms crowd, including, "Laws that forbid the carrying of arms . . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes . . . Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man. - 1764" Truer words couldn't have been spoken.
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This flintlock pocket pistol reportedly belonged to our nation's third president.  There are many reproductions of Jefferson dueling pistols available in the marketplace today.

 

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JAMES MADISON/JAMES MONROE - Space Pistols?
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What to get the man that probably has everything?  How 'bout a pair of pistols reportedly crafted from meteorite iron found in the Campo del Cielo crater in Argentina.  At least that was the story given to James Madison when he was presented with this pair of fully functioning pistols by South American general Ignacio Alvarez.  His words were accepted as fact until nearly 200 years later when science took a closer look and determined the pistols weren't made from meteoric iron.  After Madison's passing, James Monroe took possession of the guns.
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Image courtesy of www.redorbit.com

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ANDREW JACKSON

"Old Hickory" dueled it out with more than one opponent with pistols, including an incident in which he was dueling Charles Dickinson.  Dickinson shot first, hitting Jackson in the chest.  Jackson then took aim and pulled the trigger only to be greeted with a misfire, which according to dueling rules counts as a shot.  Jackson pulled the hammer back again and pulled the trigger, and killed Dickinson with his second effort.  Jackson lived 19 years with the lead ball in his chest.

Andrew Jackson also helped Colt Firearms get noticed after giving his stamp of approval to the newly designed revolver.
The above percussion pistol was reportedly owned by Jackson and was made circa 1830.

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MARTIN VAN BUREN - Senate Pistols
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When Martin Van Buren presided over the senate as Vice President, he wore a pair of pistols for security measures.  Do you think a V.P. could get away with that today?

RUTHERFORD B. HAYES - Smith & Wesson .32 Caliber Revolver

Our 19th President carried a Smith & Wesson .32 Caliber revolver during the civil war.  The original gun is in the Hayes Museum in Fremont, OH.

GROVER CLEVELAND - Colt 8-Gauge

Certainly not a pistol, but cool nevertheless, this Colt 8-gauge was owned by our 22nd president, Grover Cleveland.  The engraved double barrel is believed to be the only eight gauge in existence.

Image courtesy of the National Firearm Museum

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THEODORE ROOSEVELT - Smith & Wesson New Model No. 3
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"This revolver is attributed by Smith & Wesson factory records to future U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt.  He most likely took delivery of this gun just prior to training his Rough Riders at San Antonio, Texas. -- National Firearm Museum
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Image courtesy of the National Firearm Museum

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This Colt Revolver was recovered from the sunken USS Maine and subsequently carried in combat by Lt. Colonel Theodore Roosevelt during the Spanish American War.  He would use the weapon during his Medal of Honor engagement.
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THEODORE ROOSEVELT - Fabrique Nationale Model 1900 Semi Automatic Pistol

Teddy Roosevelt's nightstand gun while in the Whitehouse?  If family tradition is accurate, It might have been this handsome Fabrique Nationale Model 1900 Semi Automatic Pistol.
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Image courtesy of the National Firearm Museum

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ELEANOR ROOSEVELT - S&W .38 Special Revolver
The First Lady of firearms?  Teddy's cousin-in-law, Eleanor was very handy with a sidearm.  She often carried a S&W .38 Special Revolver.
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Image courtesy Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum

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HARRY S. TRUMAN - Colt M1911 and Colt Officers Model .22 LR
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Harry S. Truman was presented this Colt M1911 and Colt Officers Model .22 LR in 1947 by Colt President Graham H. Anthony.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER - U.S. Colt Model 1911A1 Semi Automatic Pistol
"This pistol was given by General Dwight D. Eisenhower to Admiral Sir A. B. Cunningham, R.N., during the November 1942 Allied invasion of North Africa. -- National Firearms Museum
(Inset) While serving as the Supreme Allied Commander during World War II, Eisenhower's preferred sidearm was a Colt Detective Special.

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Nancy Reagan carried a firearm all the time.  Nobody was going to shoot her husband again