If Samuel Colt was alive today, he’d be 200 years old. While I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy, I thank the failed underwater mine maker for enabling Americans’ natural, civil and Constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms. By manufacturing hundreds of thousands of guns – using interchangeable parts on an assembly line – Mr. Colt mass-produced armed self defense. Through product placement, celebrity endorsements and advertising (not to mention some bribery and extortion), Colt spread his product throughout every strata of American society. The final word on Mr. Colt’s contribution to humanity comes from one of his company’s ads: “God made man, Sam Colt made them equal.”
Happy Birthday to one of the Greatest men in American History.
“…Sam Colt made them equal.” !!!!!
Remembering what roles Colt firearms played from the American frontier through to the World Wars, Colt didn’t mass produce armed self defense.
He mass produced FREEDOM!!!
One of many, many people who have greatly enhanced the lives of everyone. And who are today reviled as evil capitalists.
200th birthday indeed. What will we see on his 250th? Without a major change in thinking in this culture–we have to get away from condemning those who make our lives better–I am not sure I want to live long enough to find out.
Just to remind folks, July 21 marks the anniversary of the famous Wild Bill shootout with Davis Tutt. Bill carried a Colt Navy…
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Bill_Hickok_%E2%80%93_Davis_Tutt_shootout#The_shootout
That is a vey lovely ’51 Navy. I want very badly! Sam, I love your guns! Your percussion pistols are some of the most beautiful ever designed.
Happy Birthday, you wily old coot. 😉
The irony is that they are having a celebration in his honor in Hartford, CT today.
http://www.200colt.com/
What would Sam Colt think about the city and state where his factory is located?
What wouldn’t you wish on your worst enemy, underwater mines, longevity, or the right too keep and bear arms?
Logically, I would think the first. Grammatically, I would think the second. The third doesn’t make sense but was all that was left.
being alive for 200 years…
Colt is better off dead. If he was alive today, some of our more lilly-livered commenters would be busting his b@lls for open carrying.
If he were alive today he’d be pissed at ya’ll for how far you’ve let America fall.
If he were alive today, he’d be clawing frantically at the lid of his coffin…
“The good people in this world are very far from being satisfied with each other and my arms are the best peacemaker.” ~ Samuel Colt (1852)
Well, they must have not been too badly satisfied with one another as they killed each other off in far less quantities than they do today. Really, the Wild West was actually a fairly safe place for the most part. Oh well, an armed society is a polite society.
As an owner of two Colt revolvers, I marvel at the quality and workmanship of them. My Civil War revolver is such a hand cannon. I envision my ancestor leading his colored troops with it and the history it made. My .38 Colt is much easier to yield and a lot more accurate. Happy Birthday Col. Colt.
and let’s not forget it is also the birthday of another great American gunmaker, Gaston Glock!
What?
REALLY?
Never mind!
Actually, in the Wild West, most people used a Winchester rifle or a Remington shotgun.
To paraphrase Met’s announcer, Ralph Kiner’s remark about Casey Stengel:
“If Samuel Colt were alive today he’d be spinning in his grave”
…
Engraved on the backstrap of a Colt revolver from the 1860s –
“Fear No Man for His Size,
Call on Me to Equalize”
Still applies, 150+ years later. Thanks, Sam.