Adding to the mystery of where or by whom the Colt shotguns were made--from the endnotes found in the book, The Birmingham Gun Trade, by David Williams, I find the following: "Colt employed Alexander Thuer, an English gun maker as a contractor to lead his (Colt's) hammer and hammerless shotgun making." Now the question is, was Thuer working in England or America?
Later on: Oops, I googled the name and see that it is common knowledge he worked in Hartford. Well, at least we know where he came from.
P.S. In the mentioned book there is extensive discussion of the relationship and intercourse between Colt and the Birmingham gun trade, especially dealing with the development of interchangable manufacturing, which Colt pioneered. Also, there is much otherwise unpublished material on gun making in Birmingham, along with some great pictures of the small shops.
Last edited by Joe Wood; 01/29/11 12:13 PM.
