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The Long-Sought Singer

 
Museum

Produced in the city of Elizabeth, N.J., as part of a wartime contract to determine if the Singer Company—far better known for its sewing machines—could produce semi-automatic handguns, the Singer .45 pistol is the rarest of the World War II M1911 A1S, with only 500 being manufactured. The low output of this contract, coupled with the rigors of military service, resulted in authentic examples of these legendary pistols becoming exceedingly rare and, thus, collection centerpieces when found in any condition. Desired for the National Firearms Museum collection for many years, this excellent-condition pistol, recently donated by Lt. James Ballou, now completes the continuum of the 1911 pistol in the museum’s exhibit galleries.

More than 600 years of firearm history is revealed daily at the National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, Va. Come visit NRA Headquarters and view guns that were at D-Day and Iwo Jima while enjoying our always free admission policy (donations gratefully appreciated). For more information, call (703) 267-1600, e-mail nfmstaff@nrahq.org or visit the online galleries at www.nramuseum.org.