LIBERATOR .45 - Page 2

James K · February 10, 2007, 07:25 PM

I know I am adding to a very old thread, but I erred in saying the barrel was rolled sheet steel; Jim V is correct - it is seamless tubing.

Jim

Jbar4Ranch · February 12, 2007, 03:00 PM

I know this thread has some age on it, and prices of $400-$500 have been mentioned, but I haven't seen a Liberator for less than $1500 in quite some time. A decent original box, ammo, and instructions can easily add 50-100% to that, and I've seen some top notch examples w/accessories priced at over $4000. HERE'S ONE listed on Guns America for $2950 with what appears to be a reprint instruction sheet and nothing else.

9mmHP · February 15, 2007, 10:31 PM

I could have had one for $100 in the mid-80's...*sigh*

**4V50 Gary** · February 16, 2007, 12:37 AM

Liberators in the $100s in the mid-80s? I don't doubt you, but they certainly weren't offered in my neck of the woods.

I would have bought a couple.

BillCA · February 16, 2007, 02:45 AM

Another bit of trivia about the Liberator pistol.

General Motors set up an assembly line to produce these guns and they managed to complete assembly of a gun every 7 seconds. That means it took longer to reload the gun than it did to manufacture it!

The Liberator gets my vote as the ugliest gun ever produced.

schwantz · February 21, 2007, 07:30 PM

There are still a few liberators floating around out there. This one was retrieved by my uncle during WWII.

Jbar4Ranch · February 21, 2007, 11:35 PM

And you have the correct ammo too, neat! It took me a full year of scrounging to find ten original FA42 rounds for my first one, and now I'm looking for more for the second one.

My first one showed signs of having been fired before, so I made up some light loads with Trail Boss and put a few more through it. Read about it HERE. I made up one more to let a good friend of mine shoot it in August of '06, making him, to the best of my knowledge, the last person to ever fire a Liberator pistol. This one came with an original instruction sheet in very good condition, which is worth a few hundred by itself.

My second one is a cut-away that was used at the factory to show workers and military liaisons how it went together and functioned, and was owned after the war by George Hyde, the designer of the gun. Mr. Hyde sold the pistol in the mid-80's when he was getting on in years to a man in Salt Lake City, who eventually sold it to me.

schwantz · February 22, 2007, 06:31 AM

What was even neater was that the ammo came back with the gun so I didn't have to look for it.

finrot · February 23, 2007, 09:41 PM

There was an article in American Rifleman (NRA publication) about them this month.

Kaylee · February 24, 2007, 12:32 AM

schwantz - wow! nice picture!
Nicer story.

Hrmm.. rather odd it hasn't been commercially reproduced, now that I think about it. It seems the unique history combined with a comparatively paltry production cost would make it worthwhile.

Has anyone ever given it a go?

-K

Bill DeShivs · February 24, 2007, 01:45 AM

A reproduction would have to have a rifled barrel and the machinery to produce these would be very expensive. They were designed by applying General Motors technology to a war-effort design.
Bill

Jbar4Ranch · February 24, 2007, 09:50 AM

Yep, the originals had a smooth bore, but have been exempted by ATF and placed on the C&R list. Also consider that the originals were in essentially unusable condition after only 50 rounds. These guns were meant to be shot only ten times, max. Perhaps a few practice rounds to learn the sighting and point of impact characteristics, then once when it counted.

James K · February 25, 2007, 04:51 PM

They were another example of a wartime "wonder weapon" that sounded good when someone said it fast, just like the Pedersen device.

Cost a lot of money when a second thought would have shown the idea to be impractical. (The inspiration actually came from a work of fiction, and should have stayed there.)

Jim

February 12, 2007, 03:00 PM	#27
Jbar4Ranch Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 1999 Location: Near Helena, Montana Posts: 1,719	I know this thread has some age on it, and prices of $400-$500 have been mentioned, but I haven't seen a Liberator for less than $1500 in quite some time. A decent original box, ammo, and instructions can easily add 50-100% to that, and I've seen some top notch examples w/accessories priced at over $4000. HERE'S ONE listed on Guns America for $2950 with what appears to be a reprint instruction sheet and nothing else. __________________ Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets replaced... SASS 47015

February 15, 2007, 10:31 PM	#28
9mmHP Senior Member Join Date: February 14, 2007 Location: Indiana/Indpls Metro Area Posts: 318	Very distressing I could have had one for $100 in the mid-80's...sigh

February 16, 2007, 12:37 AM	#29
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,832	Liberators in the $100s in the mid-80s? I don't doubt you, but they certainly weren't offered in my neck of the woods. I would have bought a couple. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

February 21, 2007, 11:35 PM	#32
Jbar4Ranch Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 1999 Location: Near Helena, Montana Posts: 1,719	And you have the correct ammo too, neat! It took me a full year of scrounging to find ten original FA42 rounds for my first one, and now I'm looking for more for the second one. My first one showed signs of having been fired before, so I made up some light loads with Trail Boss and put a few more through it. Read about it HERE. I made up one more to let a good friend of mine shoot it in August of '06, making him, to the best of my knowledge, the last person to ever fire a Liberator pistol. This one came with an original instruction sheet in very good condition, which is worth a few hundred by itself. My second one is a cut-away that was used at the factory to show workers and military liaisons how it went together and functioned, and was owned after the war by George Hyde, the designer of the gun. Mr. Hyde sold the pistol in the mid-80's when he was getting on in years to a man in Salt Lake City, who eventually sold it to me. __________________ Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets replaced... SASS 47015

February 24, 2007, 09:50 AM	#37
Jbar4Ranch Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 1999 Location: Near Helena, Montana Posts: 1,719	Yep, the originals had a smooth bore, but have been exempted by ATF and placed on the C&R list. Also consider that the originals were in essentially unusable condition after only 50 rounds. These guns were meant to be shot only ten times, max. Perhaps a few practice rounds to learn the sighting and point of impact characteristics, then once when it counted. __________________ Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets replaced... SASS 47015

February 10, 2007, 07:25 PM	#26
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	I know I am adding to a very old thread, but I erred in saying the barrel was rolled sheet steel; Jim V is correct - it is seamless tubing. Jim

February 21, 2007, 07:30 PM	#31
schwantz Junior Member Join Date: December 22, 2006 Location: Greensburg, Pa. Posts: 12	There are still a few liberators floating around out there. This one was retrieved by my uncle during WWII.

February 22, 2007, 06:31 AM	#33
schwantz Junior Member Join Date: December 22, 2006 Location: Greensburg, Pa. Posts: 12	What was even neater was that the ammo came back with the gun so I didn't have to look for it.

February 23, 2007, 09:41 PM	#34
finrot Member Join Date: February 19, 2006 Location: Stamford Ct. Posts: 94	There was an article in American Rifleman (NRA publication) about them this month.

February 24, 2007, 12:32 AM	#35
Kaylee Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2000 Location: The Last Homely House Posts: 1,677	schwantz - wow! nice picture! Nicer story. Hrmm.. rather odd it hasn't been commercially reproduced, now that I think about it. It seems the unique history combined with a comparatively paltry production cost would make it worthwhile. Has anyone ever given it a go? -K

February 24, 2007, 01:45 AM	#36
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,981	A reproduction would have to have a rifled barrel and the machinery to produce these would be very expensive. They were designed by applying General Motors technology to a war-effort design. Bill

February 25, 2007, 04:51 PM	#38
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	They were another example of a wartime "wonder weapon" that sounded good when someone said it fast, just like the Pedersen device. Cost a lot of money when a second thought would have shown the idea to be impractical. (The inspiration actually came from a work of fiction, and should have stayed there.) Jim