Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot Wardog

[SPEEDGUNNER]

Sometimes you wish an old wardog could tell a story...saw this old Remington Rand on GB and found out the seller was only about 5 miles away from me, how is that for a small world? He had the wrong serial number in his description and was failing to mention the most interesting feature of the pistol, the MR above the trigger on the right side of the frame, indicating a rebuild at Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot in Tacoma WA. Even more interesting is that this pistol is a late, VERY late Remington Rand produced late in 1945. I am not sure how much use it saw before the end of the war and the trip to Mount Rainier, but it sure has developed an even patina over the past 61 years. I doubt that anything was done during the rebuild as you can still see the quench line on the slide. There is almost no finish internally, so it has seen plenty of use. I doubt the barrel is original even though it is correct. Needs a pin for the mainspring housing. Korea? Vietnam? Somewhere stateside, this pistol has seen some use since it traveled thru the depot. It isn't perfect by a long shot, but it sure is pretty cool. What does the group think?

https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a6dd34b3127cceebcada434d1200000030O00EZtGzNq4cMQ e3nws/cC/f%3D0/ls%3D00108853604320160316013716286.JPG/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a6dd34b3127cceebca818d8c5900000030O00EZtGzNq4cMQ e3nws/cC/f%3D0/ls%3D00108853604320160316013717727.JPG/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a6dd34b3127cceebca40e5ccc900000030O00EZtGzNq4cMQ e3nws/cC/f%3D0/ls%3D00108853604320160316013718290.JPG/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a6dd34b3127cceebcafe0ecc7d00000030O00EZtGzNq4cMQ e3nws/cC/f%3D0/ls%3D00108853604320160316013718453.JPG/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a6dd34b3127cceebcb01b22d5a00000030O00EZtGzNq4cMQ e3nws/cC/f%3D0/ls%3D00108853604320160316013719448.JPG/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a6dd34b3127cceebcbf551acf300000030O00EZtGzNq4cMQ e3nws/cC/f%3D0/ls%3D00108853604320160316013720496.JPG/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a6dd34b3127cceebcbe1ee2d7600000030O00EZtGzNq4cMQ e3nws/cC/f%3D0/ls%3D00108853604320160316013721060.JPG/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a6dd34b3127cceebca29078c8700000030O00EZtGzNq4cMQ e3nws/cC/f%3D0/ls%3D00108853604320160316013722806.JPG/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a6dd34b3127cceebcbec6a6d6c00000030O00EZtGzNq4cMQ e3nws/cC/f%3D0/ls%3D00108853604320160316013724462.JPG/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/
https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a6dd34b3127cceebcb1da02d4600000030O00EZtGzNq4cMQ e3nws/cC/f%3D0/ls%3D00108853604320160316013721728.JPG/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/

Questions, comments and observations are welcomed.

[Johnny P]

If I am reading the serial number correctly it was probably in the hands of the military during WWII for a month or less.

[Oyaji]

Great looking pistol with an interesting history.

FYI here's a good read concerning the old Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot located adjacent to Fort Lewis in Washington State.

http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?displaypage=output.cfm&file_id=9028

[Hecklerusp45]

I like it. It has character.

[SPEEDGUNNER]

I like a gun with "honest wear" and this one was rougher than most I would be interested in but there was something about it that spoke to me. The patina was that of a gun that had "been there, done that" and the MR rebuild stamp gave that extra little oomph that made me say I had to have it. I probably paid a little too much (or too soon) but the seller was a great guy, he has other stuff he is thinking of parting with and like I said HE IS CLOSE. Yes, the serial number is very near the end for Remington Rand, which makes the MR rebuild stamp even more interesting. Like I said, what a story this gun could tell...

[SPEEDGUNNER]

Great looking pistol with an interesting history.

FYI here's a good read concerning the old Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot located adjacent to Fort Lewis in Washington State.

No link...

[SPEEDGUNNER]

So, what really begs the question is: Why would a pistol produced so late in the war (2458850) end going through the Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot rebuild program? A little SRS research on serial numbers may shed some light.

2425062 012348 6th army
2460597 030149 6th army
2461199 030750 343rd Bomb Squadron
2461483 051849 6th army
2461678 051849 6th army
2463444 030750 343rd Bomb Squadron
2463736 091748 6th Army
2464020 072848 6th Army
2464225 030149 6th Army
Wait for it...
2464300 050549 Mt Rainier Ord Depot

There are NO pistols in the 245XXXX range listed in the SRS.

A brief synopsis and some speculation - During WWII the 6th Army saw extensive service in the South Pacific, including but not limited to a potential invasion force of the Japanese Islands. In the latter days of WWII the 343rd Bomb Squadron was reassigned to the same AO, came stateside in 1945 and reformed in the postwar era with B-29 Superfortresses and took part in bombing raids on Korea during the Korean Conflict. This service record of pistols in the same serial range could account for the well worn condition of this pistol even though is was fresh production in 1945 and went through the depot at some point.

[Shooter5]

I like it all day long.

[Johnny P]

Without the information from SRS as to why the serial number shows up, it is all a guess. A base could have been packing up all it's weapons and sent them to Mt. Rainier, or the pistol could have been shipped from Mt. Rainier. The date given in the SRS records is just a snapshot in time indicating it was at Mt. Rainier on that specific day.

[John HOLBROOK]

35787

[Oyaji]

John Holbrook, good to see your post. Hope you're doing well Montana.

Ooops.........Just now realized I omitted the historical link to above post #3 concerning the Mount Rainier Ordnance Depot. It has since been added and is provided here as well.

http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?displaypage=output.cfm&file_id=9028