Colt Donates Commemorative Firearm to Museum

To honor famed firearms inventor Samuel Colt's 200th birthday, Colt's Manufacturing Company has donated a commemorative pistol to The Museum of Connecticut History at The Connecticut State Library. The pistol is a Colt O1991Z, a direct descendant of the original 1911.

The commemorative O1991Z features engravings to mark the 200th birthday celebration, including designs such as the Colt dome, Sam Colt's bust and the bicentennial 1814-2014 date. The company symbolically donated serial number 200 to the library's museum on July 19 at the Colt 200th festival in Hartford.

"We are honored to donate this special commemorative firearm to the outstanding collection already housed at the Connecticut State Library," said Joyce Rubino, Vice President of Marketing at Colt's Manufacturing Company. "This is an historic occasion not only for our company, but for the entire firearms industry and manufacturing and industrialization in America. An inventor and industrialist, Sam Colt's patented revolving cylinder design was a crucial part of America's industrialization and evolution of the assembly line, and his legacy has been a part of our country's history ever since."

The museum already houses one of the finest collections of early Colt prototypes, factory models and experimental firearms in the world. In 1957, the Colt Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company Factory Collection was donated to the library's museum. The 200th birthday commemorative pistol will now join this collection.

This pistol donation is just one of many commemorations Colt has put together in honor of its founder. The company has also offered a number of giveaways on Facebook, which will culminate with one lucky entrant being selected to win a Single Action Army Revolver. The contest is still open on the company's page.

Colt's Manufacturing Company will continue commemorating its founder's bicentennial birthday with more special announcements and promotions to come in 2014.