Quoted:
OK 5subslr5, let's open the bidding . . . Where do you find this stuff anyway?
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Ranger,
I was trying to help a friend that has AR-180 serial number 21 establish the identity of the person who was presented this gun by ArmaLite - a fellow by the name of Clift.
In trying to help this guy I blundered into a conversation about old ArmaLite with the person who owned this AR-17 NIB. I bought the gun and Fed Ex'd the cashier's check and FFL that day.
Just as a side note today we confirmed that AR-180 (Presentation plaque set into the stock and gold trigger) Serial Number 21 was presented to Mr. Oliver E. Clift. Mr. Clift was a director of Capital Southwest Corporation as well as a bank president. In 1964 Dallas based Capital Southwest held a large equity stake in ArmaLite.
Best I can tell before my friend in Omaha bought serial number 21 the rifle had never been more than fifty miles from where it was presented in Dallas thirty-three years ago.
It has been a pretty good year for me so far as being able to help a couple of friends. In January I helped authenticate only the second 1919 Rock Island Arsenal National Match rifle known to exist and by far the best of the two.
Now don't choke here but my friend traded a Mini-14 that he had $150.00 in for the 1919 rifle at a flea market ! The 1919 rifle will probably go to auction some time later this year.