North Carolina Firearms History: David Marshall Williams

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Marshall_Williams

David Marshall Williams (November 13, 1900 – January 8, 1975) was the American firearms designer of the floating chamber and the short-stroke piston. Both designs used the high-pressure gas generated in or near the breech of the firearm to operate the action of semi-automatic firearms like the M1 Carbine.

An interesting history on the man. Most notable is that he was sentenced to 30 years of hard labor for the murder of Deputy Sheriff Alfred Jackson Pate.

While in prison, his mechanical aptitude was noted and he was given access to the prison's machine shop, where he eventually (get this, now) began servicing the guard's weapons and designed and built his own self-loading firearms. He built four semi-automatic rifles, all of which are on display as part of the permanent David Marshall Williams display in the North Carolina Museum of History.

He was let out early, after only 8 years, and went back to work on his designs, eventually getting a patent entitled “Automatic Firearm” U.S. Patent 2,090,656 published Aug 24, 1937.

Long and varied history with Colt, U.S. Ordinance Department, Remington Arms, and Winchester.

The movie "Carbine Williams", released in 1952, starred James Stewart as Williams.

A good read. I'll have to pay a visit to the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh some day.
 
Right now is a doubly good time to visit the museum. You can see the Carbine Williams exhibit and the excellent WWI exhibit in the same trip. Plus, there is the permanent exhibit on NC involvement in the military. There are a lot of guns on the top floor of the History Museum right now. :)
 
Floating chamber part of the Remington 550 22 rifle that allowed the use of "any" 22ammo including supposedly shorts. Cant remember if the 1 I had would run on shorts or not.
 
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PS...they use to sell a DVD in the museum shop of the Carbine Williams Story featuring Lee Kinard as the interviewer. I have a copy somewhere and for whatever reason it would only play on PC. Would not play on DVD video player.
 
Right now is a doubly good time to visit the museum. You can see the Carbine Williams exhibit and the excellent WWI exhibit in the same trip. Plus, there is the permanent exhibit on NC involvement in the military. There are a lot of guns on the top floor of the History Museum right now. :)
My wife has mentioned going there several times.
I think it is time. Thanks
 
I remember watching that movie as a kid and liked the local history.
 
The museum has had the Williams' exhibit for decades; well, at least since I was a wee boy, and that's been almost 50 years.
 
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