The R-80 Colt MonitorDuring the Prohibition era many law enforcement agencies found themselves sever

The R-80 Colt MonitorDuring the Prohibition era many law enforcement agencies found themselves severely outgunned as gangsters armed themselves with fully automatic weapons. Many agencies purchased Thompson submachine guns, however the .45acp cartridge often had difficulty penetrating car bodies. Back in the day car bodies were constructed from thick steel, they don’t quite make em’ like they used too. In addition many gangsters armored their vehicles for extra protection.In 1931 Colt obtained a contract from Browning to produce their models of the Browning Automatic Rifle, whose .30-06 cartridge could easily pierce automotive steel. One model, called the R-80 “Colt Monitor” was specifically designed for law enforcement. The Colt Monitor featured a pistol grip much like export, foreign production and export BAR’s. It also had a shorter 18 inch barrel and a Cutt’s compensator to prevent muzzle climb.90 Colt Monitors were purchased by the FBI. Another 11 were sold to the Treasury Department, while 24 were sold to banks, prisons, security companies, and police departments. Colt wanted to sell more, but the weapons cost $300, a lot of money during the Great Depression. Thus sales and production was very limited. -- source link

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