J. Henry FitzGerald

John Henry ("Fitz") FitzGerald worked in Colt's firearms testing department, and in this position he fired 1,000 shots or more every day for 10 years. By the mid-1930s, he was traveling 30,000 miles each year to give exhibitions, train police departments, hunt big game and appear as an expert witness in forensic ballistics, eventually testifying in more than 400 trials. For the premier shooting competitions of the era, especially the National Matches held at Camp Perry, Fitz was in charge of the Colt tent, where shooters came to see the latest offerings from Colt, have their handguns fixed and hear Fitz regale them with stories.

Timothy J. Mullin is a former infantry officer in the U.S. Army and deputy U.S. marshall. He is a life-long gun lover and fervent defender of the Second Amendment. His well-regarded series on combat weapons also includes volumes on handguns and rifles.