I’m an Elvis fan. I can tell you everything from his most obscure vocal influences (a Jewish cantor singing in an apartment above his parents’ Memphis apartment) to the origin of his most haunting recording (Blue Moon, found in a desk drawer three decades after it was recorded). The King, who was fond of jumpsuits, was also a gun nut; when he met his maker in his Graceland bathroom, Elvis left behind a collection of 37 handguns, an unknown number of rifles and one machine gun. Long before that fateful August night, Elvis famously presented Richard Nixon with a commemorative Colt .45 (see: below). On the eve of Elvis’ birthday, the Daily Mail decided to highlight the Hillbilly Cat’s experience with a similar weapon, relative to fellow Vegas sex symbol and siren Tom Jones . . .

Writer Chris Hutchins recalls an old anecdote about the king of rock leaving a .45 in Tom Jones’ bathroom. For some reason, the Mail plays it like some sort of quasi-homosexual encounter. The truth [via elvispresleynews.com] is more revealing . . .

Tom Jones was once left shocked when he found Elvis Presley’s gun in his dressing room lavatory. Jones struck up a close friendship with rock-n-roll icon Elvis and they would often spend time together when they were in the same city on tour. But on one occasion, after Jones appeared at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, he was stunned to find a silver-plated Colt .45 automatic pistol on his toilet cistern after Presley had used the bathroom.

Jones tried to discreetly hand it back, only to see Elvis  shrug off the incident. He says, “I wrapped it up in this towel, took it out and said, very quietly, ‘Er, Elvis, you left your gun in the toilet.’ And Elvis just goes: ‘Aw s**t man, ma .45’, and stuck it in his belt. I was trying to be very discreet about the whole thing, but he couldn’t have cared less.”

Thank you EP News for takin’ care of business, establishing the fact that Elvis was not in the bathroom while Tom Jones was showering. (Not to go all Suarez on you.) And shedding light on the fact that Glady’s surviving twin may have been the world’s best rocker, but he was amongst the world’s worst gun owners.

In fact, given Elvis’ propensity for popping pills aplenty, it’s amazing he didn’t have a negligent discharge or ten. Assuming that shooting a TV set during a televised Robert Goulet song and dance number was petulant, rather than negligent.

And that pointing a gun at Memphis Mafioso George Klein’s noggin was legal—given that Nixon made Elvis an honorary DEA Agent, and Klein was guilty of helping supply The King with enough narcotics to stun a Cape Buffalo. That was classic Elvis style. 

Remember: I’m a fan of the Tupelo-born crooner. Who shakes his head and sighs when he read this . . .

Among the King’s memorabilia is Elvis Presley’s Signed Application for gun purchase Dec. 2, 1970 at a Palm Springs, CA. gun shop to purchase an Astra handgun & filled out an extensive Federal Firearms Form 4473. Elvis claimed to be six foot one inches tall, weighing 160 lbs and gave his Beverly Hills address. Note: Elvis ticked “NO” when asked if he is addicted to stimulants or narcotics.

From the White House’s Oval Office  in Washington, D.C., to Memphis, to Nevada, criss-crossing the United States, as any true student of Elvis will tell you, the man’s later life was a train wreck. (Train I riiiiiiiiiide . . . ) His firearms handling habits were horrendous. But I’d still give my right nut for at least one of Elvis’ guns: the Walther PPK he gave Jack Lord, an actor who became convinced he was hard-ass Hawaiian Police Chief Steve McGarrett—even as ABC was filming the last two seasons. I wonder if Lord was a responsible gun owner. 

For more on The King of Rock and Roll, check out the article below by Rock Island Auction Company’s firearms auction website. It details the Smith & Wesson Model 19-2 he bought, the Colt Python 357 Magnum revolver Elvis presented to Sgt. Richard Grob of the Palm Springs, California police department (who later became the Director of Security and Operations for Elvis Presley Enterprises), Elvis’ Shelby County Sheriff’s Badge, Memphis Mafia gear, and other heavily inlaid Elvis memorabilia. 

Elvis Revolver Memorabilia – The King and His Collection

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12 COMMENTS

  2. 160 pounds? In 1970? Sorry, but he’d be a beanpole at that weight, not the jumpsuit-clad ‘Fat Elvis’ of occasional ridicule. That claim, alone, is enough to prove he was stoned. Elvis also wanted to be a snitch for Nixon, and did his drug-addled best to pass along whatever seditious rumors came his way.

    And I possess not the words to properly convey my scorn and derision for Jack Lord and other anti-gun hypocrites, who own guns and make their fortunes playing with them on TV and film, while denying them to others. I would also love to see the fabled PPK.

  4. Chris is a moron. Elvis was easily 160 in 1970. Watch Elvis: That’s the Way It Is. It highlights his concerts at the International in Vegas in 1970. He was never thinner in his life.

  5. I would just like to echo Katherine’s comment. In 1970 Elvis was never fitter or thinner. From 1972 onwards his weight fluctuated, as did his drug problem but he was fit for MSG concert 72 and Hawaii 73. His unhealthiest period was between 75-77. It is irritating that people who don’t know anything about him always talk about fat Elvis, which he was not for most of his famous life span 54 through to the mid 70s!

  6. SO LADIES I FINALLY UNDERSTAND WHY ALL THE GUNS ARE BEING STOLE AROUND HERE IN SWEET HOME VERNON ALABAMA. Didn’t understand it then so I FOUND A ANOTHER CLUE. KEEPING THESE YOUNG TEENS DOPED UP AND ROCKING DA BOAT. TO KEEP THEM CONFUSED AND IN SLAVEARY AND OUT OF WED LOCK KIDS TO KEEP THEM DOWN AND TRAPED IN THIS SHIT HOLE KKK TOWN. TO KEEP THEM THE BREAD WINNER RUNNING EVERYTHING. CAUSE THERE THE ONES WITH THE SHIT HEARD FROM DA V THE HE SO CALLED HORSES. WERE TRYING TO HIDE GUNS STOLEN FROM THEIR GREAT GRANDFATHER. IF THE MAYORS GUNS GOT STOLEN, MANY ARMY MEN AND A KILLER FROM LOS ANGLES WITH GUNS??? AND THIS GETS BETTER THE POLICE DO NOTHING BUT LET THE KIDS GO. NOW AINT THAT SOME SHIT. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO BUSINESS GOT TO BURNING. SHIT BETTER HIT DA FLOOR BULLETS MIGHT GET TO FLYING. AND THAT METH SHIT IS CRAZY CANT EAT ARE DRINK SCARD MIGHT GET LACED WITH SUM RAT POSION ITS CRAZY!!!!!!

    • SHAQ keep taking your meds mate !
      All rumours Elvis was no snitch despite his owners ship of his fed badge.
      Frank Sinatra was a close friend of Elvis and family and Elvis flew on Franks plane to his wedding with Priscilla .
      Frank was very well closely looked after by the mob and rumours developed from this association.
      Conspiracy theories were based on a few rumours from Elvis’s been a get a way from the mob having to finish Elvis due to rumours developing after he was gifted the fed badge .
      It was all for show and Elvis was not in any trouble for informing .
      I hate it when people bring the King down .
      I was 7 when he left the building and was a big fan then and I always will be .
      God save our gracious King !
      Mike the bike builder Uk .

  7. You are irresponsible,dont talk shit about Elvis Aaron Presley…ever.

    Guns dont kill people- people do.

    • WTF? Who was talking shit? Since when is telling the truth about someone considered talking shit? I’m still friends with people I grew up with who are far from model citizens. People like you would probably call them criminals and drug dealers and you’d probably be right. I couldn’t argue about it if I wanted to, but so what? They’re still my friends. One of them died from mixing pills…was he drug addict? I don’t know… maybe. Probably. Would it be talking shit if someone called him one? Uh…he fucking died from taking drugs… do the math!

      • I agree! I adore Elvis. I’ve visited Graceland twice a year for the last 16 years but I won’t sugar coat the truth about the condition of his life when he passed. He was not a responsible gun owner. Elvis barely missed Linda Thompson’s head when he fired one of his guns in their hotel room. It’s a wonder that he didn’t kill someone beside himself. Just because he looked and sang perfectly that doesn’t make him perfect. The man had flaws like any other man. He was/is THE MAN, but still JUST a man.

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