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Vintage Heat?

henderson field

New in Town
Messages
19
Location
Cambridge, UK
Vintage Heat

Two handguns that spring to mind for the between the wars era are the Steyr-Hahn M1912 and the Webley Forsbury.

The former is an Austrian made automatic pistol, developed just before the First World War and chambered for the 9mm Steyr round. It is slightly unusual in that it is loaded from a stripper-clip rather than a removable box magazine.

The Webley is another unusual weapon being a self-loading revolver. When fired, the top part of the receiver ( including the cylinder) slides backwards, cocking the hammer and rotating the cylinder ready for the next shot. It was produced in a 6 shot .455in and a ( much rarer) 8 shot .38 version. I gather that competition shooters had a handicap imposed on them as the recoil was softer than a normal gun of the same calibre.

I don't know of anyone famous using the Steyr but the Forsbury appeared in the Maltese Falcon as Sam Spade's late partner's gun.

Cheers,

HF
 

Viola

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,469
Location
NSW, AUS
"You do not have to be faster than the bear. You only have to be the SECOND-slowest guy running away from the bear!"

But yes, I was thinking how fond I was of my ears, not outrunning a bullet.lol

-Viola
p.s. This is the best argument for flats over heels.
 
Viola said:
"You do not have to be faster than the bear. You only have to be the SECOND-slowest guy running away from the bear!"

But yes, I was thinking how fond I was of my ears, not outrunning a bullet.lol

-Viola
p.s. This is the best argument for flats over heels.
lol Not like you'd really have to worry about being on the receiving end of it from me--I only engage to either counterattack or preempt an imminent attack, and hand-to-hand's only after I'm either out-of-ammo or too close to put sidearms in play. (And if I'm out, with almost 3 dozen .45 hollowpoints assuming I've connected every time, that means things are just plain UGLY...:eek: )

BTW, heels have a place in the "feminine protection" toolkit when necessary. (A lot of my personal-defense students have been ladies I've worked with in my college days, who tend to wear heels for "professional appearance", one of them had me work the math on that.) *imagining spike-heel to top of foot* :eek: OWWWWWWW!!!! (usually followed by turning surrounding atmosphere into a blue haze...)
 

TarHeel1911

New in Town
Messages
28
Location
Southern California
I'd include the Luger in this list, too. The "American Eagle" series of Lugers was sold in the US during the '20s, in addition to Lugers which had come home as war trophies from World War I.

Can't forget the S&W 38/44 Outdoorsman, and if you want to include a shotty, count in the Winchester 1897 and the classic Model 12.

The S&W Military and Police was the most common, I expect. Ed McGivern set speed shooting records with a plain M&P that weren't broken until this century.
 

Flitcraft

One Too Many
Messages
1,037
For What Its Worth:

Forensic evidence has proven that Huey Long's bodyguards were armed with Colt Gov't Models chambered in .38 Super. This was determined by the fact that a lot of the rounds wound up in the body of Senator Long!:eusa_doh:

The renown Texas lawman Frank Hamer (he of Bonnie & Clyde fame) also carried the Colt Gov't in .38 Super. Before that, he carried Peacemakers in .45 Colt.

Just some period trivia.
 

Scuffy

One of the Regulars
Messages
224
Location
Shores of Lake Erie
Unfortunately I don't own a Colt 1911 but... I did pick up a close look-alike in which to take my concealed carry class with. I'm the proud owner of a Springfield 1911 Mil Spec. She's a looker! I'd handled a 9mm and several .22 cal pistols before but this was a surprise. There's quite a bit of kick there if you're not used to it, but after just shy of 1000 rounds through her I don't notice it any more.

Next up on my list is a matching Springfield and I've been thinking about a nice snub nosed revolver but that's a bit down the road- funding permitting! :D

Over all most current 1911's look close enough to period pieces, there are a few artistic freedoms taken here and there but for the most part not much has changed. The Browning High Power is also quite nice. Both the HP and the 1911 were of John Browning's designs coincidently. If you ever want any info what so ever on the 1911 just check out http://forums.1911forum.com/ It's a great site. I spent 3 hours there one evening!:rolleyes:

Scuffy
 
J

JohnTheGreek

Guest
I think in the post-war eras (WWI and WWII) you've gotta believe that most people are going to be carrying what is abundant (what was issued to either side and brought home) as well as what they as soldiers were issued and used to shooting. I think then you have to go with the military Arms of pretty much any era from the mid 1910's through the mid-1940s. A colt 1911, matching S&W or Colt in .45 ACP, Browning hi-power (p35), a Colt .32 auto or .380 as issued to officers, or cut down model 12 would be the ticket and would have been more ubiquitous than just about anything post WWII. I think are images online of Bonnie and Clyde's weapon stash and they are entertaining. I seem to remember a sawed off Browning Auto-5 Mare's leg shotgun that would be neat to reproduce if one could get the federal licensing to do it. :) I think you'd also see a lot of colt peacemakers floating around from the late 19th century as they are still gonna be good shooters through the 1930s and some on through today. US firearms company makes a really nice snub nose peacemaker with a lanyard ring that would be darn neat carry piece or the vintage aficionado !

JMHO,

John
 

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