Many of you know, either from my posts here or from reading Chic Gaylord's "Handgunners Guide" 2nd. and 3rd. editions for which I authored the foreword, that I am particularly fond of these types of modified revolvers.
The "crew" I ran with back in NYC, most of them by that time already retired from law enforcement, except for a few of us, all had different variations of these formidable custom wheelguns. All of them were Colt New Service or S&W 1917's. But as for the term "belly guns", at least in my experience, their size precluded any such description despite being chopped and bobbed.
A "belly gun" in the common vernacular of that place and time, generally could have been defined as/by any number of small frame guns, including auto loaders, that were suitable to be easily concealed and used at very short ranges. Perhaps the most common of those were the I and J frame S&W's and various Colt's like the Detective Special and Police Positives that were modified by removing the hammer spur for fast snag free drawing from a pocket or elsewhere. I don't mean to be a "nitpicker" but generally speaking, the modified big bore guns we had were capable of performing well beyond a distance of 15 feet and were carried in some sort of traditional scabbard. Sometimes perhaps, in an inside waistband holster like this one.
I concede that a particularly large man might find this IWB style practical and comfortable, but I imagine that would be an exception.
I like each and every one of the pieces that you guys have posted in this thread and I've posted my favorite of that breed several times before. So I won't bore you with having to download it again. Just thought I'd share that small insight with you all. The photos are very nice, thanks for sharing them.
