Slick Shooters from the "Roaring Twenties"!!

stu1ritter said:
I probably should have included this with my other post (82), but, oh well.
This 32 Hand Ejector is from 1912. I have the family's history with the revolver and it seems the grandfather was a bootlegger in the hills of North Carolina in the 1920's - 30's. The owner said her grandfather carried it around in his pocket.

Stu
jaurj2o
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Stu:

Perfect!! That's just the thing I was hoping to see. With a story directly linking it to the "Roaring Twenties"!! Great stuff.

That is a great looking .32 and fits right in with this thread. Thanks for sharing it with us....

Best Regards, Les
 
italiansport said:
Here's a keeper in my collection although it's not in pristine condition. According to Colt it was made in 1915 but I'll bet it was still in use during the 20s! You hear this over and over again "If only this gun could talk!"
Jim
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Jim:

Wells Fargo no less!! That is definitely a shooter from the "Roaring Twenties"... You're right, if that gun could talk, what tales it would tell. Even if it was just along for the ride, what an era it saw come and go. It may have thwarted a railway robbery, it could have protected valuable consignments from robbers.... There is no end to the romance associated with an artifact like that.

Thanks for sharing that great piece of history with us.

Best Regards, Les
 
Texas:

Thanks for the info in your post. You have given me a lot to chew on there. And some more movies to watch. Now that I have some time off, I'm going to see if I can find some of those on Amazon or Netflix, and watch for some of those firearms that you refer to.

So far in this thread, I have only been posting Colts. I really didn't know that I had that many from the 1920s until I started the thread, as I had not been concentrating on the date of production so much But I have not had as bad of luck with my Colts as you seem to have had. I have quite a few of more modern design as well, but will save them for a future thread.

I intend to post a few Smiths from the era soon, and see where that leads.

Best Regards, Les
 
Bushmaster, that's a sweet looking double... What's the story on it? You say it's left the fold, I presume that you traded it off or sold it. When was it made, any idea? That's sure a nice looking gun. I'm unfamiliar with the brand. Are those real sidelocks? I'm afraid I'm out of my element with double shotguns, I only have one, a little Spanish double 20 gauge that was given to me many years ago as a gift.

Thanks for sharing....

Best Regards, Les
 
Texas:

A quote from your post above:

"Do any of you older readers recall a comic strip called Vic Flint? One called Smilin' Jack? I believe they showed Colt Model M autos, as did, maybe, Dick Tracy. But the Tracy guns were so badly drawn that I couldn't tell what they were."

Well, I don't remember Vic, but this might remind you of your misspent youth....and yes, the Inspector's gun could be a 1903 Colt!!!



This doesn't have much to do with the 20s, since the strip seems to be about 1960, but the Inspector's gun might have been a leftover from that era!!!

Enjoy... Best Regards, Les
 
Mexican Kerry said:
This is the only one I've currently got from the 20's, a first .year Super .38 (1929).

The second pic is my earlier Colt 1905 that could have still been in use by the 20's:
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Mexican Kerry:

Holy Cow!!!

A first year .38 Super is, well, Super!!! 4 digit serial number... Looks good. I would have to shoot it, collectible or no!! I reload for my 1963 Colt Commander in the .38 Super, and have a nice middle of the road load that wouldn't stress the old girl out. I can't stand the thought of owning a non shooting gun. Actually, the only one that I haven't shot yet is my 1877 Colt .38 Long Colt "Lightning", and that is just a matter of time, I have two boxes of empty cartrige cases, and I think I can use 38 Special dies.... Just haven't gotten around to it yet.

And that 1905 was definitely being used, heck, it's still here, isn't it???

Nice Slick Shooters...

Best Regards, Les
 
les.b said:
Texas:

A quote from your post above:

"Do any of you older readers recall a comic strip called Vic Flint? One called Smilin' Jack? I believe they showed Colt Model M autos, as did, maybe, Dick Tracy. But the Tracy guns were so badly drawn that I couldn't tell what they were."

Well, I don't remember Vic, but this might remind you of your misspent youth....and yes, the Inspector's gun could be a 1903 Colt!!!



This doesn't have much to do with the 20s, since the strip seems to be about 1960, but the Inspector's gun might have been a leftover from that era!!!

Enjoy... Best Regards, Les
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Les-

That's the name of the strip, but I don't recall those characters and the style is different. Maybe older strips of this name were by another artist?

I saw it as a small boy in the 1950's, and the guns were much better drawn, unless I'm thinking of another strip.
 
Big E3 said:
I have a few that could have been involved in the Roaring 20's.
A Colt 1903 from 1925 in 32 that was refinished before I got it.
A Beretta 1919 in 25 cal.
A Colt Army Special 38 from 1909.
A Mauser 1914 from 1915 in 32 with military marks that indicate it was used in WWI.
And last a Walther PP from the first year of production, 1929, in 32.
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Holy (Cats/Smokes/Toledo), is it even legal to own so many wonderful little guns like these!!?? Reminds me of the time when a cop buddy and I were shooting his Model 66s (the primo gun of that time) at a range. A father next to us, shooting with his son, was looking covetously at our guns. Meanwhile, he was shooting 2 super little old semi-autos that I was looking covetously at! I made sure to tell him that I loved his guns and that I would have loved to own them.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
 
Well, so far I've only posted Colts on this thread... Here is a 38 S&W Regulation Police from about 1923. I'm not an expert, but it looks like it may have been reblued. The hammer and trigger were left in the original case hardening if it was, although they have faded and much is worn off. Surely this was part of the Roaring Twenties!!! After some of the slick holsters I've seen, I'm almost ashamed to post this one!!! But I will anyway. It fits both the S&W Regulation Police size guns and the Colt Police Positive completion. It was a gift, so I can't criticize it too much.



Best Regards, Les
 
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I love the Colt Hammerless pocket guns, but man, my sights are set on a Pocket Positive just like that one of yours, Les. Here's my .32 RP, and another JMB original, this one probably isn't from the 20s, but they were sure around. .32 FN 1910.

Cyrano, those Mausers are just spectacular.
 

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wbraswell said:
I love the Colt Hammerless pocket guns, but man, my sights are set on a Pocket Positive just like that one of yours, Les. Here's my .32 RP, and another JMB original, this one probably isn't from the 20s, but they were sure around. .32 FN 1910.

Cyrano, those Mausers are just spectacular.
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Wayne:

I'll bet that those Regulation Police models were highly sought after in that time period. Snubbies were just coming out in the late twenties, and the RPs are pretty darn petit. Slip one in an overcoat pocket and you're good to go. Still an option in today's world. I love that FN. can't beat John Moses Browning. Same genius that came up with the Colt 1903 and so forth.

That Pocket Positive just blindsided me. I make a regular trip through not only gun shows, but a lot of gun stores in reasonable driving distance. I was in the Gun Library at Cabela's near where I live, and spotted that little beauty. Well, we all know that we rant likely to find any great bargains at Cabela's, but I paid a fair price for it. It looks mint, except for just a little fading on the backstrap. Almost a shame to shoot it, it may have never been shot before. But I reload light loads for these older guns, and take care of them, and have a firm rule that I don't want to own a gun that I can't shoot. I would never abuse a collectible, but they get shot and then cleaned and cared for. I actually think they preserve better if they are used reasonably, but that might just be my imagination. Anyway, it is a little sweetie!!!

Those are definitely "Skick Shooters of the Roaring Twenties"!!!

Best Regards, Les
 
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wbraswell said:
Wow, out of over 130 posts, I don't think I've seen a 1911 or .44HE in this thread yet.
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Wayne:

I don't know about anyone else, but once I started this, I kept finding Colts in the safe that I hadn't really thought about what period they came from. I'm just starting on the Smiths... And I do have a .44 HE that may make it, just hadn't got to it yet!!! I have several 1911s, but none that date back to the 1920s. I'll bet that there are some forum members who could help us out, though.

Best Regards, Les
 
I don't recall the comic strip Vic Flint, but I do recall Smilin' Jack. Unfortunatly I was a little too young to try to identify the guns in them. "Terry and the Pirates' seem to show mostly Mauser bromhandles.
 
Here's a couple more Colts, the first is an M1911 from 1918. Not much finish left, but its all correct. USP markings filed off though. Earlier than your original post, but again probably still in use a decade later.

Next is a Police Positive, but it may be a little later than the 20's, my memory is fuzzy on this one.
 

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Here's another one, but a little different. Not mine but someone I know. He wouldn't let me shoot it, maybe I'll keep trying. Owner's pics, used without permission.

Ithaca 20 gauge Auto/Burglar: to discourage those pesky "hop-ons" when cars had running boards that would accommodate multiple riders.
 

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Here's my little vintage pocket pistol. This is a J.P. Sauer model 1913 in .32 auto.... Made in Germany, this striker fired pistol was issued to German NCO's, Police etc during WWI up to WW2. My example is in pristine condition with little wear on the finish, no rust or pitting anywhere & functions flawlessly. In fact I'm impressed with the quality of the craftsmanship of this little piece... I would actually consider carrying this....
 
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Yes, the Colt .32 was issued to Generals during Vietnam. It is given to them for the rest of their lives at achieving the 1st Star. I happened to come in contact with a Brigadier General with the 101st and he was wearing it along with the General Officers gunbelt. Several weeks later he caught me smiling at the .38 Special he had replaced it with. A Sapper had gotten into a FSB Commanders position and the Lt. Colonel shot him with his pistol...to which the General stated to me 'that was too close to home'.
Concerning the Savage .32......I own one and there is an Internet Site dedicated to that pistol and the advertising that went with it. It was billed as a pistol that a man should buy for his wife. And it was also considered Art Deco design. I own one. I believe 1911 and it shoots just fine.
 
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