I've got some black plastic guns - they are deadly, efficient, plug ugly, and I don't like them very much.

It occurred to me that one could be very well armed and have a lot of fun with firearms designed and used from 50 to 100 years ago. They also don't carry the stigma among the non-cognizant who look upon any black weapon (however erroneously) as "assault weapons." Yet in their own way, many are efficient, just as deadly as the black plastic crop, and infinitely more esthetic. And I like them a whole lot.

Consider the lever actions - handy, enough firepower to get the job done, and even though operated manually, very quick to send out repeat fire if needed.

This Winchester Model 1894 has served as a game-getter and self-defense weapon for well over a century. It's no less effective now than it was back then. Nothing's more graceful, either:



This Model 1892, chambered in .357 magnum, is still a terrific defense weapon. I wouldn't hesitate to use it if I had to repel borders:



The single action "hawgleg" has been around in one form or another since before the Civil War. Nothing fits the hand better, or is quicker to employ from the draw. Yeah, it's slow to reload, but it has all the punch you need, and if 5 or six shots can't do the job, you just haven't learned how to shoot straight. Here's some prime examples of some great SA revolvers:









You want semiautomatic firepower? This 1911 Colt was designed over 100 years ago, and it's still in use worldwide. This one dates from 1918, and it's just as effective now as it was then:



John Browning came up with the idea for the High Power pistol way back in 1926, and it's been in continuous production since 1935. This one dates from the Second World War, when it helped to defend the British Empire. It's still a lethal defense weapon:



You want a DA/SA 9mm pistol? These have been around since 1938:



You want semiauto battle weapons? You don't have to turn to Mattel poodle guns. These will do just fine, thank you:







Are double action revolvers what you like? These have been around for quite a while - and no plastic or aluminum were employed:





Like to plink or target shoot with a .22? You'd still be well served with one or more of these:







.22 rifles your thing? They don't get any better than these guns from yesteryear:





Concealed carry guns? How about these?







Hunting rifles? Don't even get me started:



Well, I hope you get my drift. Plastic, aluminum are well and good - BUT - if it was good enough for grandpa - well, it's good enough for me!

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

What, nothing belt fed? Great pics !!!

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A closed mouth gathers no foot

Nice post, thanks!

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** John **

You need to get with the program, old man!

Fish... you'd have to have a bionic arm to lift that thing!

Oh yeah. Blind, too. That's a whole new definition of ugly.

I'll take the Ruger .22 pistol for $37.50. Thanks

John, I own or have owned all but about three of the guns you have shown. I also am your age and have collected probley in your same time frame and long ago come to your same conclusions. Also have gave it a lot of thought through the years.
1. A lot of this is the newer generations always think newer must be better. Its like they seem to think they are smarter than their dumber parents and drink the kool aid that we need newer inventions.
2. On top of that manufactor`s need to keep building stuff, if 4 million winchester 94s are out there, there probley isnt much of a market to keep building more of the same.
Therefore we get new "tactical" or whatever other sales pitch it takes that appeal to the next generation to think they need to buy the latest.
On top of that it lets the manfactor now use newer cheaper developed material and new high tech machines that can build guns with less man hours and less hand fitting.
The end result is the newer product is cheap plastic, does the job, keeps the newer generation thinking they are smarter than their old nerd parents and keeps the companys in business.
When I was young in the 50s I always went deer hunting with my dad in wisconsin. I seemed to notice two type hunters. First, you had many guys with money that had the new fangeled scoped bolt actions in a hot caliber, with the newer thermo boots, and a lot of thermo underwear, jackets etc. These were the dudes back then.
The 2nd group were the poorer local north woods local farmers and such. The guys that were born in the area and lived on the cheap. They carried maybe a old shotgun with sluggs, maybe a old winchester 94 or marlin 30-30. They wore levis or likely bib overalls and old rubber boots.
Ya had to wear red back then, so they saftey pinned some red snot rags on the back of their denium farm coat as opposed to our red and black woolworth hunting coats. They carried a 10 ft electric wire bent up around their waste or whatever to haul their buck out.
Their wives would try to make a buck durring deer season and put a sign up in front of the farm, rooms $1.50. Then we would stop and try to jew them down.

now, I like wood and shiny blue metal - and generally prefer it, but I have to say, if all the black plastic guns had been around way back, do you not think they would have been as popular as they are now? You did have parkerising as the "tactical black" of its day as some of you remember...

Well, I remember as a small boy wanting a daisy with wood stock, not the newer plastic! I did get one with plastic though. Beggers cant be choosers. Also had a daisy King, that was the pump action one. Think I later traded it off for a lever cuz that looked more western. It seemed the kids with 4 eyes that had ta wear horn rims shot the pumps.

There's always grandma's double 12 or a nice Winchester '97 as well!

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Even older, even crankier....

Dang it. you beat me to it. I was gonna mention the lack of shotguns, and suggest the Winchester M12 an M97.
Jim

Nice collection. I like how you think.

Sorry for the omission. Ran out of space! I've always been partial to the Remington 870s. I don't think you can ever have too many.

Here's my trap model:



And one for repelling boarders:



John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

where's my mdl. '97....seven loads and slam-fire capable if necessary..

Remember? My two year old RIA 1911 is Park'd. As much as I admire a nice polished blue or stainless finish (Dan Wessons make me drool! ) Parkerizing has it's own sense of style. All business. I like that.

Only thing I missed was the Browning Auto 5. There are more of them still around than any other gun I know of.

I got one made in September, 1953 and it still looks like new and will outshoot any of my newer shotguns.

Sir, here ya go: Good Enough for Grandad by The Squirrel Nut Zippers - YouTube



Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.

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Wishin' don't make it so.

If you had to rely on a cartridge available 100 years ago-38 Special, 38-40, 44-40, 44 Special, 45 Long Colt, 45 ACP-or 12 gauge. You'd do just fine.

Classic firearms....very neat pics.
Have or have had near each one.

I can do anachronistic self defense . . . .

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Georgia On My Mind

I have a compact, bright LED flashlight 4" long with a "tactical" bezel. For my money, a classic 3- or 4- D-cell Maglite is more anachronistic, more better self-defense.

30-06 is a hundred and six years old this year. A hundred and nine if you count the 30-03. Didn't Teddy Roosevelt go hunting with one in 1912?

Speaking of TR, he went hunting with the M94 when it first came out, and was impressed by the high powered, smokeless 30-30.

What is that he said, something like "While I am not a very good shot, I am good at shooting frequently..." Guess he liked a lever gun, for sure. Took a M95 to Africa on safari. I think it was in .405 though. Called it his "Big Medicine."

I can't take pictures very well. But I like my 1937-manufactured Auto 5 in 16 gauge.

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and what his trumpet saith

Great post...it makes you think how revolver lovers are traditionalists and tend to use their heart over their head....sure, my modern P2000 weighs the same as my Detective Special empty, holds over twice as many rounds, has an extra inch of barrel, is quicker to reload and the LEM trigger is even smoother than my Colt. But when I go to the safe, and admire that finish as alluring as the eyes of a black Irish beauty...and think how well it served my dad for the past 50 years, it's hard to bypass it for a soulless plastic auto........

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

50 years ago, hmm....

The AR15 was designed 50 odd years ago. There's photos of it in the hands of trench coated policement undergoing testing in the early 60s in period law enforcement magazines. It was advertised as just the thing in case the beatnicks got out of line.

The FN FAL and AK series are even older designs. The original AK-47 was designed within a few years of the M1 carbine.

Of course if you want to really feel old, there are quite a few shooters born after the Glock was designed.

Sip -

I didn't know they had any firearms on the Lunar Excursion Module - but maybe they did in 1969?

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

I have tried out some of the plastic guns but I have never been able to like them as a whole.

CVA Derringer .45

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Vaya con Dios

Good information! Larry

You want tactical?!?!?

I'll show you something really tacti-cool:





It's the real McCoy.

I've got it loaded with buckshot in case one of them a-pock-a-lips things follows me home from the taco bell where I order those monster chupacabra cheese thingys.

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Lost it all in a boat accident

I just picked up a plastic gun to finally give one a try. Even if it turns out that I like the plastic gun I don't think I'm going to sell all my wheelguns. Besides I had this one put together specifically as my last ditch combat handgun.



I have been saying for years when it comes down to it, I can use my .30-06 hunting rifles and pick up all the ARs and AKs I want off the ground.

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Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

This is my outfit for going after small change...



Now, just think what I use when I go after real money.

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Lost it all in a boat accident