Modified
Member
Very unlikely, however there are some distinctive ways that Ropers were made that help to verify that is what they are. If you could post a picture of the back side of each panel you could get more information.
.50 Cal Ammo Can...Full of S&W !
- Thread starter sgtcarr
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Very unlikely, however there are some distinctive ways that Ropers were made that help to verify that is what they are. If you could post a picture of the back side of each panel you could get more information.
No, she didn't. What a great find, I'd rather those than a couple gold coins. I have a couple of those cans, the lid is removable by sliding it off the hinge. I think they are more recent than WWII. Congrats on your find, hope you can keep them. Joe
jsfricks
Member
As stated above, WWII is the correct time period of these ammo cans.
I would love to see pictures of the wood frame inside of the box. Very cool idea! I have an ammo box identical to this one that I bought off a local forum for $20. I would buy all I could at that price in the condition mine is in!
U.S Military Metal Ammo Boxes
Thanks for that link. I always assumed the "end latch" type came earlier. I have several (repainted several times and re stenciled) of the "Modern" with the flaming bomb embossed. Joe
A couple more observations regarding the .38: First, the stocks are the correct style for the K-22. If you haven't already, you should check to see if they're numbered to that K-22. The gun is also what we refer to as a "semi target" due to the lack of an adjustable rear sight. The rear sight may have been fabricated by a gunsmith after it left the factory. The target style front sight blade may or may not have been installed by S&W as a custom order.
Could we see close-up pics of those sights?
Mark
Could we see close-up pics of those sights?
Mark
66Park
Member
Great guns, great story!
handejector
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If those smooth grips shown in the top tray were in the box when you found it, Grandpa most likely had a Military 1917, not a Commercial, and it was an early one.
That commercial you bought is a GREAT gun, though! Late 1917s shipped with magna grips are very, very uncommon.
I think those grips are some very old Herrett's.
The term I have always heard and used is 'Half target'.
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handejector
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Richard,
Click the pic twice till it blows up to max, and you can see the screw hole exactly on the centerline of the groove in the background.
I've seen a few targets with that threaded hole over the years.
All were made before 1930.
Bought one at an auction one time, and I MISSED that hole. Lost money on that one!
Richard,
Click the pic twice till it blows up to max, and you can see the screw hole exactly on the centerline of the groove in the background.
I've seen a few targets with that threaded hole over the years.
All were made before 1930.
Bought one at an auction one time, and I MISSED that hole. Lost money on that one!
Thanks - I thought that was the case, and seeing the photo of the adapter separate from the gun shows exactly what you describe (thanks for the add'l photos sgtcarr).
The reason that I had asked was that recently I bought a beautifully modified early 1930's King Super Target 38/44 that has "the screw hole" for a grip adapter (It came to me with a set of Ropers). It is a great gun and now that I see the photo, I might try and craft a wood grip adapter as another accessory for the gun.
I dislike the over-use of the word "awesome" and personally only use it in reference to something that actually deserves it...that collection of revolvers, box and story is truly awesome.
An old buddy of mine showed up at the range today for coffee, he had a pistol case with him. I greeted him and asked what treasure he had brought down with him. He said "It'll cost you dollar just to look." When he went for coffee, I peaked into the box. It was a pre-war commercial Colt Ace with original two tone magazine, the blueing was amazing, I love that stuff.
I asked him if he had come down to shoot it, he's going to be 91 later this month. He said "Its too pretty to shoot, besides I could never get it to shoot very well anyway."
An old buddy of mine showed up at the range today for coffee, he had a pistol case with him. I greeted him and asked what treasure he had brought down with him. He said "It'll cost you dollar just to look." When he went for coffee, I peaked into the box. It was a pre-war commercial Colt Ace with original two tone magazine, the blueing was amazing, I love that stuff.
I asked him if he had come down to shoot it, he's going to be 91 later this month. He said "Its too pretty to shoot, besides I could never get it to shoot very well anyway."
Sgtcarr, what a Great set up, with a special family history. I assume you realize how lucky you were to find this one.
CATI1835
US Veteran
This is why I belong to this forum. Finds like this are rare and must be shared to be fully appreciated. Like finding a Picasso in grandma's attic. Like an earlier post stated, awesome. Makes me fell awful (in its original, literal meaning - full of awe).
handejector
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How cool on the grips-
he actually added a layer of walnut to thicken them??
he actually added a layer of walnut to thicken them??
Grayfox
US Veteran
Now that is just plain cool! 
Modified
Member
People have used words like cool and awesome in this thread. I don't think those words are enough, and I don't know if I have the words but I'm going to try.
Thing is you have proper high quality craftsmanship in everything from the box to the guns themselves. To many of us standard new in the box guns are really neat, but they don't drive us crazy like a gun that someone clearly loved and put the effort in to make better, in a classy and high quality way.
Sometimes there are guns (or entire packages like this) that really convey the personality of the owner. When you handle and shoot the guns (or just open the case) you get a sense of who this guy was. That's what is going on here, and I think it's glorious. To be a family set? You are a very lucky man, many of us out here are insanely jealous I am sure.
On those stocks. I see jig holes, I think Roper personally. There are some other guys here who have their hands on many more of these old Ropers that I have that I would like to weigh in on them though.
The last thing I would like to mention is that if you ever sell the guns (to me!
) I would hope you sell them as a package with as much information about your grandpa attached to it as possible. It's always such a shame to come across a gun that has been separated from it's case, stocks, and pieces of it's history. Guns like this (and the can) are in my opinion classic Americana and in a way a sort of folk art and should be treated as such, just art that includes needing to be shot.
Thing is you have proper high quality craftsmanship in everything from the box to the guns themselves. To many of us standard new in the box guns are really neat, but they don't drive us crazy like a gun that someone clearly loved and put the effort in to make better, in a classy and high quality way.
Sometimes there are guns (or entire packages like this) that really convey the personality of the owner. When you handle and shoot the guns (or just open the case) you get a sense of who this guy was. That's what is going on here, and I think it's glorious. To be a family set? You are a very lucky man, many of us out here are insanely jealous I am sure.
On those stocks. I see jig holes, I think Roper personally. There are some other guys here who have their hands on many more of these old Ropers that I have that I would like to weigh in on them though.
The last thing I would like to mention is that if you ever sell the guns (to me!
) I would hope you sell them as a package with as much information about your grandpa attached to it as possible. It's always such a shame to come across a gun that has been separated from it's case, stocks, and pieces of it's history. Guns like this (and the can) are in my opinion classic Americana and in a way a sort of folk art and should be treated as such, just art that includes needing to be shot.
LoboGunLeather
US Veteran
Off subject, perhaps, but might be of interest to some:
The old expression "the whole nine yards" referred to the ammo capacity of early .50BMG aviation machineguns. When a pilot said that he gave a target "the whole nine yards" he meant that he had emptied his gun's 27-foot long feeding belt.
Exceptional find. Thanks for sharing.
The old expression "the whole nine yards" referred to the ammo capacity of early .50BMG aviation machineguns. When a pilot said that he gave a target "the whole nine yards" he meant that he had emptied his gun's 27-foot long feeding belt.
Exceptional find. Thanks for sharing.
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