The Reising Bearcat 22 pistols. Very hard to find in good condition. There were several other early 22 auto and manually
operated pistols that are little known.
operated pistols that are little known.
"Great" guns that all of us might not be aware of
- Thread starter bushmaster1313
- Start date
hkcavalier
US Veteran
The H&K 770 / 940 / SL series rifles. I've only seen one of each in the flesh, and yes those $400 gray market scope mounts hurt the appeal some. But how many roller locked hunting rifles are out there?
Frank46
US Veteran
Yoda, the high powers may be common but where I am I have not seen one except the model they brought out in 40 S&W. mostly 1911 shooters down here. Will be picking up a MarkIII in a few days. Frank
Here's a pre-war one, and the proper French mle 1937 holster for it.
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The French PA 50 pistol is a great pistol but not well known in America. It's built like a tank, necessay because of that strong French 9mm ammunition designed for the MAT 49 SMG. It came into service in 1953 and is still the French military issue handgun.
Third photo shows the original Mle 1948/50 leather holster for it, and the holster that replaced it; the TAP (Troupe Aéroportée) originally for airborne troops but because it was cheaper to manufacture, superceded the Mle 48/50. Last photo is a shoulder holster designed for Armée de l'Aire aircraft crews.
Third photo shows the original Mle 1948/50 leather holster for it, and the holster that replaced it; the TAP (Troupe Aéroportée) originally for airborne troops but because it was cheaper to manufacture, superceded the Mle 48/50. Last photo is a shoulder holster designed for Armée de l'Aire aircraft crews.
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JaPes
Member
The Styer M9 A1.
I'd never seen one at a store. After some research and much trepidation, I ordered one. Aesthetically, the pistol looks like it is the hybrid offspring of a Glock and a Taser. Functionally, it's a sweet shooter.
Oddball features
I'd never seen one at a store. After some research and much trepidation, I ordered one. Aesthetically, the pistol looks like it is the hybrid offspring of a Glock and a Taser. Functionally, it's a sweet shooter.
- Low bore axis
- Grip design enables a high grip
- Wide, flat face, shallow curve trigger shoe enables proper pad-of-finger contact
- Trigger is very nice. Better than Glock, XD, S&W. A little less nice than H&K VP9, Walther PPQ, Sig P320.
Oddball features
- The pistol is wide for a 9mm. Since most people have experience with Glocks, the slide is as wide as a full size 45 ACP Glock 21.
- Triangle/Trapezoid iron sights. Still on the fence about them.
I bought a French 22 pistol a few years ago. The brand name was "Unique." No idea if it even had a model name. It was an all steel, semi-auto, with an 8 round (+1) magazine. Made in France in the post war years it was a beautifully made and well finished gun. Worked like a charm too. Both reliable and accurate. I got no idea why I sold it, and it's one of the few guns I really kick myself for selling.
High-Standard Sentinel revolvers. About the same size as a Smith & Wesson K-frame (fit the same holsters) but was a nine shot, DA/SA revolver, with an alloy frame and semi-fixed sights. Light as a feather. Put it in an Uncle Mikes nylon holster and you had, IMHO, the perfect "bumming around the woods" gun. Plenty accurate enough for pine cones and such. Another of those "I wish I hadn't sold" guns, but I do have this one my wife wanted.
Ithaca's Model 66 and 49.
The 66 was a standard break action single-shot shotgun available in all the standard gauges, except it had a lever rifle type lever for breaking the action. In the day of TV westerns, it was a big thing to a 12-13 year old kid (me). Mine was a 20 gauge.
The Model 49 was a similar 22. It looked like a lever gun, including a false magazine tube, but was actually a falling block single shot (they also made a 49R that was a repeater, but I've never actually seen one). Another great gun for a day and age when nobody thought anything of a kid with a 22 rifle walking down the road.
High-Standard Sentinel revolvers. About the same size as a Smith & Wesson K-frame (fit the same holsters) but was a nine shot, DA/SA revolver, with an alloy frame and semi-fixed sights. Light as a feather. Put it in an Uncle Mikes nylon holster and you had, IMHO, the perfect "bumming around the woods" gun. Plenty accurate enough for pine cones and such. Another of those "I wish I hadn't sold" guns, but I do have this one my wife wanted.
Ithaca's Model 66 and 49.
The 66 was a standard break action single-shot shotgun available in all the standard gauges, except it had a lever rifle type lever for breaking the action. In the day of TV westerns, it was a big thing to a 12-13 year old kid (me). Mine was a 20 gauge.
The Model 49 was a similar 22. It looked like a lever gun, including a false magazine tube, but was actually a falling block single shot (they also made a 49R that was a repeater, but I've never actually seen one). Another great gun for a day and age when nobody thought anything of a kid with a 22 rifle walking down the road.
Arik
Member
ColbyBruce
Member
Granted, most folks on this forum appreciate the great S&W 10; but many young and new shooters have little or no use for these fine old guns. With the correct ammo, a set of stocks to fit the shooter's hand, and a proper holster the #10 will cover most any situation a person could encounter in the lower 48.
sigp220.45
US Veteran
My two candidates -
The seldom-seen S&W Model 646, an L-frame six-shot .40 caliber that never really caught on.
The neat little Beretta 948, a .22 LR version of the more famous Models 34 and 35.
The seldom-seen S&W Model 646, an L-frame six-shot .40 caliber that never really caught on.
The neat little Beretta 948, a .22 LR version of the more famous Models 34 and 35.
Steyr M9 really is a nice pistol and should be a lot more popular. A friend bought one and we took it and a Glock 9m/m to the range with 3 new shooters. Every person liked and shot the Steyr better but I prefer standard sights over the goofy triangle sights.
Arik
Member
Vector CP1
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Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
sw44spl
Member
I have always loved the war time guns of any country. I love my Kar98s and the Yugo m24 m24-47 and m48s. also the very nice fn49. the argentine 1891 and 1909 mausers. the sweet little british no4mk1s. the Czech vz24 and vz22.and any levergun mainly the savage 99s. and for pistols my all time favorite is the german P38 war time version and the post war one.
Of course you have one
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With a username like Cyrano how could I not? Great idea, incidently; wish I'd thought of it. I added a picture to my posting too.
Sterling Model 400 Mk II 380.
I am not intimately familiar with the company history but I believe they were a NY company that started making High Standard 22 knock-off's in the 60's. They made various pocket pistols then came out with a steel .380, the Model 400 (pictured below) in the early 80's I believe. I think most were blued but the one I inherited is a stainless model.
When asking an old gunsmithing friend about how to tear it down for cleaning he said "don't worry, all the ones I have ever seen flew apart on their own!"
I found a video or two on YouTube about disassembly and how to "slick them up" by stoning certain rough areas, polishing the rails, the feeding ramp, etc. Ours has been an excellent, reliable, fun, problem free shooter since.
It is a compact double/single design but "makes-up" for that by being as heavy as a brick. It is marginal selection for letter of this thread, but it meets the spirit with our limited experience.
I am not intimately familiar with the company history but I believe they were a NY company that started making High Standard 22 knock-off's in the 60's. They made various pocket pistols then came out with a steel .380, the Model 400 (pictured below) in the early 80's I believe. I think most were blued but the one I inherited is a stainless model.
When asking an old gunsmithing friend about how to tear it down for cleaning he said "don't worry, all the ones I have ever seen flew apart on their own!"
I found a video or two on YouTube about disassembly and how to "slick them up" by stoning certain rough areas, polishing the rails, the feeding ramp, etc. Ours has been an excellent, reliable, fun, problem free shooter since.
It is a compact double/single design but "makes-up" for that by being as heavy as a brick. It is marginal selection for letter of this thread, but it meets the spirit with our limited experience.
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FifthWheel
US Veteran
Swedish Lahti M40. I think they were 9mm also used by Danish police. WWII era.
I just bought an old holster for one because it fits my Ruger Standard perfectly.
Holster is for Lahti, gun is my Ruger.
Sweden's WWII cold weather pistol: The Lahti m/40 - The Firearm Blog
I just bought an old holster for one because it fits my Ruger Standard perfectly.
Holster is for Lahti, gun is my Ruger.
Sweden's WWII cold weather pistol: The Lahti m/40 - The Firearm Blog
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bushmaster1313
Member
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