Slick Shooters from the "Roaring Twenties"!!

[raljr1]

Les, and all other contributors to this post;

This is one of the "best" and most interesting to myself as a student of firearm history. The time period that most of the arms displayed was from a time and period in American firearms manufacture history where craftsmanship was common to production. When looking at your wonderful photos, I see much craftsmanship in the Colt 1903 and Savage reps. This also includes the others, like the Colt Revolvers and pocket arms displayed. You fellas have some great toys, the kind no longer seen in GS or pawnshops. The "Roaring 20's" post here is super and I'll be contributing ASAP to this superb series of posts and photos here.

David

David, the two Colt New Police snubs in my photo were a pawn shop find less than a year ago and the Colt Police Positive 32 with the stags was a gunshop find six months ago. Keep looking, the turn up from time to time.

 

[stu1ritter]

A 32 S&W Long from 1924. Just drop it in your pocket and you are good to go.

Stu

 

[Old Corp]

Pretty sure my Remington M51 .380 got to see the 20's. S/N shows a manufacture date of 1919.

Another poster noted a couple he had displayed a tendency to jam.
I've had the opposite experience - this one has fed everything I've run through it - several different JHP's ball/FMJ, etc. And is more accurate than a .380 oughta be.
Recall reading articles indicating that in the teens through the 1920's, the Remington sold for five more dollars than the Colt, and thus, sales flagged.

The design is very interesting.

 

[DWalt]

My two remaining Remington Model 51s have never malfunctioned on me while using factory ammo. They have with some of my reloads, but not often.

 

[les.b]

A 32 S&W Long from 1924. Just drop it in your pocket and you are good to go.

Stu

Stu:

Thanks for sharing with us!!! That's a great looking .32 Hand Ejector! I have one similar to that that was a gun show "save". It had been abused, used as a tack hammer or something, and with a little work, it was up and shooting as well as ever. I will probably post it here in a bit. Those are little gems, and the insides are as nicely finished as a fine watch!! Handy, and definitely "slick shooters"!

Best Regards, Les

 

[les.b]

Pretty sure my Remington M51 .380 got to see the 20's. S/N shows a manufacture date of 1919.

Another poster noted a couple he had displayed a tendency to jam.
I've had the opposite experience - this one has fed everything I've run through it - several different JHP's ball/FMJ, etc. And is more accurate than a .380 oughta be.
Recall reading articles indicating that in the teens through the 1920's, the Remington sold for five more dollars than the Colt, and thus, sales flagged.

The design is very interesting.

Thanks for sharing your Remington. These have long fascinated me, and I am on the lookout for one. I am encouraged to hear your very positive experiences with them. I'm sure that yours played a role back in the "Roaring Twenties"... Nice photo too.

Best Regards, Les

 

[HARDWARE]

i read alvin karpis' memoirs some years ago and recall that he had a preference for carrying the savage .380...among other things. I guess that would be a model 1917.

 

[les.b]

i read alvin karpis' memoirs some years ago and recall that he had a preference for carrying the savage .380...among other things. I guess that would be a model 1917.

Hardware:

Here's a link to a site with a photo of the guns that Karpis had with him at the time of his capture looks like one might be a Savage:

Alvin Karpis Arrest: Where Was Director Hoover?

Best Regards, Les

 

[Wyatt Burp]

Factory nickel Colt New Service .45 Colt. Well, consensus here and elsewhere was that it's original. Colt had no record of it when I tried to letter it. This gun was actually made in 1932. It should have the checkered wood grips. But it looks 1920s with these grips on it.

 

[HARDWARE]

Hardware:

Here's a link to a site with a photo of the guns that Karpis had with him at the time of his capture looks like one might be a Savage:

Alvin Karpis Arrest: Where Was Director Hoover?

Best Regards, Les

zooming in on my ipad it appears that they are all 1911's. that one on the upper right is discolored for some reason.

but that's a great site.. thanks for the link.

when I was reading that I was able to get the address for that location and that street corner in new Orleans appears to be largely unchanged since that time.

 

[JohnSW]

I suppose fiction set in the roaring 20s doesn't count , but I wouldn't mind having that gold plated revolver.

 

[les.b]

Factory nickel Colt New Service .45 Colt. Well, consensus here and elsewhere was that it's original. Colt had no record of it when I tried to letter it. This gun was actually made in 1932. It should have the checkered wood grips. But it looks 1920s with these grips on it.

Wyatt:

You're right, that's a gorgeous New Service. And it does have that 1920s look with those older style grips. Thanks for posting it here. I only have the one 1917 version of the New Service that I posted above, but they are great revolvers, and mine is a sweet shooter. I think if I shoot it much, though, I'm going to have to put a Tyler T grip or custom grips on it, the size is just a little big for my hands.

Best Regards, Les

 

[Texas Star]

We "did" that Aussie show here recently, and that gold gun is a S&W Chief's Special. Not appropriate in a 1920's show. Maybe she could have used a .32 H E in gold finish and had a similar look. But the ramp front sight would still differ from the sights on that gun.

TV is often inaccurate.

 

[les.b]

zooming in on my ipad it appears that they are all 1911's. that one on the upper right is discolored for some reason.

but that's a great site.. thanks for the link.

when I was reading that I was able to get the address for that location and that street corner in new Orleans appears to be largely unchanged since that time.

Hardware:

When I posted that link earlier, I was out, and on my iPhone. I couldn't see the individual guns that well. Now that I'm home, I took another look. I think that the handgun on the far right is a 1903 or 1908, no way I know to tell the difference in a photo like that, but it is a Colt, and it doesn't have a hammer, and it's a little smaller than the rest, which I agree look like 1911s. Interesting stuff.

Best Regards, Les

 

[les.b]

I suppose fiction set in the roaring 20s doesn't count , but I wouldn't mind having that gold plated revolver.

John:

The show may be set in the 1920s, but that revolver is a five shot "J" frame Smith and Wesson with the full length cylinder and the larger trigger Gaurd, so that means early 1950s at the oldest, and probably a 38 Special, "Chiefs Special". The Baby Js lost the smaller trigger Gaurd in the early 50s, so it has to have been made after that.

Edit: while I was typing, Texas Star beat me to it!!! We must think alike. I assure you that I was unfamiliar with the show or any discussions about it til I just saw Texas' post!!! Great Minds!!!

I love the Acorn productions, I have all of the Hercule Poirot series, and the Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes series, and some of the other English Classic mysteries that they do so well. I was not familiar with this series, though, and might have to give it a try.

Thanks for the heads up.

Best Regards, Les

 

[les.b]

We "did" that Aussie show here recently, and that gold gun is a S&W Chief's Special. Not appropriate in a 1920's show. Maybe she could have used a .32 H E in gold finish and had a similar look. But the ramp front sight would still differ from the sights on that gun.

TV is often inaccurate.

Texas!!!

Note my edit in my post above. I had the same thought about that revolver, and while I was typing, you beat me to it!!! I had never heard of the show before, but independently came to the same conclusion that you did. Glad to see you here!! I've been having fun with this thread.

Best Regards, Your Friend, Les

 

[les.b]

My two remaining Remington Model 51s have never malfunctioned on me while using factory ammo. They have with some of my reloads, but not often.

DWalt:

You guys with the Remington 51s and the Savages have me hankering for one of each. I'm keeping my eyes peeled. Great posts. Thanks for sharing.

Best Regards, Les

 

[Texas Star]

Les-

The show is on YouTube, if you want to give it a look. Several good Aussie series are there, inc., The Lost World.

 

[les.b]

Thanks, Texas, I'll do that. As I posted earlier, im a fan of series that are set in that period, and now that I'm enjoying my vacation, I've got time on my hands. (As you can probably tell). As soon as photobucket is back up I will post something for you. They are down right now.

Best Regards, Les

 

[HARDWARE]

Craving a colt 1903 now.. I sold one years ago that had British proof marks on it.

Also a savage ... In fact, I have a line on one and may buy it tomorrow. Also interested in the Remington which I was not familiar with... And a browning 1910 as well... Not to mention my long standing desire for a pre war colt detective special