Vintage pistols

I have no use for collector firearms of the type that you can't shoot because they'll depreciate in value, although I realize that there are many people who do like to collect them.
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My belief with older collectible guns is this - why take the chance? Certain guns go up and down in value, other guns start appreciating almost right away, some are late bloomers but for the most part many guns do not beat inflation. If you're lucky enough to have a collectible, put it away and buy another gun to shoot. As long as the gun works correctly I don't care if shooting it would be difficult due to hard to find ammo, recoil, danger, etc. I have some guns I collect/rarely shoot and other guns that are stone cold shooters.

One thing I noticed, (no offense meant to anyone) is that many people who claim that guns are meant to be shot no matter what or that they shoot every gun that they have, etc etc, is that none of these people own a gun thats worth $20,000 or more. Most of these people don't own a gun worth $10,000 even. I myself don't either, but I think the adage of "any gun should be a shooter" is sometimes nonsensical. Would anyone here really try to shoot an original walker colt? Or maybe a winchester one of a thousand rifle? Just my opinion guys.
 
This is a S&W 3rd model D/A 38 from 1889 that my Dad gave me.
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I don't know if they're "better" or not. I know I like them "better."
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Can I get an "Amen" brothers? I love the older Colts and Smiths. I am a fanatic for the CNS/1917. The Colt Off. Police trade ins comprise my house gun battery around the place. Good sturdy shooters and cheap when I bought them. The New Service are my favorite bigbores of yesteryear.

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Colt Commando

Hi CajunBass,

Thanks for your post and photo of the Colt Police. I have a Colt Commando which is similar to your Police pistol except it has a parkerized finish and synthetic grips. My pistol's s/n dates it as WW2 production. This weapon was given to me (!) by a woman who inhereted it and was uninterested in keeping it. She said it was her uncle's who was a cop in the '40's and '50's. The gun was absolutely filthy (cat hair, dust bunnies, years of unknown gunk) and the trigger awful. It also was missing the little bushing or textured bolt at the end of the push-rod used to extract empty brass. I dropped the Colt off at a gunsmith this week for a thorough cleaning, inspection and missing hardware replacement. My feeling was this would ensure the pistol is safe to fire and help the trigger pull by leaps and bounds. I'll post pic's when the gunsmith is done. The only real wear on this gun is a few places where the duty holster slightly rubbed the finish.

I'm guessing the guys on the auto-loader forum would pass-out from boredom reading about this gun, but it has some history. From what I've read, the Commando was produced during WW2 as an alternative to the ACP (all going overseas to the war) and the Police (too expensive due to its finish and wood grips). The Commando was issued to domestic security forces during the war. When WW2 was over, the Commandos were sold as surplus- many small town police forces bought them up which is where my gun came from- a cop's sidearm working in a little No. Texas town during the '50's...
 
Amen Chesster! And I love your 1917 Army model Colt revolver! I've got a pretty nice S&W 1917 (1937 Brazilian contract variation); not as nice looking as that Colt though!
 
old guns, in unfired condition should remain that way

Anything else can be shot (to a limited extent)without harming the collector value. As long as you take care of it, and cause no degradation to the existing finish, and no parts break, shooting an old "collector's piece" doesn't hurt anything.

BUT, you must use common sense and moderation. Trying to pound 5K rounds of +P through a 1913 Luger or S&W M&P is stupid.

Collector value is based on the condition. Once a gun has been shot, it is forever a used gun. Further shooting alone changes nothing.

So, yes, I would shoot that Walker Colt. Exactly the same way they shot it when it was new. Won't change anything. Unless something breaks. ;)
 
martin, I want that Remington! Really I am scheming to someday get one, just because it is a Remington pistol and because it is more than a simple blow-back auto.

So now, if Remington starts making there Civil-War cap-n-ball (or post CW cartridge) revolvers again, whould they be called "vintage"?

Bart Noir
Who recently bought a Mauser 1910 .32 automatic, to stay in the Vintage Club.
 
How bout this CAJUNBASS?

"Note the holster wear and especially the wear on the grip. I can just imagine a LEO resting his right arm on the butt of the gun as it rode in the holster. The rest of the right side grips checkering is worn almost smooth. The left side, more protected is nowhere near as worn."

CAJUNBASS more likely the gun was carried by a south paw and the wear on the right side (starboard ;)) grip is a result of holster wear or rubbing against the belt or uniform. Just a thought.
 
You da man, Chesster! I'd guess from those impressive handgrips that this S&W 1917 Brazilian contract 45 is your "serious business" handgun. What do you load it with? I keep mine within a hands reach at night, loaded with Black Hills Auto Rim 255 Grain LSWC's which is one serious thumper of a round. They claim only 760 fps for it, but I think out of these longer barrels its more like 810 fps. I keep a couple of moon clips nearby loaded with 45 ACP just in case. Love your gun!
 
I have a vintage early post war Maunhrin PP in 7.65MM, probably made sometime in the 1950s.

I was hoofing it on a regular basis until I realized that I really didn't want to surrender such a fine handgun to the cops if I were forced to use it!!! :eek:

I'm now carrying it's more modern version: Walther USA (made from Interarms parts) PPK/S in 9mm kurz.
 
To Bart Noir:

I want that Remington too! It's not mine. :(

A close family friend took it in trade in 1958 when he ran a small gun shop. He has never fired it. It has the original sales reciept, dated 1919. A letter giving a doctor permission to carry and handwritten by the mayor of Philadelphia also accompanies the original box and cleaning kit, dated 1921.

I've tried several times to get him to part with it, going as high as $1100. $700 for the gun, and the provenance has to be worth something, right?

:D
 
Here's my Smith

Sometimes when I am shooting this S&W 1917 I forget that its approximately 90 years old, and was also saw service in the Brazilian Military. The stories it could tell.
 

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You da man, Chesster! I'd guess from those impressive handgrips that this S&W 1917 Brazilian contract 45 is your "serious business" handgun. What do you load it with? I keep mine within a hands reach at night, loaded with Black Hills Auto Rim 255 Grain LSWC's which is one serious thumper of a round. They claim only 760 fps for it, but I think out of these longer barrels its more like 810 fps. I keep a couple of moon clips nearby loaded with 45 ACP just in case. Love your gun!
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I use a similar handload with a 255 SWC in an AR case. I use full moon clips and RNLs in auto cases
 
I think I paid something like $160 for my Brazilian Navy 1917 back in 1989. I should have bought everyone they had, they were a little beat up. It shoots great and trigger both SA and DA smooth as glass. For SD I use Silvertips in full moon clips. :cool:
 
CAJUNBASS more likely the gun was carried by a south paw and the wear on the right side (starboard ) grip is a result of holster wear or rubbing against the belt or uniform. Just a thought.
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Quite possible of course. I'm basing my opinion that it came from someone resting their arm on if over the years from my own observations that my right arm rests right there when the gun is holstered. It's a perfect armrest.
 
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