Hey bhornjr, I sure like your Brazilian contract S&W 45. I don't think I've ever seen one with the checkered wooden grips before. The checkering looks worn so I'm assuming they were issue, right? Four of the respondents to this two page (so far) thread have Brazilian contract 45's so there must be a bunch of them back here now in American hands. I've had mine for a long time now. I think I paid $125 when they first became availiable. (One of the locations owned by the company where I worked before I retired had a FFL so I had them order it for me and as an employee, they sold it to me and I just paid them the original invoice price plus taxes, all above board and legal with a record check before purchase and all that, but much cheaper than most people could buy them who had to go through a FFL dealer who upcharged them. This was one of the two best gun buys I ever made. The other was an East German Makarov, with an extra set of civilian handgrips, a holster, and two magazines, all for $115 purchased the same way. Considering how these two guns they've appreciated and how my my 401k has tanked, I'd have been far better off to have cashed in my 401k and bought a few hundred Brazilians and Makarovs. I'd have had a lot more fun with my money too.
Vintage pistols
- Thread starter mrMONEYman
- Start date
Hey Woad Yurt. Fine example. Really! I wish mine looked as good as yours and some of these others. Did you have to work on it to get that shine or did it come to you looking like that? My hammer and trigger are badly discolored. Any way for me to get mine looking like yours?
Before I got involved with the Firing Line, I didn't know of anyone who had a S&W 1917 (Brazilian contract gun) but me. Then I had a problem with it, found out about this forum, asked for help and several guys stepped up to offer some spot-on advice. Which was great, because what did I know? I was a credit manager for 40 years. I just like to shoot em, I know knothing about how to fix em. But because of those knowledgeable guys who were kind enough to respond and help me out, I realized I had a minor problem within my capability and I was able to fix the gun myself instead of spending a lot of money that I couldn't afford. So far five different owners of S&W Model 1917 revolvers have responded to this one 2 page thread. I know there are many other model 1917 owners out there, both Colt and S&W. I think I'm going to start a new thread on the revolver forum and ask everyone who has a model 1917 (either Colt or S&W) to send pictures of their gun so they are all on one thread, and we can all see who all the different owners are (screen names anyway) and all the different variations there are in handgrips, finishes, condition, etc. If you have items that you use or that have some connection with the gun; holsters; moon clips, half moon clips, pistol belts, clip removal tools, special ammo, old ammo boxes,any special tools you use to work on the gun, or tools you use to reload your own 45 ammo etc. include them in the pics you send so everyone will see what the possibilities are. (I'm not going to send a picture of my own gun for a couple of days until Woad Yurt tells me on this thread how to make mine look as good as his does.)
Before I got involved with the Firing Line, I didn't know of anyone who had a S&W 1917 (Brazilian contract gun) but me. Then I had a problem with it, found out about this forum, asked for help and several guys stepped up to offer some spot-on advice. Which was great, because what did I know? I was a credit manager for 40 years. I just like to shoot em, I know knothing about how to fix em. But because of those knowledgeable guys who were kind enough to respond and help me out, I realized I had a minor problem within my capability and I was able to fix the gun myself instead of spending a lot of money that I couldn't afford. So far five different owners of S&W Model 1917 revolvers have responded to this one 2 page thread. I know there are many other model 1917 owners out there, both Colt and S&W. I think I'm going to start a new thread on the revolver forum and ask everyone who has a model 1917 (either Colt or S&W) to send pictures of their gun so they are all on one thread, and we can all see who all the different owners are (screen names anyway) and all the different variations there are in handgrips, finishes, condition, etc. If you have items that you use or that have some connection with the gun; holsters; moon clips, half moon clips, pistol belts, clip removal tools, special ammo, old ammo boxes,any special tools you use to work on the gun, or tools you use to reload your own 45 ammo etc. include them in the pics you send so everyone will see what the possibilities are. (I'm not going to send a picture of my own gun for a couple of days until Woad Yurt tells me on this thread how to make mine look as good as his does.)
RamSlammer
New member
Good thread. I too am drawn to older handguns much more so than anything made in the last 30 years. The prewar DA Colt revolvers and long action S&W's are among the finest examples of American firearms craftsmanship in my opinion. To make similar guns today in the same manner would probably cost $5K a copy if that little.
Here's my favorite, a Colt Army Special .38, 1923 vintage in 90%+ condition . . . (and yes, it gets shot regularly) . . .
Here's my favorite, a Colt Army Special .38, 1923 vintage in 90%+ condition . . . (and yes, it gets shot regularly) . . .
Attachments
1897 Early Vintage ConeHammer Mauser
The barrel in this is pristine, not something I'm going to fire.
This is one of only 15K ConeHammer BroomHandle Mausers made, from 1897 in the 2nd year of production. A wonderful piece of engineering, all original and serial matching. The ConeHammers were the earliest of the Broomhandles.
A safe queen...
The barrel in this is pristine, not something I'm going to fire.
This is one of only 15K ConeHammer BroomHandle Mausers made, from 1897 in the 2nd year of production. A wonderful piece of engineering, all original and serial matching. The ConeHammers were the earliest of the Broomhandles.
A safe queen...
Attachments
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brian45auto
New member
big fan of old service arms or even just old stuff period.
1896 colt .38 from '96 or '97 iirc.
1908 vest pocket from '21
1911a1 from '43
not sure of the year on the commando
1896 colt .38 from '96 or '97 iirc.
1908 vest pocket from '21
1911a1 from '43
not sure of the year on the commando
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brian45auto
New member
i like smiths too.
1917 from 1919
and a victory
the germans had good stuff too.
both p08's are pre ww1.
1917 from 1919
and a victory
the germans had good stuff too.
both p08's are pre ww1.
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Recoiljunkie44
New member
I am personally a fan of the Polish Radom pistol, as I feel most of them tell a story! I think even a scratch or repaired stock can mean alot of history and cherish them anyway they come!
Hey, bhornjr, glenncal1, and brian45auto. We'd sure like to see you put your 45 revolvers pictures over on the revolver thread where owners of these 45's have been invited to post pictures of their particular guns. The idea is to get everybody who has one of these to post its photo on that one thread, sort of like a clique within the club. Also winchester73, if you bought that 1917 you were looking at we'd sure like to see a picture of it over on that thread too. Thanks!
