Pocket Breaktops

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Rick B,

When I was a kid one of my friend's father had this original Texas Ranger colt SAA. He told me it was one of six left from an original batch of 250 ... he also said he had been offered $17K (which in '68 was a LOT of money).

The story he told me was that it was riight after WWII and the only job he could get was as a Railroad Detective and he needed a sidearm, and he had seen this old Colt SAA in a pawn shop.

Anywho, he said he asked the price of everything in the store, from most expensive to least...and when he could see that the owner was good and bored, he asked offhand how much the hogleg was ....

"Thirty five bucks" was the owner's bored answer...

He just as nonchalantly pulled out his wallet and paid the owner.


... you might get a really lowball price if he has had it for several shows ...


Good Luck ....

[RickB]

ROFLMAO. Wadd, that's a great story. I might just try that. The guy has a bunch of really old guns on his table every time I've seen him. I've not missed a gun show in something like 20+ years and I know he's been to all of them for the last 6 or 7 so I am familar with seeing his table and his guns. They never really seem to change. I might just fanigle a good deal from him. He's pretty old (like his guns) and maybe he will just get sick of seeing these particular guns on his table and say WTH. I sure can try can't I? 

You never know until you try. Hey, I've got enough guts to try just about anything. Comes from 41 years of riding motorcycles in rush hour traffic maybe. But a big old Harley will keep most folks at bay when you pop the throttle and make it backfire like a 30-06. HA HA HA HA HA. Tricks of the trade.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

RickB,

There is more to the story ... he bought a box of .45 LC and went to load it and golly gee, they woudn't fit.


According to my friend's father, they were made especially for the Texas Rangers, who did not want to have to carry two sets of bullet loading gear .

So he took it to a gunsmith, and that was when he had one of these special Colts that loaded Henry ammo (.44, .44-40?). So they only had to carry one set of molds on horseback ....

He tells me this after I have wrapped the holster twice around me (what can I say, I was really skinny then), and had quick-drawn the gun and fanned the trigger. I nearly fainted when I thought what would have happened if I dropped it on the hammer of a gun whose serial numbers all matched ....

[WaddWatsonEllis]

I just got my little S&W  pocket pistol back from having the new stag grips made ...

So I was able to try out the new holster that I made for it whle it was gone

I got a pattern from a very kind man, and then adapted it fto match my 'modified' Johnny Ringo Rig ... hope Y'all like it ...

[RickB]

Still a great story. Thanks for sharing it.

Also, nice job on the grips and the holster.

My little pocket guns rest in my vest pockets, but maybe I should look into having a holster or two made for them.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

RickB,

I used to do the same, but I found three good reasons to carry it this way:

1.) It protects the pistols, both from being banged into and dropped of one bends over too far ...

2. It frees up a hand when moving from stage to stage, and wearing a right hand holster in a crossdraw rig doesn't seem to slow me down a bit ...

3.) It protects the pistols from the normal nicks and bangs of sitting ouside a holster.
4,) An unwitten rule is that there were no records kept as to how many injuries were caused to a wearer's huevos by pocket pistols ... I mean, I have little or no use for them, but I would like them to be there if it did .... and I pardon myself if this is TMI ...

Of course, historically they were never worn as outside, as it would defeat the purpose of a 'concealble' pocket pistol .... unless parahaps something like this derringer rig ...

[WaddWatsonEllis]

I thought I would write another post so that I din't look like the ultimate threadkilller ... with a date of 25 April on my last post .... come on guys, write something!

[Books OToole]

I believe that The Shootist containing the S & W Pocket Pistol article is at the printers.

Books

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Great News!

I look forward to reading it ...

[RickB]

Good to hear Books. I'm looking forward to that article.

[RickB]

New addition to my collection. It's a gun I picked up for $225.00. It's a S&W number 2 from what I can figure out. I'm not an expert on these things, but working on learning. It's chambered for .38 S&W which I understand is still available.

It has a good amount of the finish on it. and a pair of nice period, authentic, pearl grips. They feel nice and the gun should be a good shooter once I get it fixed up a little. I'm sending it to a good NCOWS gunsmith to look it over. He sounds like he is confident in fixing it. If not, it will be a good additon to the collection anyway.

Here are some pics. Cross your fingers on me getting it shooting. I would love to put a few down range with it.

[St. George]

They 'are' good shooters, so long as you're shooting blackpowder loads.

I have several - along with a 'very' nice 'Baby Russian' - and though the grip is small for my modern-day hands, they're accurate.

Beyond a thorough cleaning, none of mine needed any adjustment or other work.

Congratulations!

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Pancho Peacemaker]

9 o clock:  S&W 38 Safety Hammerless, 4th model.  Aftermarket barrel reduction and nickel refinish.  Homemade bone grips dated to 1910.

noon:  S&W 38 Safety Hammerless, 1st model.  Original factory pearl grips.

3 o clock:  S&W 38 Safety Hammerless, 4th model.  Original factory grips.

6 o clock:  S&W 38 DA, 4th model, rare 4" barrel.  Original factory pearl grips.