When Revolvers Ruled (Historical Gun Porn)

Self | 5/16/2015 | Self

[Squantos]

One of my most sought after SW’s is the 13 with a 3 inch barrel, fixed sights and round butt. It was FBI issue model . Had one and regrettably sold it. Now that I’m rich an famous I’d like to find another model 13 to replace it.....:o)

Great revolvers, old smiths !!

[Squantos]

When I was active duty USAF we were issued the M15 SW Combat Masterpiece .... beautiful solid revolver. I was EOD an we weren’t as “supervised” as SP’s, Aircrew etc.... and got away with purchasing our own Super Vel 110gr JHP... Had we been caught carrying that ammo versus the old M83 ball issued we’d have been still making little rocks out of big rocks at Levenworth.... But we never felt under gunned while burdened with the M-15. Later mid career we wormed our way with command to use 1911A1’s and keep the 1911’s when new M9 berettas were issued.

Loved those Super Vels while we had the Smiths.....

[yarddog]

I remember when the APes carried S&W revolvers. Daddy worked at the King Hangar at Eglin for several years. There was a large office building also next to the hangar and Daddy’s little office was technically in the office building but right at the hangar.

The APs often stopped by and drank coffee with daddy. He would sometimes let me come to work with him when he was on the night shift. The APs all knew me and would let me roam around the totally empty hangar. When I say empty, I mean no people. It was always full of planes. It was a huge hangar.

I actually could not tell what model the Smiths were but almost certainly model 10,s or 15,s.

Daddy would make me a pallet right under one of the huge boilers and I would sleep until next shift change. Those were fun days climbing all over F-100s, F-104s, B-52s, B-58s etc.

I had a 5 inch model 10 which was a fairly rare barrel length. It was a nice gun but for some reason, probably James Bond, I wanted a PPK and talked a dealer into an even swap. I got the best end of that deal which was rare for me.

[Tijeras_Slim]

I’ll ping you next time bro.

[Squantos]

Thanks Slim....

[Squantos]

Great times, great guns, great memories........ Stay safe !

[archy]

An attempt to overcome the boredom of being stuck inside because the range is closed due to mud and snow (!!!) Please enjoy.

I'll ping you when I get a pic up of my late Uncle Denny's 2" S&W 5-screw, his former Secret Service carry piece [when he wasn't wearing his .45 Commander under his suit jacket.]

Yep, I still wear/carry it, mostly when it's just chill enough for a nylon windbreaker and its Buchheimer shoulder rig. Still does the job, still in the family, having more-or-less replaced my 2" S&W model 49 that I do not seem to be able to pry loose from my daughter-in-law.

[archy]

Lee Jurras (SuperVel)used to post over at the S&W forum. I was “chatting” with him like he was just some regular joe... boy was I surprised when I found out.

He was the local locksmith in Washington, Indiana for a decade-plus after his Shelbyville Super-Vel plant operation shut down. One afternoon I had to go over to his house rather than the nearby shop to settle with him for some key work, and there, on a table by the front door, was his original model for the Outstanding American Handgunner award [which he created] statue, about 2 feet tall. Not the first I'd run across, having *met* Jeff Cooper's and George Nonte's [I once threatened to hook a water sprinkler up to George's and have it sprinkle any bystanders breaking a photocell beam, and got him chuckling while trying to horse-trade him out of some cameras and Corvair parts] But them things look like they're not much fun to dust.

Elmer Keith, Lee Jurras, Bill Jordan, Harlon Carter

[pic by David Bradshaw ]

[archy]

Now that I’m rich an famous I’d like to find another model 13 to replace it.....:o)

Will keep my eyes out for you.

[archy]

Back around 1970, roughly the same time Super Vel was making a fuss, a guy in one of the gun magazines, I think it was Dean Grinnell published what he called a hot 9mm load.

I will not repeat it here but it was 2 grains above what the Speer manual listed as maximum for Unique in the 9mm. I figured he would not have published it if it was not safe so I loaded maybe 20 rounds.

I loaded up a mag for the Browning Hi-power and let loose. It threw the empties around 30 feet and the primers were as flat as a frying pan. Some of the primers just fell out. The load was insane and it probably would have blown up some guns.

I still have no idea what the consequences of him publishing that load were. It must have resulted in some damaged guns.

The later [post-1968] Browning GPs with the pivoting rather than internal [like a M1911] extractor were notorious about cracking slides with overly hot loads. British 9mm ball ammo, loaded hot for the L2A3 Sterling SMG, will also do it. And, sometimes, the two-piece FN High Power barrels will come apart.

[yarddog]

The Browning Hi-Power was the first good quality pistol I owned. I had King’s Hardware in DeFuniak Springs order it. I still remember the price, $104.50.

Not too long after, I read in a couple of places that the Belgian Brownings were made of softer steel than other brands.

I worried about it until the HP White tests. They damaged most of the guns they tested and only a small percentage survived with no damage. When I read that the Browning Hi-Power made it, I quit worrying.

I didn’t know about the two piece barrels until I was looking at one of my Argentine Brownings and could barely see the line between the front and back. That actually bothered me and I thought about ordering a Bar-Sto barrel until I found out how much they cost.

I have never had a problem with one but can see how it could happen. The only Inglis I ever owned really did look like a tough gun. It had all the original design as far as I know. I have seen a few places where people say they were the best of all the Hi-Powers, not including finish of course.