If they could only talk...

[RBHarter]

I have a Colt 1917, too. Unfortunately, from what little I know, these were more likely to
be issued to a warehouse guard or waterfront wharf security patrol than to see combat.
I wonder if any of them ever were issued to real warfighters rather than home front folks.

But the four notches are pretty interesting. Any provenance with that 1917? Sometimes the
family history is total BS, but sometimes there are real stories there, too.

Bill

S&W's . N frame triple locks . (I think I screw up the pistols all the time)

 

[KHornet]

Yep, minies were a lot of fun years back. When standing behind the shooter when shooting the 5 gr load, you could watch the projectile arc on out to the 50 yd mark before the smoke obliterated it. Even with so lite a load, we would find the projectile sometimes stuck in the target frame. Not many minies in a pound!

 

[Cherokee]

Colt 1911 from 1918. I've owned it for almost 60 years but what kind of life did it have from 1918 to 1959.

Here is another one I would like to know the history of. My Grandfather gave me this, it was dug up at a construction site in Memphis along with a Sabre the crumbled when they picked it up.

 

[JonB]

I have a Colt 1917, too. Unfortunately, from what little I know, these were more likely to
be issued to a warehouse guard or waterfront wharf security patrol than to see combat.
I wonder if any of them ever were issued to real warfighters rather than home front folks.

But the four notches are pretty interesting. Any provenance with that 1917? Sometimes the
family history is total BS, but sometimes there are real stories there, too.
Bill

Sadly, no info.
I bought it from a guy walking around at a gunshow where I had a table. We just talked price.

 

[smokeywolf]

Somebody changed out the sights on your 1911 and it appears, though I'm not 100% sure, that the "beaver tail" on the grip safety is a little long which would indicate a 1911A or A1 grip safety.

 

[Cherokee]

The braver tail on the 1911 is original but the sights are GI fixed match sights that were put on the gun at some point.

 

[462]

I once owned a S&W 2nd Model Hand Ejector, manufactured in the 1915-1916 time frame, stamped with Canadian acceptance marks and chambered in .455 Webley. It would drop hints of being the sidearm of a dashing and daring Canadian officer who made it home and married his sweetheart.

Unfortunately, as was common after the Great War, the barrel was chopped to 4" and the cylinder modified to accept moon clips and .45 Auto Rim. It was a handy gun, but it eventually moved on down the road.

 

[smokeywolf]

Here's another 1911 manufactured in 1917.

 

[Pistolero]

I had the opportunity to put a new extractor in a low SN 1911, not A1. I also put a front
sight in a 1911. Very different sight, much smaller than the tiny A1 front, and the hole in the
slide is about .060 round hole, not the much larger rectangular hole of the A1 and later.

It would seem reasonable that those guns went to WW1. I do know that the one I put the
extractor in went to WW1, the gun is owned by the granddaughter of the officer who carried
it in the war. I encouraged her to write down as detailed info as they had on him, his units,
his rank and where he fought. She actually did it, and that paper stays with the gun now.
At least it's story is known to some extent, but no details on it's possible use in battle.

Bill

 

[RBHarter]

There is a 47' model 10 38 S&W that was carried by a fellow that was a Kern Co Ca Constable from 49-55 in the city of Ridgecrest and town of Inyokern . It was purchased new by him through the Ridgecrest police department purchasing dealer . (The name escapes but they have long since changed the name and moved the store ) with it are his 1955 Constable cards. They didn't let him keep the badge . It's been in a Hunter holster since 1956 and rode along on a dozen cattle round ups and deer hunting trips from 1956-1982 . Mostly it lived in a drawer next to a box of FA 58 head stamped actually GI marked 38 . I only knew the man from 66-94 when he passed away.
I have his biggest mulie on the wall ........ I sure miss him .

 

[Ian]

I have a S&W "Victory" model in .38 Special that dates to approximately 1944 if I recall. Other than slight wear of the Park finish on the sharp edges from possible holster carry and a whole lot of small dings on the right hand stock I'd venture to say it was probably the sidearm of an active but clumsy USN dock security person. Or, it may never have been issued and the wear is from a previous civilian owner. I bought it from my FIL's estate and have no idea how he got it. He was an opportunist purchaser and it could have come from a gun show, neighbor, customer at work, who knows.

 

[462]

In remembrance of D-Day and to honor those who didn't come home from World War II, on June 6 I take the Garand (6-43) and 1903-A3 (2-43) to the range and let them proudly re-tell their tales to those who know little or nothing of the war. They speak of fortitude and lost youth, of horrors and terror, of comradeship and loneliness.