Choose your handguns (Historic Choice game... please humor me)

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Skofnung

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Hi folks.

The year is 1895. You need to buy 2 pistols, one for open holster carry, ofe for concealed carry. There is no price limit.

Jump ahead a few years to 1903. You get to buy 2 more. What would they be?

Please include calibers and what types of carry rigs you would use.

Thanks for the help.
 
A Colt Single Action army in 44-40 in a hip holster and a Remington Derringer in .41 rimfire caried in a vest pocket. These guns would be for both times . Now if we were jumping ahead to 1911 or after - A Colt govt. Model and colt 380 auto.
 
Man, in that time frame, that's tough...

I'd probably go with an S&W No. 3 New Model in .44 Russian with an S&W Safety Hammerless in .38 S&W as the CCW.

In 1903 I doubt that I would change.

An alternate gun, if I wanted to stick with double action, would be the .44 New Model Navy.
 
1878 Colt New Frontier Six Shooter .45 Colt 5.5 inch, Nickel.

1877 Thunderer .41, 3 inch, nickel.

1903.. Up it to a first model Colt New Service .45 Colt

and maybe keep the Thunderer.
 
1895: Borchardt 7.65mm autoloader; Colt SAA 45 Colt 4 3/4" bbl.

1903: Mauser C96 7.63mm autoloader; Colt SAA 45 Colt 4 3/4" bbl. Do I win? :D
 
I'll get a 44DA in 44 Russian (like J.W. Hardin's) and a 38 Safety Hammerless 3rd Model. The big 44 will be carried in a behind the hip reverse cavalry draw holster. The 38DA will be in a pocket of course!

When the turn of the century comes I'll get a 5" 38 M&P and a 32HE 1st model.
 
1895............

Webley .455 top-break

CCW Cane gun

1903............

C96 Mauser broomhandle

CCW Cane gun
 
Colt SAA, .45LC with a 7 1/2" barrel, and then some sort of British "bulldog" DA (take your pick, seems there were a bunch of them.


Colt New Service, 45LC, 5" barrel, and a Colt 1903 Pocket Model.
 
1895

Open Carry = S&W #3 Frontier
SA breaktop in .44-40

Concealed Carry = Merwin & Hulbert Pocket Army Double Action.
.44-40 3" with folding hammer spur. Probably get the extra, interchangable 7" barrel for extra open carry.


1903

Same two would work just fine.
 
Odd that no one mentioned the Colt Model M .32 pocket auto, which was introduced in 1903.

I guess that I'd opt for ruggedness and power and get a Colt .45 SAA with 7.5-inch bbl. in 1895, unless I was pretty sure that only close range defense or shooting snakes was the issue. Then, the Webley WG with six-inch bbl. would appeal. (If, as an American, I could be assured of parts and gunsmithing.)

The concealed gun would be a topbreak DA S&W .38, with the usual hammer profile. I've never loved "hammerless" guns.

By 1903, I could get a S&W M&P with the then-new front bbl. lock for the extractor rod, and would want one. I guess the Colt .45 would stay. But I'd sure look at that new Colt .32 auto...

Why cut this off at 1903? Why not run it up to maybe 1912, so I could get a Colt M1911, a Webley-Wilkinson M1911 .455, or a S&W New Century .44?

Lone Star
 
1895: Webley Mark II 4" .455, Webley No. 2 "Bull Dog" 2-1/2" .450.
1903: Replace the Mark II with a Mark IV, it is lighter but more durable due to improved metalurgy.
 
Thanks for the help folks.

What do you guys think of the S&W "American" top break .44-40 revolvers? I think that the model number was No. 3, I do not have my reference books here with me at work. All I know is that S&W made at least one of their top break guns in 44-40.

How did they stand up?

About the .455 Webley guns, in terms of ballistics, where did it stand in relation to the .45 LC and the .44-40?

Thanks again.
 
1895-
Borchardt pistol of 1893
Colt Sheriffs 44-40

1903-
Colt 1903 Pocket 38acp
Colt 1902 Military 38acp

What can I say I am a bit strange :D
 
Just for fun:

1895

Colt SAA in 45 Colt, 4.75" barrel, double loop holster on money belt.
Colt "Ejectorless Model" more commonly known as the Sheriff's Model in the same caliber, 3"-3.5" barrel in shoulder holster.

1903

Same two, waiting for 1911-1912 (you get to guess why). Of course in 1907 I would be very tempted by the .44 Hand Ejector 1st Model, other wise known as the S&W Triple Lock in 44 S&W Special.
 
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