Infamous handguns

[Dr.Rob]

Was watching the History channel "Modern Marvels" on the FBI Crime lab.. there on the walls of the Firearms ands toolmarks division, NOT underglass were the handguns of Dillenger (Large 1917 SW or hand ejector model), Pretty Boy Floyd (Colt Govt/ model), Alvin Karpis (Colt 1903) and others.

I've seen pics of the "guns of the dillenger gang" featuring scores of weapons seieze/recovered by police. was just wondering what other famous bad guys used.

As I recall, Dillenger wasn't a very good shot, unlike Barrow and Parker. of course, Bonnie and Clyde were as likely to open up on you with a BAR as anything else.

So what did Frank Nitti carry? What about Al Capone?

Any other famous "black hats" you can think of and what they packed?

 

[TonyB]

I love those shows......is that weird???

 

[KMKeller]

I believe Capone carried Colt 1911s.

 

[Benjamin]

Alexander Hamilton. Pair of unrifled flintlock dueling pistols.

 

[Detachment Charlie]

Benjamin

Sir, I take great persona offense at your listing Alexander Hamilton as a "black hat." I do hope you have your second prepared to call mine.

 

[Mike Irwin]

I'd be very surprised if Al Capone carried anything at all.


The movie Untouchables showed Nitti carrying a nickled 1911...

A horrible 1980s movie "Frank Nitti: The Enforcer" showed him offing himself with a Smith & Wesson revolver.

 

[Ky Larry]

Abe 'Kid Twist' Reles, of Murder Inc; used an icepick in his victims ear. Harry 'Pittsburg Phil' Strauss never carried a weapon. He improvised. Once he used an fire ax to kill a person in a movie theatre.Capone enforcer Jack McGurn used a Tommy gun.

 

[10-Ring]

YOu mean like the SOn of Sam & his 44's? or OBL & his AK?

 

[Ala Dan]

How about Jack Ruby's .38 caliber snub nose Colt?

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Keith]

I take great persona offense at your listing Alexander Hamilton as a "black hat."

Well, Hamilton was as close to a big gubmint/big spending liberal as they had in that day.

Keith

 

[Mike Irwin]

Alexander Hamilton was certainly no white hat.

He was power hungry, a closet monarchist, a slanderer (most of the politicans of the day were, though), an incredible egotist, and in this day and age can probably most closely be compared to Richard Nixon in his persona.

 

[Benjamin]

I don't mean to take this thread OT, but I readily concede that Burr was much worse, and that were there any justice he himself would've taken a dirtnap at the cliff under Weehawk.

That said, I'm unfamilliar with what firearms, if any, he is reputed to have carried.

 

[ElToro]

Nitti did off himself in 43.. dont know if it was a 1917 or not... Ness didnt throw him off a roof like in the Costner movie... one account i find in quick search says "revolver" though although anothe search says COLT 45

speaking of movie guns, that nickle 1911 in Titanic is pretty cool, although i remember reading somewhere that youd have to have been somebody to have a nickle civvy model in April 1912... although if you had the scratch to go first class on the Titanic getting what you wanted if you had money wasnt a problem then.

 

[XavierBreath]

Here's a link to Bonnie and Clyde's guns.
http://texashideout.tripod.com/guns.html

 

[George Hill]

Are we having an Alexander Hamilton vs Aaron Burr debate over here?

 

[Joe Demko]

"Umbrella Jake" was in collections for Pittsburgh's organized criminal element. He used a lead-weighted and reinforced umbrella as a persuader. He was known to be very enthusiastic and vigorous when he was persuading a client. Took a law class once from a lawyer whose firm had defended Umbrella Jake and some of his associates. Very interesting lectures.

 

[Oleg Volk]

The opening shot of WW1 was fired with...

this pistol

 

[Wildalaska]

O yeah..Abes Reles and Pittsburg Phil....they still have never figured out how Reles took that dive out of the Half Moon Hotel in Brooklyn..

Now my Dad is still strying to research this with birth an death certificates.., but there is a real good chance that Ive got Murder Incs Jake "Gurrah" Shapiro in my family tree .....

WildexplainsitallAlaska

 

[Weimadog]

What model is the FN wich was used to start WW I?

Weimadog

 

[Benjamin]

Weimadog -- I've read it's a FN model 1900 in .32 ACP / 7.65 Browning

 

[Country Boy]

Dillinger anybody?

 

[JERRY]

david berkowics (son of sam) and his charter arms bulldog .44spl...... probably the first and only real world account of those actually working reliably.

 

[mod12]

hamilton

hey, give al a break. i've got his picture in my pocket! re: 44 special bulldog, don't know how dave hit anything with it. i had one that was an absolute bear to fire.after the first shot it took me five minutes to work up enough nerve to pull the trigger again.

 

[MessedUpMike]

Jeranimo's Leveraction is on display at the Smithsonian (well it's pistol caliber),

 

[Lone Star]

There is a well known photo of Geronimo (correct spelling) with a Dance Bros. cap and ball gun, but I don't know if it was a .36 or a .44. The flat recoil shield marks it as a Dance, not a Colt Navy.

Probably no one knows if it was the Apache leader's gun or a prop supplied by the photographer.

John Wesley Hardin used a variety of arms, from a Colt M1860 .44 to a break-top S&W .44.

Billy the Kid MAY have used a Colt .41 Thunderer, but the gun in his holster in the only well known photo of him seems to be a Colt SAA, probably a .45. I've seen photos of the .44/40 Colt SAA Frontier Model with which Pat Garrett killed him. It remained in Garrett's family, and was featured a few years ago in the El Paso Saddlery Co. catalog. It has the 7.5-inch barrel, and plain walnut stocks.

Lone Star