It's 1940, what's your CCW?

[NIGHTLORD40K]

We are spoiled rotten today, with hundreds of compact pistol and revolver choices in plastic fantastic and aluminum- rails, lasers, night sights......all of which make this a great era to carry.

Now, let's go back to a simpler time (ya, right!), when the choices were steel and wood -with a little Bakelite or hard rubber thrown in for good measure. It's 1940- what would you carry?

 

[jmr40]

4" Smith 10. Or what ever they called it back then.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

This would be a tossup for me, between my Remington Model 51 and Savage 1907.
Both have useless safeties, but at least the Savage can be decocked- for this and the 10+1 magazine capacity of the little .32, I would vote Savage.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

4" Smith 10. Or what ever they called it back then.

IIRC, it would have been a Hand Ejector, M&P 38. Nice, can't go wrong there!

 

[Zerodefect]

1911. Assuming you could buy them back then. (I wasn't there)

 

[entropy]

M1908 in summer, M1911 the other three seasons.

 

[JEB]

dont even have to think about this much; mine would be a colt 1903 pocket hammerless. ive always thought the size/weight/feel was just perfect. if we could have a modern replica in 9mm i would be all over it.

 

[Sistema1927]

Colt 1908.

 

[cfullgraf]

Colt 1908 or a Colt 1903, in the order.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

BHP or 1911

 

[Ru4real]

Glock. One of the early models

 

[jrmiddleton425]

Setting aside the fact that in 1940, less than a dozen states even ALLOWED concealed carry...Colt Police Positive or Police Positive Special, depending on whether .38 S&W or .38 Special was more available.

Colt Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP.

Colt Commercial 1911. .45 ACP.

Pair of S&W .357 Registered Magnums. One 3" and one 6.5" barrel.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Glock. One of the early models

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

1911. Assuming you could buy them back then. (I wasn't there)

Sure could, the commercial model 1911 anyway.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

BHP or 1911

BHP would be a bit of a stretch in '40. FN was fully committed to military contracts in the early days, but I guess a few commercial models may have been circulating. Of course, I wonder how easy it was to get 9mm in the US back then?

 

[Chompiras]

Open carry: 1892 Webley WG in .455
Concealed: Webley built British Bulldog in .450 adams

 

[John Joseph]

S&W Model 40 Centennial or Colt 1903 Pocket Automatic would probably be my choice with a suit. A 4" Model 10 or Police Positive Special if I were wearing an overcoat.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

BHP would be a bit of a stretch in '40. FN was fully committed to military contracts in the early days, but I guess a few commercial models may have been circulating. Of course, I wonder how easy it was to get 9mm in the US back then?

That's why the "or 1911"

 

[Sistema1927]

Setting aside the fact that in 1940, less than a dozen states even ALLOWED concealed carry...

I am guessing that if you were white that you would not have ever run into any problems carrying a concealed pistol. Most of the gun control laws were Jim Crow measures intended to keep blacks and other "undesirables" defenseless. The sad, racist, legacy of American gun control.

 

[Rudolph31]

Same as today, without the beaver tail.

 

[shoobe01]

Can I have two? Pick which one based on threat/clothing as I do today:

• Star model D, .380. Near the size of a .32 vest pocket gun so I can toss it in a vest pocket, but in .380 so more gun, more similar to my other...
• Star Model A (1932 model), 9 mm Largo. Sized much like High Power, but they bite, and I bet that and 1911 were hard to get. Need a holster for that one. I say... a vest holster though. Oooh. Maybe carry both guns, one each side of the vest.

 

[Mike .45]

1911. I carry a combat commander every once in a while. A government wouldn't be that much heavier to me.

 

[Jimster]

Just like today. A 1911.

 

[toivo]

dont even have to think about this much; mine would be a colt 1903 pocket hammerless. ive always thought the size/weight/feel was just perfect.

I like the way you think. That would be mine too. I've got one in the safe just waiting for the time machine to get invented.

 

[commygun]

PPK in .380. Or a short-barreled S&W Safety Hammerless in 38 S&W. Interesting thread.