It's 1940, what's your CCW?

[Sistema1927]

By 1940, the Depression was essentially over and there were manufacturing jobs opening up faster than they could be filled as wartime demand sparked the economy. On the other side of the coin, pawn shops were filled with fine handguns that sold for pennies on the dollar.

Things didn't turn around on a dime just because of September 1939. We were still trying to stay out of war in 1940, even as we began to ramp up. Many men enlisted prior to Pearl Harbor because they were still having difficulty finding work. I have spoken to a number of those men of the "greatest generation" (and performed far too many of their funerals), and some of them were still relying on government make-work like the CCC prior to our entry into WWII.

I still contend that most of us wouldn't have had the wherewithal to purchase a concealed carry weapon in 1940.

 

[Sistema1927]

As to the times, I heard many men say they bought guns, from individuals or pawn shops, for $8.00 to $10.00 apiece.

Do you know how much $8 or $10 was to someone in 1940? The median annual wage in 1940 for a man was $956, or $18.36 per week. And that is the median. Half of us were living on less than that, sometimes far less. People were enlisting to make $21 a month.

 

[LouisianaMan]

Don't know about 1940, but a famous (or infamous) line from a few years earlier (1933) comes to mind. Roughly translated it is something like: "When I hear the word 'Culture'... I release the safety catch on my Browning!" I always thought it was probably a 1922 Browning, but it could be one of the others. The quote is very, very politically incorrect and could easily be turned by the anti-gun folks, so it's probably not a good idea to share it with them. For the context of the words, see the wiki article about the playwright Hanns Johst.

Don't know about 1940, but a famous (or infamous) line from a few years earlier (1933) comes to mind. Roughly translated it is something like: "When I hear the word 'Culture'... I release the safety catch on my Browning!" I always thought it was probably a 1922 Browning, but it could be one of the others. The quote is very, very politically incorrect and could easily be turned by the anti-gun folks, so it's probably not a good idea to share it with them. For the context of the words, see the wiki article about the playwright Hanns Johst.

Possibly Johst envisioned the (FN) Browning 1910/22, but it was more likely the 1910 (FN) Browning he had in mind, and probably in caliber 7,65mm Browning (aka .32 ACP). The 1922 was a military adaptation of the 1910, a holster sidearm with longer barrel & magazine suited for a full grip, as well as higher ammo capacity, longer sight radius, and increased muzzle velocity. Extremely popular European military and police sidearm up until the 1970s-1980s. The smaller 1910 was expressly designed as a pocket pistol for personal, concealed carry, and was the gun that made "Browning" synonymous with "pocket automatic" in Europe. Possibly he even meant the (FN) 1905/1906 Browning in .25 ACP/6,35mm Browning, although the mousegun lacks the more menacing imagery of the .32 ACP/7,65mm Browning or the .380 ACP/9mm Browning Kurz.

Sorry if that's old news to everyone! And thanks for the Johst quote and reference. Good general knowledge, and most certainly a telling insight into his worldview.

 

[LouisianaMan]

Either a 1903 Colt hammerless, or a CZ VZOR50 in 32ACP.

Vz 50 was post-WWII Czech design, behind the Iron Curtain.

 

[kBob]

The Browning FN 1922 is still a fairly small pistol and I have carried one in a shoulder holster a few times and a buddy used to carry one IWB for concealment. Also carried one in the front pocket of a Levis faux sheepskin lined coat.......but since I have also carried a full sized 1911A1 that way and a host of big revolvers that is not saying much, but it WAS Pocket Carry. Just think what Kaptain Kangaroo could have carried in his pockets!

I thought the slide extension on the 1922 was an interesting way of avoiding retooling for a whole new slide. The added length and height really did seem to improve "point shooting". Never had both at the same time to be sure though. There were some French guns that came in the 1980's that seemed remarkably like the 1910/22 guns and they were tempting as they were much cheaper in cost. Half of the ones I saw were missing rear sights for some reason and everyone I had a chance to buy.

I have often wondered if the 1922 barrel would fit the 1910 and simply stick out the front of the slide......shades of the long barreled suppressed CZ of the 1930s.

-kBob

 

[Dr.Rob]

What you WISH you had in 1940.

 

[Dr.Rob]

What you ACTUALLY had in 1940

 

[Dr.Rob]

I don't have period correct Colt or S&W snubby so the model 60 is filling in.

 

[Dr.Rob]

There were probably a lot more H&R 38's and "American Bulldogs" in .32 than we'd care to admit as standard coming out of the great depression.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

What you actually had in 1940

View attachment 787323

Love the New Service/1917!

 

[NoirFan]

I was wondering when someone was going to pick Luger!

Though there were probably quite a few war-trophy P08 (and Broomhandles) around, I would imagine 9mm ammo would be virtually unobtainium.....

Yeah! Gotta take after my hero Philip Marlowe and carry a Luger or Colt 38 Super Match. In your front pants pocket of course.

 

[Dr.Rob]

That 1917 was my first revolver. I had a Colt Commander at the time but i had read about the big Colt in an old 80's Shooters Bible or Gun Digest where the author was converting a S&W 1917 to fire 45 Colt. The author pointed out, if He was a Colt guy all he had to do swap calibers was switch the cylinder. Instead he was doing a LOT of work to re-purpose his Smith.

I'd wanted a 1917 Colt ever since. I happened upon this one at The Firing Line in Aurora CO a little bit after I graduated college. 1991 or so.The salesman charged me a dollar for each full moon clip. I think the asking price was $275 and he wouldn't haggle.

It's a nice re-blue of a WW1 issued piece--Delivered a couple weeks before the war ended.

 

[Dr.Rob]

I inherited the trio of turn of the century pocket guns a few years ago, two are 32's the H&R is a 38. I bought the brass knuckle paperweight at a gun show.

 

[ancientnoob]

What you actually had in 1940

View attachment 787323

I was reading through and did not expect that...I laughed out loud. How true that is.

To answer the question...a Colt Police Positive in 38 spl. or a Colt Pocket Hammerless in .380.

 

[Dr.Rob]

The SAA is a pinched frame black powder gun with a mix of newer parts including a RAC marked cylinder. It's a 45.

The Luger is a German military 1939 model by Mauser, (42 code) all matching but the magazine.

The Colt Official Police is a 1927 in 32-20 with jade grips.

The Colt Government model is a 1919 commercial gun, reblued long before I got it. Note it is NOT an A1.

The Vest Pocket 25 was made in 1921, when I got it it had a modified Schmiesser marked magazine in it.

 

[Archie]

I'd want a Colt Government Model in .45 ACP. Second choice would be a S&W Second Model .44 (Special) Hand Ejector. Third choice would be one of those dumb old cowboy guns in .45 Colt. If I had to, I could get by with a Colt 1903 pocket pistol in .32 ACP.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Probably the same gun I carry today, a J frame size snub nose revolver but probably a Colt instead of a S&W.

Could be carrying a 1911 too.

 

[Danoobie]

Vz 50 was post-WWII Czech design, behind the Iron Curtain.

Which was also a copy of the PPK, pre-40, NOT BEHIND the Iron Curtain...

 

[BobWright]

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.

I lived in that era, and I will call a lie to that statement. That law applied to everyone, regardless of race. Many were fined as a result of carrying weapons "with intent to go armed." And yes, fined, as it was a misdemeanor even then. And it took some effort to get your gun back if so arrested.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

S&W .38/44 Heavy Duty with a 4" barrel.

Really I'd want a S&W Registered Magnum with a 3.5-4" barrel, but that would have been hard to come by.

 

[SeanSw]

If I had to time travel back and go undercover I'd bring my CZ Duo .25 acp pistol. It's the oldest pistol I have and would fit in the time frame. I might slide by with my S&W 10-5, but as long as we're fantasizing why not one of these?

 

[Mauser lover]

Um... CCW a broomhandle?

Okay. What about when you aren't wearing an overcoat?

 

[eastbank]

as a semi fat man, this 1917 S&W in .45acp would be my first choice and in a pinch this colt bisley 38-40 would do..

 

[Sistema1927]

That law applied to everyone, regardless of race.

I don't know how you can say that with a straight face.

 

[kBob]

The Florida Supreme Court ACTUALLY made statement that CC laws were not intended to be applied to law abiding WHITE people. I believe the case was actually a 1941 ruling. Florida is not Tennessee though.

Keep in mind that the Florida state capitol of Tallahassee was the only CSA state capitol east of the big muddy not shelled or taken before Lee's surrender and sometimes it seemed folks in North Florida were not convinced that that whole War Between the States thing had been decided in favor of the Federals.

-kBob