It's 1940, what's your CCW?

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I've been noticing there's been a lot of love for the Savage 1907 in this thread, myself included. Not to threadjack, but wouldn't it be nice seeing someone come out with a modern version now.
(Straightens tie, adjusts fedora, and fires up a Lucky before hopping in my Packard for a cherry whip at the soda fountain while some big band plays on the radio)
Back to 1940 again.
 
RedlegRick said:
I've been noticing there's been a lot of love for the Savage 1907 in this thread, myself included. Not to threadjack, but wouldn't it be nice seeing someone come out with a modern version now.
(Straightens tie, adjusts fedora, and fires up a Lucky before hopping in my Packard for a cherry whip at the soda fountain while some big band plays on the radio)
Back to 1940 again.
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I have actually emailed Savage expressing my desire for a current-production version of their old autos- especially the .45! They thanked me for my interest, but said they have no plans for a handgun at this time...o_O

I'm afraid they were spooked by Remington's debacle with the R51.......:(
 
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NIGHTLORD40K said:
I have actually emalied Savage expressing my desire for a current-production version of their old autos- especially the .45! They thanked me for my interest, but said they have no plans for a handgun at this time...o_O

I'm afraid they were spooked by Remington's debacle with the R51.......:(
Click to expand...
Understandable, but I think they're selling themselves short, considering their better record for quality control. I think they'd succeed where Remlin failed.
 
RedlegRick said:
Understandable, but I think they're selling themselves short, considering their better record for quality control. I think they'd succeed where Remlin failed.
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IKR! I told them I would drop a grand on a new Savage .45 based on the Army trial pistols. I think the R51 experiment showed there are many people who will pay a premium for something different from the Generic Plastic Pistols we have today, but only if the quality is there.

But I guess their beancounters and focus groups say different. o_O
 
In 1940, I would have a 1911, an S&W Military & Police, a Colt 1917, a Colt SAA in 45 Colt or 44 Special and dreaming of a S&W Registered 357 Magnum. I would also be thinking about a 1911 in 38 Super, like the G-Men carried for use against body armor. For carrying outdoors, I would have a Colt Woodsman. Everyone should have a 22 pistol.

Yes, all would be carried, depending on the situation.
 
I believe Stoeger offered the P08 before and after WWI and sold ammo. Both calibers.

I had completely not considered the Ortgies as I immediately think of the little .25ACP when they are mentioned. I carried on in a suit or jacket pocket for a bit, cocked over and empty chamber. If you do not mind acrobatics you can draw and work the slide one handed (just as Dad taught me with other .25 Autos). The .32 or .380 would be a slick IWB gun.

Not sure if the Spanish "Ruby" type .32 autos were being released yet from the French Army (they were more common in French service than 8mm revolvers or the then new SACM/MAC/MAS1935 in 1940, they bought A LOT in WWI) but for the little Colt fans with no money......

I believe the shrunk down .32 ACP version of the Astra "Water Pistols" Based on the Astra 400 (Modelo 1921) were on the commercial market before things fell apart in Spain. Astra's main production plant was in Guernica which makes the bombing of the city a bit different to a historian rather than people viewing a certain painting........

-kBob
 
Ian (Gun Jesus) has a video out (Forgotten Weapons Series) about a P08 built to the Army Specs for the .45 tests. Hand made, at least four in existence so far by that maker.......a mere six grand US! The one he tested worked well. Maybe when that guy gets bored with making the P08/.45ACP you guys can talk him into doing some six grand Savage test guns. I will be "...running up and down the beach screaming 'ain't that cheap!'"

But back on topic, there were between the wars a host of Spanish made revolvers that were everything from pretty much straight knock offs of S&W M&Ps to weird "Smolt" guns with features of the two big guys.

-kBob
 
Some kind of 1911 I guess. Not into wheel guns, and most of the autos were imported and/or underpowered. Were hollow points even around back then?
 
This thread got me to pull out my reprint of the 1940 Stoeger Arms Catalog....While they had a good selection of hand guns by companies like Smith & Wesson, Colt, Mauser, and others, there was quite a lot of revolvers offered by the likes of Harrington & Richardson and quite a few models of Iver Johnson revolvers. I never expected to see that many from those two companies. Was also surprised to see how common 32 S & W and 38 S & W chamberings were in 1940 in these lower priced guns. So with America coming out of the great depression in 1940 I'd bet that these lower priced lines still had good sales. Unfortunately their survival rate isn't as high as the stuff like the Smith's and Colts but I'd wager that a good percentage of circa 1940 hand gun sales were the lower priced H & R's and Iver Johnson revolvers. There was some hollow point pistol cartridges listed in the ammo section but not many.... And back then they were all listed as "HSP" (Hollow Soft Point)..
 
According to research that I did for my father when he tried writing adventure stories, the most common concealed carry guns for men and women between the wars were small pocketable revolvers in .22rf, 32S&W and .38S&W, followed by small autoloaders in .25acp and .32acp. .22 autoloaders weren't considered to be reliable and most 9mms and .380s were too bulky.
Most men of business tended toward the small autoloaders, usually european-built.
Very few carried .44s, .45s or .38 specials of any sort unless it was part of their professional duties. Even the police usually carried .32s or .38s and avoided autoloaders, often as a matter of departmental policy.
So, if I were the common man-on-the-street of 1940 I most likely carried a pocket revolver in .32 or .38, likely an inexpensive hammerless.
 
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I remember seeing holsters from the period. The backing was stiff, heavy leather, and flat, of a size to fit the hip pocket. The pouch was thinner leather and roughly would take a K-Framed Smith & Wesson or a Colt Police Positive Special. Attached to the pouch was a tab with a button hole. The holster was carried in the right hip pocket, with the gun butt to the rear, and that tab buttoned to the button on the hip pocket of the trousers. In 1940, clothing was made of heavier material, and more loosely fitted. And men always wore coats in public, especially in the presence of ladies.

All of which reminded me of a story from the period:

In rural Tennessee, there was to be a political rally, and a reporter was dispatched to cover it. Arriving at the appointed place, he saw he apparently had arrived too late.

"What happened?" the reporter asked one who had lingered.

"A man made a motion that was out of order," replied the lingerer.

"What kind of motion was that?" pressed the reporter.

"Toward his hip pocket," was the response.

There was no provision for carry permits in most states in those days. Those "in the know" might be "Special Deputies" if they knew the right folks. Or, if exposed, got off according to one's status in the community.

Bob Wright
 
I'm a big fan of .38 Special, even in this modern day, though more au courrant buddies do bad Alec Guinness impersonations, "An elegant weapon, for a more civilized age," when I pull one out at the range.

In nineteen-forty the best of the Specials were the K-frame Smith and the D-frame Colt. I'd be happy with either.
 
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