Rare Guns - Pics and Info!
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Charger Fan
New member
This is the rarest one I currently own.
United Sporting Arms Seville Silhouette .454 Magnum (Casull) IHMSA edition...1 of 5 made.
United Sporting Arms Seville Silhouette .454 Magnum (Casull) IHMSA edition...1 of 5 made.
Playboypenguin
Moderator
This one is no rare treasure...
...but there were a limited number made and I have only chatted with one other person that has one. It is the Aristocrat version of the Walther PPK/S.
...but there were a limited number made and I have only chatted with one other person that has one. It is the Aristocrat version of the Walther PPK/S.
It is far more likely that your gun dates to sometime during the 1914-1918 period of the First World War, as it appears to have the "French bump" on the slide that were all installed sometime after the war ended. It was most likely part of the many varieties of pistols that were delivered to the French army during the war as they were desperate for them and got pistols wherever they could.
Take a peek at the bottom of your frame and see if there are two stars, one located on either side of the magazine release. These indicate acceptance by, and issue to the French army.
A Downsizer WSP (World's Smallest Pistol) in .45ACP. At least the smallest that BAFTE allowed to be sold in the US. Don't know how many were made (were available in .45ACP, .357/.38spl) before the guy stopped/was stopped from manufacturing them. Don't have the details but heard rumors he went to Club Fed on fraud charges for taking $$ and not sending guns.
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w186/vaskidmark/downsizer pics/downsizervsplayingcard.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w186/vaskidmark/downsizer pics/downsizervscigarettepack.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w186/vaskidmark/downsizer pics/downsizerleftrightsides.jpg
I've recouped at least 3 times the purchase price on a little "scheme" - I show you how to load, fire, reload. I do 2 shots load-to-eject in under 30 seconds. You do the same in under 60 seconds and I give you $10. If not, you give me $5. There's probably a reason the manual says not to fire more than 5 shots in a 24-hour period.
I amazed myself and everyone else with an offhand (as in "throw-away, not caring a bit about the outcome) shot at between 25 & 30 yards (we never measured). I walked up to the firing line facing 90* to the left, stuck my arm out towards a popper (never turned my head to see the target) and let loose. BOOM! Tink. wait for it Thud! Looked over and there was a single splat-mark in the white paint and a popper laying over on its side. Made safe, walked over to confirm the shot, and said ""OK, anybody want to see if they can do better?" Sat down, shut up, and vowed never again to try anything like that.
And an AJ Ordnance "Thomas" .45ACP Not necessarily different, except for the grip safety forcing lugs up into the slide for a retarded blowback operating system. Confuses the heck out of folks when challenged to rack the slide while holding it in their shooting hand.
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w186/vaskidmark/downsizer pics/AJOrdananceThomas.jpg
stay safe.
skidmark
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w186/vaskidmark/downsizer pics/downsizervsplayingcard.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w186/vaskidmark/downsizer pics/downsizervscigarettepack.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w186/vaskidmark/downsizer pics/downsizerleftrightsides.jpg
I've recouped at least 3 times the purchase price on a little "scheme" - I show you how to load, fire, reload. I do 2 shots load-to-eject in under 30 seconds. You do the same in under 60 seconds and I give you $10. If not, you give me $5. There's probably a reason the manual says not to fire more than 5 shots in a 24-hour period.
I amazed myself and everyone else with an offhand (as in "throw-away, not caring a bit about the outcome) shot at between 25 & 30 yards (we never measured). I walked up to the firing line facing 90* to the left, stuck my arm out towards a popper (never turned my head to see the target) and let loose. BOOM! Tink. wait for it Thud! Looked over and there was a single splat-mark in the white paint and a popper laying over on its side. Made safe, walked over to confirm the shot, and said ""OK, anybody want to see if they can do better?" Sat down, shut up, and vowed never again to try anything like that.
And an AJ Ordnance "Thomas" .45ACP Not necessarily different, except for the grip safety forcing lugs up into the slide for a retarded blowback operating system. Confuses the heck out of folks when challenged to rack the slide while holding it in their shooting hand.
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w186/vaskidmark/downsizer pics/AJOrdananceThomas.jpg
stay safe.
skidmark
Rangefinder
New member
Yup--found em. I was curious what those might be, but finding any info at all about these wierd little things is not easy. Thank you!
Congrats. You have a WW I French army issued gun.
The large headed rivet on the slide was added sometime after the war (probably in the '20s) to address the problem of the safety being disengaged during holstering/unholstering and thus causing accidental discharges.
I have a modest collection of these guns (about 25 or so) and they are all different "brand names." Gene Gangarosa has written a book on Spanish pistols and there is a good bit of information about the various producers for the French army.
The moniker "Ruby" originated with one of the original contractors (Gabilondo) who used it as a trade name. The term has since become semi-generic to describe the whole genre of these guns.
mhuegerich
New member
Here's a few. Although not too rare.
Iver Johnson 25 caliber. Can't find too much info on this gun.
British Bulldog
COP 357. Someone posted one earlier. It's never been shot becuase it scares me.
Rossi Derringer. I've seen a few on auction sites, but not many.
Iver Johnson 25 caliber. Can't find too much info on this gun.
British Bulldog
COP 357. Someone posted one earlier. It's never been shot becuase it scares me.
Rossi Derringer. I've seen a few on auction sites, but not many.
predecessor
New member
I'll buy it from you for $100 - take it man, that's 100% markup!
troy_mclure
New member
that automag is making me drool!
Microgunner
New member
I've got this old Remington 1865 Navy in .50 rimfire cal. This one has the Navy anchor and Frank C Warner cartouches. Only about 200 were purchased by the Navy. The next year they purchased them in .50 centerfire. So this is one of about 200 that ever existed.
