What is the most historical handgun you've shot?

[Kreyzhorse]

There are a lot of threads going around about collecting guns vs shooting guns and I wondered what are some of the rare family or historical handguns that the members of the TFL have actually shot.

I'll start.

Sadly I don't own it, but a friend of mine has a WWII German Luger. The gun is in pristine condition with all of the Nazi markings intact. The Luger also came with its original holster with the officers name stamped inside the leather flap. Have no other history of the firearm.

The gun itself was a joy to shoot and pretty accurate. Its action was smooth and had zero FTF or FTE. The gun might have had an evil history, but it was also part of our American and world history. Shooting the gun really made me think about the sacrifice Americans made during WWII to end the Nazi regime.

The gun isn't shot any more, but I'll certainly never forget shooting it.

Anyone else have any experience shooting a historical or family heirloom firearm?

 

[nate45]

A nickel plated, pearl griped S&W .38 special that was documented to have belonged to Pancho Villa.

 

[Delaware_Dan]

A black powder revolver that was a clone of Cornel Custards

 

[Hawg]

I've shot a lot of really old guns but probably the most historical is my 3 band Enfield dated 1861. It has been fired so fast the wood behind the nipple is charred. It didn't get that way target shooting. I would imagine it's cooked off a round or two getting that way.

 

[Desslock]

A Smith and Wesson Model 1 1/2 .22 short that was in Fife Major Daniel William Boston's pocket during the Civil War. When I was a kid my grandpa let us shoot it. It still functions. When grandpa died, he left it to me. What a neat piece of history to hold in your hands!

 

[James K]

I don't know about historical, but the oldest gun I have fired was a genuine 17th century matchlock. Talk about "zzssttBOOM".

Jim

 

[Yellowfin]

My great grandfather's 1911, still in the family protecting us, starting with him in WW1.

 

[DavidZ]

The only one I've shot that has any 'historical' significance relative to the family is a Ruger BlackHawk .44 magnum I inherited from my dad after he died.

It was bought by my dad's younger brother (who died before I was born) as part of a plot to have my dad killed by a hitman. The hitman luckily turned out to be an undercover officer.

 

[BillCA]

I fired one of a pair of 1870's Howdah pistols.

For the uninitiated, these are huge-bore blackpowder pistols, designed to be carried in the Howdah - that bamboo shade-shelter on an Indian Elephant's back - in the event the Tiger you're hunting decides to have a sahib-snack in the middle of your hunt.

The pistol belonged to a friend who described it as a one-inch ball pistol. He loaded it with (and I'm not making this up) a gravy ladle of powder and rammed the monster-ball down with a lubricated patch. I let him fire it first. Wearing a wrist brace.

When I fired it, also wearing the wrist brace, I can see why these were considered a last-ditch weapon. Recoil is substantial. And as Mr. Newton has demonstrated to us, if you have enough muzzle energy to scrape a p***ed-off 500 pound tiger off the back of your elephant, that pistol is going to come back in your direction with some howdy-do!

One can only imagine the rapturous joy of successfully using one of these pistols to prevent an uninvited carnivorous guest, who brings two place-settings of knives, from joining you in the Howdah, with the elephant dancing frantically in objection to 4-inch meathooks being driven into his sides. From an American perspective, this would be like killing a charging grizzly with a single .500 S&W Magnum shot whilst maintaining your footing on an icy slope covered with marbles.

Sheesh... and people say the British don't have a sense of humor!

 

[cohoskip]

A 1911 dated 1913. It was mine for many years, then I sold it

 

[Kreyzhorse]

It was bought by my dad's younger brother (who died before I was born) as part of a plot to have my dad killed by a hitman. The hitman luckily turned out to be an undercover officer

Wow....... Nice gun to have though and one hell of a story.

Lots of great gun stories on here guys.

 

[Elvishead]

A real US military issue 1911. I did a post bragging about it, and how nice it shot. I'd own one as my first and only 1911.

 

[mamboreta]

I own (and usually fire) a Model 10 that belonged to my grandfather. It was bought in the USA, fifty years ago, while he was traveling with the navy, going around the world.

Place yourselves in 1973. My father was 23 years old, and there was a store in the family house (shop in the front, house in the back). He was taking care of the costumers when a couple of BG arrived, carrying a revolver, shouting, cursing... My family`s firearms (the Model 10 and the .45 Ballester Molina issued by the military) were sleeping on the closet, because of the many children (we are a big family) usually playing all over the place.

My dad and his little sister were forced to the back, and so was my grandfather, who was just coming home from a neighbour`s house. Those bastards were screaming, asking for money. One of them (the small one) had robbed my father a few months before, at gunpoint too. When my father became aware of it, every person in that house went crazy, struggling for the gun in the thief`s hands. Seconds later, they were all running to the backyard, were the thieves hide still keeping their revolver in hand, behind a pile of bricks.

My father (his arm was injured and bleeding from a wound made by a broken window) went back to the house for the Ballester Molina, but he didn`t know how to use it, so he handed it to my grandfather and took the revolver. One of the bandits fled jumping to the roof of the next house, but the other stayed, screaming from behind the pile of bricks.

My father ended up emptying that Model 10 on the BG´s. My grandfather ended up emptying his pistol on the BG´s. The revolver brought to the scene by the BG´s happened to be broken.

That man died six hours later at the hospital, still UI, still screaming, crying and cursing. He received several shots, six of them courtesy of the Model 10. His "partner" died weeks later, trying to rob another store a few blocks away. They have been released from prison not long ago. My father died five years ago, and he never seemed proud about what he did that day. He was never a "gun lover" and he never went to a range, or bought some fancy ammo. But he would always end up saying: "I would do it again if I have to".

I still keep all the paperwork from that situation. My grandfather took all the blame and responsability, but being in the military, he didn´t have to answer too many questions.

 

[Erik]

Probably a 1911A1 from WWII.

 

[LoneWolf6284]

1911 circa 1919. beautiful gun

 

[Threefeathers]

I was very lucky, my GGfather was a true pioneer in Colorado coming by covered wagon in 1874 when he was 8 and was 18 in 1884. He served with the Colorado militia , he lived until he was 101 and I inherited a H and R 32 vest gun he carried for 20+ years. It was the first hand gun I fired and was one of the guns my doper brother sold when I went to VN. My Gfather on the other side was a farmer in the Sterling area and I got a double barrel 10 gauge double hammer gun from him. I gave it to a cousin who still has it.
As a kid in Tucson I got to fire several vintage SAA's because several ranching friends had them still in the family.

My wife's family has the six guns and Winchester 92 belonging to Burt Mossman oneof the Captains of the AZ Rangers. He was their ranch foreman for many years in the Flagstaff area. That rifle hangs above my brother in laws desk.

I own a SAA I've showed on this site that belonged to Forrest Tucker.

This past year I was able to purchase a Colt New Service. It was issued at Ft. Huachuca to a 10th Cav officer who retired at Ft Huachuca in the late20's he had the gun converted professionally to 45 Colt. Real Ivory grips and deep Colt blue. I've also shown this one here.

 

[B.N.Real]

S&W model 10 I have that has Baltimore City Police stamped on the backstrap.

My have never been fired in anger but who knows?

 

[kamerer]

WWI Canadian officer's gun, made 1916. Beautifully re-chambered to .45 Long Colt, so I carry and shoot it a few times a year. I should replace the mainspring, the original military one is kinda stiff.

 

[Hawg]

I forgot we were talking handguns when I made my last post. For a handgun this Allen & Wheelock .22 lipfire. A direct patent infringement of S&W's bored through patent. Made in 1858. I had to break down .22 shorts and reload them with bp to shoot it.

 

[larvatus]

I bought this all original 1939 National Match Colt Government Model, equipped with a Swartz safety, from the great-grandson of the original owner. Prewar NM Colts are very rare, and doubtless the best autopistols Colt ever made.