Interesting email

"I know you to be a colt man Zav. This is a 1911 colt 45 issued to U.S. Military in 1912 Serial # 8345. He says good condition. I am not up on that sort of thing. If you are interested I can have at it at my place next week. I'm not a pistol guy , just wanted to give you a crack at it if you wanted to look at it. I've not seen it I 'm just relaying . Not mine but an old buddy I'm sure you'll know."

More later, I'm certain........

The Three Inch Wheelgun

It is rare that I find myself coveting another man's gun. The three inch Smith & Wesson revolver is one such handgun though. I have yet to find a used one, pinned and recessed, in the wild.

Marko, who owns the blued wheelgun pictured here has written extensively about the three inch S&W revolver. The three inch barrel is the perfect compromise between a revolver short enough for concealment, yet still possessing an ejector rod long enough for full ejection of the empty cartridges. The heavy barrel makes up for the weight differential between the same revolver with a four inch tapered barrel.


Perhaps I am being too persnickety in my search. A couple of years ago, I purchased a Smith & Wesson Model 65-5 Ladysmith for three hundred bucks. I shot it a bit, and ended up selling it to Peter to pass on to one of his students. It was a lucky find, in great condition, but the lack of a pinned barrel, the stainless steel, MIM action and the Ladysmith inscription turned me off. That was a mistake. I'm glad the student got a great gun at a fair price, but I sometimes wish I had kept that one. I have not seen another three inch Smith & Wesson revolver since.

I suppose there is a reason for that....... People who own three inch revolvers know shooting. They seem to be people who have settled on the wheelgun whether for reliability, simplicity or both. They then set about finding the best compromise between concealability and the potential problems inherent in using a wheelgun for self defense, such as a reload slowed by partially ejected brass. Through the process of elimination, they arrive at the three inch revolver, and when they find one, they buy it and keep it for life.

More 1911 Meditations

There is a gunstore on the way home from work. I seldom stop there, the deals are few, and the atmosphere is challenging. The selection is usually pedestrian, although I have purchased a couple of guns there in the past. Today, leaving work, I guess I was just wanting to take a look and confirm I did not have to check again for a few months.

The sonofabitches had a Colt WW1 Repro on the shelves. I suppose it is fate that I acquire a Colt WW1 Repro at some time, although I was hoping to purchase mine used, (fat chance of that). I want a 1911, a real 1911, not a 1911A1 in my collection. For quite some time, I have been hoping to come across a M1911 for a decent price. The truth is, however, I want one I can shoot. Shooting a historical relic, while fun, does decrease the value, and it risks damage to the piece. Over the past year, I have seen two M1911s up for grabs. One was a refinished X serialed lunchbox special of dubious lineage for $1500. The other was a correct Colt M1911 with frontstrap wear for $2500. Frankly, both were too rich for my pockets. This Colt 1911 Repro is on the shelves for $1035, about a hundred more than I want to pay. Still, if I could work a few swaps.......You always lose money on swaps.........Maybe I'll put a couple of those .40S&W pistols up on consignment and place the Colt on layaway..........

The Gun Blast Report

Gun Show Coming Up

The gun show is coming to town in four short days, and I have a dilemma. I usually have an idea of what I want to find. Late in January, I went hog wild at a gun show, purchasing a three and a half inch Model 27-2, a Model 10-5 snub, and a Colt Trooper in .22LR. Then, at the last gun show, I missed out on a K-22 and eventually bought only used leather. I have since purchased a K-22 at a very good price, so the only "holy grail gun" left for me to find is a M1911. It is doubtful that I will find such a gun at a gun show. The chances of me finding a M1911 in near original shape at a fair price in a gun show arena is about the same as...... Well it ain't gonna happen.

I'll list it anyway......an original M1911 under $700 will be mine if I see it. A S&W M&P under $200 will be purchased by me if it has no function issues. I'm in the market for a double action revolver that shoots .45ACP. I'll take a Brazillian S&W 1937 if one shows up for under $300 in shooter shape. Considering how the prices have run on S&W Model 1917s that might be the only way to acquire one for a reasonable price. A beater Model 10 with a heavy barrel for $150 or so would get my wallet in gear. CDNN had a bunch of two inch CDC marked Model 64s for $249 last Summer. If any of those pop up, I'll be on them. I would be interested in any vintage handgun that was modified for concealed carry. The many variations found in this genre fascinates me. It's kind of like the difference between going to an antique car show and a vintage hot rod show. Victory Model M&P's are often found as modified carry guns, and if one is out there for under $200, I might pick it up. Vintage concealed carry is an area of collecting that I am very interested in.

My #1 gun show rule is to go in knowing what you want. This time around, for me, that might be difficult. I will be going in to see if there is anything I'm interested in. Maybe I should bring my wife along and let her pick out a Mauser or two.......

Gun Show K-22 Turn Around

I awoke this morning with K-22 on the brain. The Smith & Wesson K-22 is one of my holy grail guns. I spotted one, actually a Model 17-4 yesterday at the gun show. Unfortunately, at $550, it was well above my buying range. I have established my top dollar buying price at $350. I am willing to accept a lesser finish to buy the gun at a more affordable price.

After sleeping on it last night, $550 started to sound pretty good. After all, I own quite a few guns that cost that much and even more. Am I just being swayed by the fallacy that an itty bitty caliber should have an itty bitty price? I believe I am. Five hundred for a K-22 is certainly a fair and common price, especially for one in pristine condition. I would not be paying to much for the gun, and if I care for it, the value will hold. I will certainly get more enjoyment out of it than I get from my numerous 9mm and .40S&W handguns that cost the same or more, but cost more to shoot.


I want a K-22. That Model 17-4 is a K-22 Masterpiece. It is in great condition, and $500 is a fair price, both for the seller and the buyer. I will return this morning, and see if I can negotiate the price to $500. That's asking for a 10% discount on the second day. Chances are, the seller padded his selling price by 10%.

I'll go back this morning, do the Jim March Revolver Checkout, pay the price, and never look back. The sting of the price is quickly forgotten in the glow of owning a fine firearm you can shoot the hell out of.

Now where is my bore light?

Holy Grail Guns

Every gunny has a gun they hope to someday find at a price they can afford. For some, it may be a plastic fantastic, for others vintage iron. For me, it was a Whitney Wolverine. I could have found one on Gunbroker, but not at a price I was willing to pay after shipping and fees. Recently, I found that Holy Grail gun, and it was even at an affordable price.

After finding the Wolverine, I had to establish the next Holy Grail for Xavier. That gun will be a K-22. Not just any K-22 though, it must be pinned and recessed. Five screws. The K-22 Outdoorsman will likely be the one. I will require it in a shape that's a bit rough, so I can afford the price on the tag. I'm setting my K22 limit at $350.
There are probably many who say that cannot be done. I disagree. It might not be through normal channels, but I plan to legally acquire a K-22 for under $350.

Some may scoff at my price limitation. That's OK. Hell, any monkey can decide they want a K-22 and go surfing Gunbroker with an unlimited expense account. That's not gun hunting, that's netting fish in a barrel. I liken the entire gun acquisition experience to a fishing trip. Before you leave, you look at the sky, check the barometer, and sniff the air. You try not to carry a bunch of unnecessary crap, but you take what you need. Yes, I believe there is a K-22 out there for under $350, possibly for under $250. I might have to accept a lesser condition, or find a seller who simply no longer wants the gun around. It is out there though. I can feel it.

I will prowl the gunshows and haunt the pawnshops until I find a K-22 for under $350. I will ask people at the barber shop if they have one for sale. I will ask little old ladies at church what they might have on a closet shelf. If you know of such a gun for sale near me, you had better buy it if you want it. It's on my list, and it will be found!

I have one other Holy Grail gun. I'm in the market for an authentic, genuine WWI 1911. Again, I could quickly find a nice one on Gunbroker if I had unlimited funding. The thing is, I want to acquire this 1911 in a certain way. I want to meet and know the man who carried it. Time is running out for this acquisition, obviously. I may have to acquire it from his son or daughter.

For this pistol though, the link to the man who carried it is as important as the gun itself. I do not care if it is weathered and rusted from years of improper storage and a trip overseas for the Big One. I just want it to be a real 1911 (not a 1911A1) and to have a provenance that is known. If possible, I want to know the man who carried it, and then acquired it from the Department of War when he returned home. If not, I want to hear a few stories about him from his children. I have faith that this gun, as well, will appear.

Pawn Shop Circuit: Holy Grails and Cat Toys

This morning Neil still had three of his black tactical pistols. He added a Smith & Wesson 629 with a 8&3/8 inch barrel to his line-up. Neil thought I might be intertested, but for what I do, it's a big chunk of money for a gun that eats expensive ammo. Nice, but I'll pass. He was wanting $479 for it. Fair enough. It will be somebody's Holy Grail.

Across town, Dave had pulled no new handguns out of hock. He had a Remington Nylon 66 he was trying to sell to a hunter type. I have heard about those rifles, so I kept my mouth shut. Dave was busy, and had nothing new anyway, so I hit the road.

Over the river, Amber still had her S&W pistol with the cheap laser. She was still pondering whether to take a CCW course. I showed her how to annoy her cat with the laser. Amber was grateful, her cat was not.

When the pawn shop circuit doesn't produce, I remember the rush I felt when Dave pulled an undervalued Colt Woodsman 1st Series out of his case to show me recently. It helps me keep looking. I remember a year ago when I passed up a Browning Buckmark at Dave's shop. That was a mistake. It was an early pistol with the plastic skip checkered grips. I have a fondness for .22 plinker pistols, and I still regret not snagging that one. One day I am going to walk into a pawn shop and find a Whitney Wolverine under the glass for $250 or less. Now, I know that two manufacturers have "brought back" the Wolverine recently, but those pistols are a little like Elvis on his comeback tour. The original had an aluminum frame, and was called the world's most pointable pistol by no less than Rex Applegate. Plus it was carried by Lea Thompson in Red Dawn. I want the real deal, and I want to get it on a pawn shop find. That is part of the fun. I do not need this pistol, I just want it. I want the thrill of the find to come with it though. You just can't get that thrill on GunBroker or other auction sites. So, I keep searching.