Classic Handguns of the 20th Century

CLASSIC

HANDGUNS

of the 20th Century

David W. Arnold

©2004 David W. Arnold

Published by

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Library of Congress Catalog Number: 2004100739

ISBN: 0-87349-576-4

eISBN: 978-1-44022-411-9

Designed by Brian Brogaard

Edited by Joel Marvin

Printed in the United States of America

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The idea for compiling this book originated several years ago when I was editor of G&A HANDGUNS, a Primedia magazine. It was decided to run a short series called CLASSIC HANDGUNS OF THE 20TH CENTURY that would examine some of the more notable handguns of that period.

After compiling the first few articles of the series, I quickly realized I was just scratching the surface and that the only way to do full justice to the subject was to write a book. I am grateful for being allowed to use some of the material previously used in the original HANDGUNS magazine series.

A number of people have helped in the compilation of this book. First is my lovely wife, Patricia, who has devoted many long hours creating the color renditions of all the handguns covered in this study.

I am grateful to Frank James for his assistance in compiling the chapter on the Glock pistol. Glen Barnes gave valuable assistance in researching the Walther P38.

Providing photographs to illustrate the various chapters proved to be quite a challenge and would not have been possible without the kind assistance of the following people.

Garry James was kind enough to allow me to photograph a number of handguns from his personal collection. Glen Barnes also helped by providing photographs from his extensive handgun collection.

Others who loaned me guns to photograph were Jeff John, Marty Kovacs, Jan Libourel, Jerry Lee, Lou Page, George Pedersen and Jerry Usher.

I am also indebted to my good friend Jan Libourel, editor of Gun World magazine, who kindly reviewed the text for accuracy. He offered a number of useful corrections and suggestions.

Finally, I must thank Don Gulbrandsen of Krause publications for his assistance and encouragement. To all the above mentioned and anyone I may have omitted, I tender my heartfelt thanks.

David W. Arnold

Canyon Country, California

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1 The Colt Single-Action

Army Revolver

Chapter 2 The German

P08 Luger

Chapter 3 The Colt 45 Government

Model of 1911

Chapter 4 The Smith & Wesson

Military & Police Model 10 Revolver

Chapter 5 The Colt Detective

Special Revolver

Chapter 6 The Walther PP, PPK and PPK/S

Double-Action Auto Pocket Pistol

Chapter 7 The Walther P38

Double-Action Auto Pistol

Chapter 8 The Browning

P-35 High Power

Chapter 9 The Smith & Wesson

357 Magnum (Model 27) Revolver

Chapter 10 The Ruger Standard

22 Pistol

Chapter 11 The Smith & Wesson

Model 39 Double-Action Pistol

Chapter 12 The Colt Python

357 Magnum Revolver

Chapter 13 The Ruger Blackhawk

357 Magnum Single-Action Revolver

Chapter 14 The Smith & Wesson

Model 19 Combat Magnum

Chapter 15 The Smith & Wesson

44 Magnum (Model 29) Revolver

Chapter 16 The Smith & Wesson

Model 60 Revolver

Chapter 17 The Beretta

Model 92

Chapter 18 The Heckler & Koch

P7 Squeeze-Cocking Auto Pistol

Chapter 19 The Sig-Sauer P226 De-Cocking

Double-Action Auto Pistol

Chapter 20 The Glock 17

Safe Action Pistol

Chapter 21 Collecting Classic Handguns

Chapter 22 Classic Handgun

Ammunition of the 20th Century

Directory of Handgun Manufacturers,

Importers & Distributors

Handgun Library

INTRODUCTION

A LOOK AT HANDGUN

DESIGN DURING THE

LAST TWO CENTURIES

Compared to the 20th century, the previous 100 years saw the greatest advances in handgun, and for that matter, firearms design. During the 20th century, handgun design had pretty much culminated by the 1930s. The remaining 70 years really saw just the refinement of the already established design principles.

High points of 19th century firearms development started with the invention of the percussion cap ignition system. This enabled Samuel Colt to perfect the revolving pistol or revolver, the first practical repeating firearm.

Shortly afterwards, self-contained ammunition was invented, which led first to the cartridge revolver and later, when combined with the advent of smokeless powder, to the first self-loading firearms.

Thus, by the start of the 20th century, the revolver design was fully developed and the semi-automatic pistol was well established as a viable weapon. By the 1930s, both handgun types had been developed to a point of maturity.

By the mid-1930s, most of the major handgun developments had occurred, including the introduction of the high-capacity FN High Power auto pistol. Revolver development of the same period saw the introduction of the first magnum cartridge and revolver in the form of the 357 S&W Magnum.

For the remainder of the century, handgun advances were directed mainly towards new and improved materials such as stainless steel, titanium and scandium aluminum alloy. Probably the most significant material advancement is in the use of plastics and carbon fibers. The Austrian Glock pistol broke new ground in this respect. All these materials have enabled handguns to become lighter and more compact.

HANDGUN AMMUNITION DEVELOPMENT

While no new significant handgun designs occurred after the end of World War II, there have been significant ammunition advances. Today’s handgun ammunition is more reliable and effective than ever before.

In terms of reliability, improvements began during the 1970s and into the 1980s. This improvement in reliability was also accompanied by improvement in the stopping effectiveness of ammunition. Much of the latter was prompted by law enforcement concerns about the ability of 38 Special cartridges in neutralizing determined attackers.

While more effective cartridges already existed in the large caliber rounds and the magnums, their heavy recoil made them difficult to shoot quickly and accurately. A fairly effective solution was found by producing high-velocity 38 cartridges with hollow-point bullets. The latter were designed to expand on impact, creating a wounding effect comparable to that made by a larger caliber bullet.

Initially the hollow-point bullets did not work reliably in semi-automatic handguns. In time, these problems were overcome by both ammunition and handgun manufacturers.

The previous century has produced a number of handguns that have become classics like the 1911 45 pistol (right). Some guns like the Colt Single-Action Army revolver (left) were actually made in the 19th Century.

SMART GUN TECHNOLOGY

Smart gun technology involves designing a handgun that can only be used by its lawful owner. From a police perspective, this provides protection for police officers who have had their sidearm taken by a criminal. A disturbingly high number of officers killed in the line of duty are shot with their own guns. In such instances, a smart gun becomes inoperable.

An early type of smart gun has been around for some time in the form of a magnetic-operated lock that prevents the gun’s trigger mechanism from being operated. The key to unlock the mechanism is a magnetized ring worn on a finger of the shooting hand of a gun owner or police officer. When the gun is gripped in a normal manner, the trigger is unlocked. The ring is the key to the system, so for weak-hand operation of the gun, rings have to be worn on both hands. One disadvantage is that the ring or rings must be worn at all times. Another detraction is that the rings can adversely affect the magnetized strips on credit cards.

During the 1990s, Colt Manufacturing Company announced they were exploring the feasibility of developing a practical smart gun. No doubt, the company hoped that, if successful, they would capture a large share of the police handgun market. In addition, they hoped to score some good public relations by developing a handgun that could safeguard against accidental shootings involving children.

The new technology is based on the same concept of an internal method of locking the gun’s firing mechanism in a manner similar to that of the magnetized ring. The main difference is the magnetic lock has been replaced by a microprocessor. The key is a microchip contained in a wrist bracelet.

Many firearms companies and Second Amendment proponents were concerned the gun control advocates would use the smart gun concept as a weapon to further their cause. Unfortunately, such warnings proved to be true as gun control supporters pushed for and sometimes succeeded in getting legislation requiring gun manufacturers to have smart guns in production by a fixed future date. When the due date arrived, only smart guns would be deemed as being legal.

All this coincided with a spate of lawsuits sponsored by city governments and gun control groups trying to make gunmakers liable for the wrongful and criminal misuse of their products.

The final blow came when the Clinton administration succeeded in pressing Smith & Wesson into an agreement where they accepted some responsibility for the sale and distribution of their firearms. Smith & Wesson also agreed to continue to explore the smart gun concept. In return, the company was offered favorable terms in limiting lawsuits against them by cities and the sale of their handguns to police departments. While Smith & Wesson was obviously motivated by the hope of reducing their legal costs in fighting the numerous lawsuits made against them, they were the only gun company to enter into this agreement. And this action has hurt them. There have been calls of Sell out by pro-gun supporters, who have penalized Smith & Wesson by boycotting their guns in the marketplace.

This has had the effect of dampening smart gun development. Colt, in serious financial difficulties, announced they were discontinuing their involvement in the project. A number of other companies, however, are offering built-in manual trigger and hammerlocks on their handguns.

The problem with the smart gun concept is the danger of a system failure that results in a gun that cannot be unlocked. The ideal goal is a system that unlocks when it identifies an authorized user by some personal characteristics such as fingerprint or even DNA. Smart gun technology is, at best, a concept that may be viable at some future undetermined date.

Except for a few pistols like the Glock 17 and the HKP7 (bottom) there have been few radical developments in handgun design during the post-World War II period. Instead, there have been some significant advances in handgun ammunition.

THE

COLT SINGLE-ACTION

ARMY REVOLVER

Born in the 19th Century and Still Going Strong

Although the Colt Model P Peacemaker revolver was introduced in 1873, the fact that it remains in production today is reason enough for it to qualify as a classic handgun. Production of the Single-Action Army (SAA) ceased twice, but popular demand brought it back on both occasions. It is probably safe to say that more SAAs have been sold during the last century than during the one prior. In addition, along with the Colt 1911 45 auto, the SAA is among the most cloned and copied handguns of all time.

HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT

In 1855 a patent was granted to Rollin White, a Colt employee, for a revolver design with cylinder chambers bored all the way through. White offered his idea to Colt, who inexplicably failed to appreciate its significance and rejected it. Smith & Wesson later purchased the rights to White’s patent and developed the first cartridge revolver. Colt and other handgun manufacturers were thus prohibited from making cartridge revolvers of their own until the patent expired around 1869. Several novel conversions of cap-and-ball Colts were devised, which allowed for faster, more efficient ways of loading. When Colt was able to make cartridge revolvers, the company lost no time in coming out with a line of small house and pocket models.

The Single-Action Army began life in 1873 as a cartridge revolver that was really a development of previous percussion single actions like the Colt New Navy of 1862. It used the same trigger mechanism. The most significant difference was a solid frame that incorporated a topstrap, a loading gate and an ejector rod unloading system positioned on the left side of the barrel.

The first large cartridge revolver was the 44 rimfire. This revolver, the ancestor of the Single-Action Army, had an open top frame and a round, unfluted cylinder, giving it an appearance that closely resembled the earlier percussion conversion models.

The SAA was a considerable improvement with a topstrap added to the frame, a fluted cylinder and an ejector rod attached to left side of the barrel. The overall result was a very strong, impressive looking revolver. The company submitted samples to the Army for testing.

The revolver was awarded a U.S. military contract and the first models appeared with 7 1.2-inch barrels chambered for the 45 Colt cartridge. In the years leading up to the turn of the century, the revolver was made in other calibers that included Winchester 44/40, 38/40, 32/20 and 22 rimfire. By 1891, calibers ranged in size from 22 RF to 476 Eley.

The official designation of Colt’s new revolver was the Model P Single-Action Army. Over the years, however, it has been given other unofficial names. Some of the best-known names are Peacemaker, Frontier Model and Colt Frontier Six-shooter to name just a few.

DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS AND FEATURES

The Peacemaker was a solid-frame centerfire revolver with a single-action lock that closely resembled the single-action lock of the earlier Colt percussion revolvers.

For the purposes of loading and unloading, there was a gate in the rear left side of the frame and an ejector rod assembly on the left side of the barrel. As with the earlier percussion models, the hammer had a generous spur to facilitate fast thumb cocking.

The revolver was of iron and steel construction and consisted of seven major components: barrel, frame, cylinder, backstrap, trigger guard, ejector housing and ejector rod and spring; all of which were secured with machine screws. These could create some minor problems by being shaken loose by recoil during firing.

The Single-Action Army is a solid-frame large caliber revolver that differs from the earlier Colts by the addition of a topstrap to the frame.Even though this revolver is a third-generation model of 1980 vintage, it has changed little from the original made in the 19th century.

MODIFICATIONS AND UPGRADES

The revolver underwent remarkably few changes before 1900, the most significant being the replacement of the single screw center pin lock with a transverse bolt in 1894. This change is often used as a quick-and-easy method of identifying single actions made to handle smokeless powder ammunition when the fact is it was only in 1900 that Colt warranted the single action for modern cartridges. A more accurate method is to look at the serial number. If it is 192,000 or above, it is safe for smokeless powder ammunition provided it is in otherwise good mechanical condition.

TARGET MODELS

A special Flattop Target model was introduced in 1888 followed in 1894 by another target model called the Bisley.

Some of the long-barreled revolvers had an adjustable tangent sight that flipped down into a recess in a flattop frame. In addition, such revolvers usually came with a detachable shoulder stock.

BARREL LENGTHS, GRIPS AND FINISHES

Single-Action Armys were made in three main barrel lengths of 4-3.4, 5-1.2 and 7-1.2 inches. Shorter and longer barrel versions were available on special order.

Of particular note were the 3-inch Storekeepers model and the 12-inch Buntline Special. Both the Storekeeper and Buntline were revived as second-generation models. While the Buntline Special was the most famous of the long-barreled models, even longer barreled revolvers were made, 16 inches being the most common.

Grips were generally of the one-piece type used on the percussion revolvers. After the turn of the century, two-piece grips of black hard rubber became standard. Special grips of ivory, mother-of-pearl, ebony and stag horn were available on special order. The standard finish was blued metal parts except for the frame, which was color case-hardened. Flattop Target models including Flattop Bisleys had an all-blue finish. Nickel-plating for all variations was offered as an option. The SAA has been a favorite canvas for engravers and Colt-grade A, B or C factory engraving could be had as a special order. Today the art of engraving continues through Colt’s Custom Shop.

The Peacemaker has been a popular revolver for commemorative and special-issue models, as has the Single-Action Scout. The models usually had the reason for their issue roll stamped on the left side or were appropriately engraved.

CALIBERS

As previously mentioned, the Single-Action Army has been chambered for most popular revolver cartridges. The revolver began life chambered for the 45 Colt cartridge, which remains a popular chambering.

Other early popular calibers were the 44/40 and 38/40 because they were dual-purpose cartridges that could also be fired in the Winchester lever-action rifles of the day. This simplified the quandary of what ammunition to carry.

Other popular calibers of the 20th century included the 44 Special, 38 Special and 357 Magnum. A limited number of SAAs were chambered for the 45 ACP cartridge. The Single-Action Armys and Cowboys of today are available in 45 Colt.

FIRST-GENERATION SINGLE ACTIONS

This classification encompasses all black and smokeless powder revolvers made from 1873 to 1940. During the period of 1900 to 1940, the Single Action underwent relatively few changes apart from the cessation of the Bisley and Flattop Target models. Barrel lengths and most caliber options remained the same. The one-piece grips were changed to two pieces of hard rubber.

SECOND-GENERATION SINGLE ACTIONS

After World War II, Colt announced that a number of models in their revolver line were to be discontinued. The Single-Action Army was among these. The announcement created an immediate demand for the SAA, which was ironical in view of the fact that a lack of sales appeared to be the reason why the gun was dropped from production. Colt did make a few more post-war Single Actions, assembled from components in the spare parts inventory.

The Single-Action Army was a logical development of Colt’s percussion revolvers such as the 3rd Model Dragoon 44 of 1851 (top), 36 Navy Model of 1851 (middle) and 36 New Model Navy of 1861 (bottom).

The Peacemaker has a single-action lock where the hammer must be cocked for every shot.

The renewed demand prompted Colt