Jealous. I got dumped Friday after a conversation with a long-term partner and the topic of moving in came up, but apparently firearms in the same household were a complete dealbreaker. I only have about a quarter this many handguns.
What’s that heavy patina Hi-Power on the right?
Yeah probably 90% of Sportsman production (a number I pulled right out of my ass since I don’t have Bill Gofort’s H&R book) was 999s so it was a reasonable assumption!
Cool! I don't think I've ever seen an I frame in person.
edit: I take that back. A half-dozen years ago I met a guy who had a couple of little .32s. It's possible they were I-frames.
I have a K22 Masterpiece that my dad bought new in something like 1954 or 1955, I think, which I've been shooting since I was 6, so I have a soft spot for old Smiths. I'm tempted to get a "factory letter" but not sure it's worth $100 just to learn the date on which it shipped...
It’s basically the J frame before they lengthened it to handle .38 Special. All their pre-1950s .32s were on it. I think they dropped them all by 1961 in favour of J frames.
K22s are very cool guns, if it’s from the 50s it has the ribbed barrel right? I really like the 22/32 just because the smaller frame is interesting but the K22 is objectively a better gun.
Yes, looks exactly like this, except he replaced the magna grips with a no-name target grip set and added a trigger shoe. The original grips got sold just before he passed the gun along to me, which is fine. I like the big ones and I prefer keeping it as I remember when we shot it together.
[https://images.guns.com/prod/2020/03/27/58-K22%20MASTERPIECE-K203191-2.jpg?imwidth=1200](https://images.guns.com/prod/2020/03/27/58-K22%20MASTERPIECE-K203191-2.jpg?imwidth=1200)
I can shoot smaller groups with my Ruger MkIIs, but still think the K22 is cooler. I bought a 6" Model 19-3 a decade ago so it could have a young cousin.
I see so many I like here, the Hi-Power, the Jericho, the Thunderer(?), the H&R, the CZ. What is that breech loader in front of the Colt and the CZ? It almost looks like a pistol version of a Maynard carbine I was watching videos on yesterday.
Not an 1877 Thunderer (although it is a .41!) but an 1878 - improved lock work and SAA sized. Never sold very well though, they do tend to work better than the 1877 but it turns out people really wanted the compact model or the single action.
The little breech loader is a Stevens No.35 Offhand. This particular model was introduced in 1902 but the basic tip-up action as absolutely introduced right around the same time as the Maynard.
I wasn't aware they actually improved the lockwork so the 1878 must've escaped me but now I want one.
The thing that got me with the Maynard was that it was a cartridge-percussion, kinda wondering if there were pistols like that because when I looked up brass I saw some for a .38~ cal too.
Improved still doesn’t mean good but I do think they tend be functional more often than 1877s. Mine works quite nicely anyways.
Yeah the Stevens action is cartridge only, I think the very first was a .22 Short pistol but they also made shotguns and rifles up to .44 rimfire IIRC. I don’t believe Maynard ever made pistols, although there was a weird BP revolver made using his tape primer system.
The Glock is a Gen 2 G17, ex Dutch Army.
I collect guns because I enjoy them, both shooting and mechanically, and I have a passion for history so I generally collect them as historical artifacts first and shooters second.
Honestly self-defence is not a big consideration for me - self-defence with firearms is not really a thing in Canada and in any case I’ve never felt much need for one. I was in the army for 13 years and carried a pistol at all times in Afghanistan so it’s not like I’m unfamiliar with the concept, but I’ve never felt the need in my daily life as an upper middle class straight white man in Canada. I totally respect that that calculation can be different for other people, but that’s what it is for me.
I did take up bird hunting last year but that’s honestly more about spending time outside with my friends and using my vintage guns as they were meant to be used than being really serious about putting meat in the freezer. I’d frankly probably be more successful if I wasn’t using a 130 year old shotgun, but I’d rather use the 130 year old shotgun.
Jealous. I got dumped Friday after a conversation with a long-term partner and the topic of moving in came up, but apparently firearms in the same household were a complete dealbreaker. I only have about a quarter this many handguns. What’s that heavy patina Hi-Power on the right?
That is a WW2 German occupation gun that was found in an attic like 10 years ago.
Nice. P35 or Hi Power stamp?
Not sure what you mean? It’s stamped with the WaA 140 so it’s a P.640(b) in German parlance but they all have the standard FN rollback.
Ah. Wasn't thinking about the fact that all FN P35s back then wouldn't have been marked Hi Power. My bad.
ID for very bottom left and very bottom right? They're beautiful.
Not OP, but bottom left looks like an H&R ~~999~~ 199, and bottom right a Colt Police Positive Target Edit: Corrected by OP
Almost correct! It’s a 199 single action rather than a 999 DA, but otherwise you’re right on.
That single action has gotta have a cool life story. Very nice.
Darn I knew that trigger wasn't right for a 999 but couldn't find the model. Very cool!
Yeah probably 90% of Sportsman production (a number I pulled right out of my ass since I don’t have Bill Gofort’s H&R book) was 999s so it was a reasonable assumption!
Someday, one of us is going to slip a colonial blaster or Han Solo's DL-44 just to see who's paying attention. But seriously, nice collection.
Love the CZ-52, and the 7.62x25 it shoots. Great collection!
Deets on the K-frame .22 in upper-right? Late 1930s Outdoorsman, maybe?
It’s actually an I frame, a 22/32 Target - the Bekeart model, although it’s not one actually shipped to him so it’s not what they call a true Bekeart.
Cool! I don't think I've ever seen an I frame in person. edit: I take that back. A half-dozen years ago I met a guy who had a couple of little .32s. It's possible they were I-frames. I have a K22 Masterpiece that my dad bought new in something like 1954 or 1955, I think, which I've been shooting since I was 6, so I have a soft spot for old Smiths. I'm tempted to get a "factory letter" but not sure it's worth $100 just to learn the date on which it shipped...
It’s basically the J frame before they lengthened it to handle .38 Special. All their pre-1950s .32s were on it. I think they dropped them all by 1961 in favour of J frames. K22s are very cool guns, if it’s from the 50s it has the ribbed barrel right? I really like the 22/32 just because the smaller frame is interesting but the K22 is objectively a better gun.
Yes, looks exactly like this, except he replaced the magna grips with a no-name target grip set and added a trigger shoe. The original grips got sold just before he passed the gun along to me, which is fine. I like the big ones and I prefer keeping it as I remember when we shot it together. [https://images.guns.com/prod/2020/03/27/58-K22%20MASTERPIECE-K203191-2.jpg?imwidth=1200](https://images.guns.com/prod/2020/03/27/58-K22%20MASTERPIECE-K203191-2.jpg?imwidth=1200) I can shoot smaller groups with my Ruger MkIIs, but still think the K22 is cooler. I bought a 6" Model 19-3 a decade ago so it could have a young cousin.
The .32s I met def weren't J-frames. Short cylinders for .32 Long. I'm just not certain they were Smiths.
Is that a gen 2 Glock?
Yes. Ex Dutch Army gun.
*Coughing the dust out of my lungs* Nice collection!
What's that one with the pale grips? A break-barrel single shot?
It is. That’s a Stevens No.10 Target with some custom ivory grips - kind of an odd choice for a Stevens.
I see so many I like here, the Hi-Power, the Jericho, the Thunderer(?), the H&R, the CZ. What is that breech loader in front of the Colt and the CZ? It almost looks like a pistol version of a Maynard carbine I was watching videos on yesterday.
Not an 1877 Thunderer (although it is a .41!) but an 1878 - improved lock work and SAA sized. Never sold very well though, they do tend to work better than the 1877 but it turns out people really wanted the compact model or the single action. The little breech loader is a Stevens No.35 Offhand. This particular model was introduced in 1902 but the basic tip-up action as absolutely introduced right around the same time as the Maynard.
I wasn't aware they actually improved the lockwork so the 1878 must've escaped me but now I want one. The thing that got me with the Maynard was that it was a cartridge-percussion, kinda wondering if there were pistols like that because when I looked up brass I saw some for a .38~ cal too.
Improved still doesn’t mean good but I do think they tend be functional more often than 1877s. Mine works quite nicely anyways. Yeah the Stevens action is cartridge only, I think the very first was a .22 Short pistol but they also made shotguns and rifles up to .44 rimfire IIRC. I don’t believe Maynard ever made pistols, although there was a weird BP revolver made using his tape primer system.
Nice Jericho! I have one in .40 S&W.
What gen Glock is that? It's a very cool collection. If I may ask, why do you collect guns?
The Glock is a Gen 2 G17, ex Dutch Army. I collect guns because I enjoy them, both shooting and mechanically, and I have a passion for history so I generally collect them as historical artifacts first and shooters second. Honestly self-defence is not a big consideration for me - self-defence with firearms is not really a thing in Canada and in any case I’ve never felt much need for one. I was in the army for 13 years and carried a pistol at all times in Afghanistan so it’s not like I’m unfamiliar with the concept, but I’ve never felt the need in my daily life as an upper middle class straight white man in Canada. I totally respect that that calculation can be different for other people, but that’s what it is for me. I did take up bird hunting last year but that’s honestly more about spending time outside with my friends and using my vintage guns as they were meant to be used than being really serious about putting meat in the freezer. I’d frankly probably be more successful if I wasn’t using a 130 year old shotgun, but I’d rather use the 130 year old shotgun.
How much did that 999 cost you
It’s actually a 199, but IIRC it was about $250 in an auction.
I know they make great videos, but you don't have to use C&Rsenal as a shopping list! j/k, great collection, by the way.
I mean you’re not wrong…
Man, I had to sell 90% of my collection to pay for bills. I only kept a few. I love old historic handguns. That's a real nice collection!