A couple years back I reblued one of these for a friend. it had been "Blued" with a black magic marker over years of rust. I would put it's condition at about a 2- but all the parts were there. A little work with crocus cloth on the slide and frame, garnet blast the balance, and it was a fine little shooter. I even found some fake ivory scales for it that made it look like a million bucks, and garbagepicked a little coach clutch for him to keep it in. you'd have thought I had given him a million dollars, he was so tickled with the end result.
I don't know why it is (since if I shot somebody with one, it might make them angry) but for some reason, I find those little Colt and FN pistols attractive.
Every time I see one in my gun shop, I'm tempted. Most of the time, they are very reasonably priced.
Tam, a trivia question regarding the gun in your post.
WEB Griffin, a writer of historical fiction, in his Presidential Agent series, has a defecting Russian wear a Colt 1908 Vest Pocket model in a garter under her dress.
However, the caliber is specified as .32ACP and the protagonist has a discussion wherein he learns that Colt produced some Vest Pockets in that caliber.
The internet won't tell me, and I consider that you probably know more than the internet.
True dat? Or the whim of a historical fiction writer who generally sticks to historical fact where hardware is concerned?
"True dat? Or the whim of a historical fiction writer who generally sticks to historical fact where hardware is concerned?"
As best I can tell, it is patently false.
I don't really see how it would even be mechanically possible.
There are two factors that could contribute to it: 1) Who knows what lies Mr. Griffin heard at gun shops over the years? 2) The fact that there are two Colts referred to as the "1908", and one of them is the .380 Pocket Hammerless, externally identical to the .32, creates a lot of confusion.
Though curiously, only one member of my immediate family every defended himself against another person with a handgun, and he was quite successful, and it was a Raven .25. Which just seems wrong somehow...
Now I have this strange desire to see a Taylor Swift music video featuring Piers Morgan being attacked by wild dogs while being dragged slowly down a bumpy trail by a Jeep.
My anecdotal .25 Auto story came from a regular customer of the store where I manned the auto parts counter from '91-'94 and began my journey into guncrankdom.
His story was someone emptied one into him across the table at a card game. He then took the empty gun from the other guy, beat him senseless with it then drove himself to the hospital, staggered into the ER and told the receptionist "you gotta help me I've been shot". When she asked where he opened his shirt and said "all over".
As big as he was there were LOTS of places a .25 could hit his torso and not be lethal.
My first .25 was an FIE Titan. I would have gotten a .22 but my buddy's Jennings didn't impress me with how reliable it was.
The bug caught hard and I've been accumulating them here and there ever since.
The engineering is quite fascinating, everything has to fit in the given size. Lots of competing requirements to deal with with guns this size and power.
The gun I wish I'd snagged was the .25 ACP scaled 1911. That was a masterpiece and he didn't really want a lot for it. By the time I'd regretted passing on it, it wasn't at the gun show.
i received my grandfather's colt .25 from my father many years ago. it shoots fine for a gun with no sights, but boy is it loud! my father-in-law thought it was so cute he bought one at the next gun show. and then another!?!?
do they call it a mouse gun because a mouse could probably hold and fire it?
I have my grandfather's, which he bought in Chicago in 1927 after graduating from Northwestern and before moving to Seattle. Walnut grips, original box, manual, and brush.
Guess back then they still figured you needed to pack heat Out West.
Anyway, I love disassembling and reassembling it - a real little jewel. JMB didn't skimp the design mojo, whatever caliber he was working with.
I can easily palm it, which suggests that it may be more efficacious to simply grip it in my fist and slug somebody than to try shooting it.
My 1944 CZ Duo with the German markings on it is a very nice and well made pistol. Of course beginning life as a J.M Browning (Peace be upon him) design helps. I resurrected mine from a box of misfit firearms left over from a yard sale. It has been totally reliable, never jamming, failing or causing any trouble.
I bought one years ago on a whim, and then spent a goodly amount of time practicing with it. Finally got good enough to hit a paper plate at ten yards consistently. If you concentrated real hard, you could shoot it, but otherwise it would be a three foot range gun to empty into center mass.
Roger: mine has never jammed either! A testament to JMB's genius.
Always happy to see you, Tam.
ReplyDeleteMike
Is it blowback or locked breech?
ReplyDeleteBrowning's .25/.32/.380 pocket guns are all straight blowback.
ReplyDeleteShows how thin my JMB knowledge is. I thought all his designs were locked.
ReplyDeleteIsn't the Mustang one of his?
The 1908 is, what, 4" long? I make that a Semi-Luger. By the International Scale of Happiness, that equates to:
ReplyDelete- One Taylor Swift music video (muted)
- A Jeep ride down a bad trail
- Seeing Piers Morgan attacked by wild dogs
Scott J,
ReplyDelete"Isn't the Mustang one of his?"
Nope. That's an Americanization of a Spanish ripoff of a Browning design. :)
"Nope. That's an Americanization of a Spanish ripoff of a Browning design. :)"
ReplyDeleteJust sent you an email asking about a book gift for a friend. Maybe I should order myself one on JMB while I'm at it :)
A couple years back I reblued one of these for a friend. it had been "Blued" with a black magic marker over years of rust. I would put it's condition at about a 2- but all the parts were there. A little work with crocus cloth on the slide and frame, garnet blast the balance, and it was a fine little shooter. I even found some fake ivory scales for it that made it look like a million bucks, and garbagepicked a little coach clutch for him to keep it in. you'd have thought I had given him a million dollars, he was so tickled with the end result.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why it is (since if I shot somebody with one, it might make them angry) but for some reason, I find those little Colt and FN pistols attractive.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I see one in my gun shop, I'm tempted. Most of the time, they are very reasonably priced.
If only there was a S&W variant...
C'mon folks!!
ReplyDeleteIt took NINE comments to get the "If you shoot someone with it (suspended this time--and they find out) it'll make them angry" joke.
We're getting slow. :-)
"We're getting slow. :-)"
ReplyDeleteOr perhaps we saw Tam ranting on book of face about it last night :)
Tam, a trivia question regarding the gun in your post.
ReplyDeleteWEB Griffin, a writer of historical fiction, in his Presidential Agent series, has a defecting Russian wear a Colt 1908 Vest Pocket model in a garter under her dress.
However, the caliber is specified as .32ACP and the protagonist has a discussion wherein he learns that Colt produced some Vest Pockets in that caliber.
The internet won't tell me, and I consider that you probably know more than the internet.
True dat? Or the whim of a historical fiction writer who generally sticks to historical fact where hardware is concerned?
I used to carry an FN Baby Browning when I didn't think I needed a gun.
ReplyDeleteMy roommate ended up naming the gun for me: The Warmth. As in, "You're not packing heat, you're just packing warmth!"
Offered to start at 25 paces and put The Warmth up against him holding his wall hanger katana. . . he demurred. . .
But seriously, the plan with that gun in case of attack was "Empty gun into face/neck, throw gun at face, RUN LIKE HELL!" LOL
mikee,
ReplyDelete"True dat? Or the whim of a historical fiction writer who generally sticks to historical fact where hardware is concerned?"
As best I can tell, it is patently false.
I don't really see how it would even be mechanically possible.
There are two factors that could contribute to it:
1) Who knows what lies Mr. Griffin heard at gun shops over the years?
2) The fact that there are two Colts referred to as the "1908", and one of them is the .380 Pocket Hammerless, externally identical to the .32, creates a lot of confusion.
We're getting slow. :-)
ReplyDeleteI just took it as a given.
Though curiously, only one member of my immediate family every defended himself against another person with a handgun, and he was quite successful, and it was a Raven .25. Which just seems wrong somehow...
Micki Mahoney,
ReplyDeleteNow I have this strange desire to see a Taylor Swift music video featuring Piers Morgan being attacked by wild dogs while being dragged slowly down a bumpy trail by a Jeep.
This is all your fault.
It's a shame that nobody but PSA seems to make the 1908 or Baby Browning anymore.
ReplyDelete(It'd be less of a shame if PSA sold an appreciable quantity in the US...)
I *heart* me some mouse-gun, and one would make a fine companion to my PT-25.
My anecdotal .25 Auto story came from a regular customer of the store where I manned the auto parts counter from '91-'94 and began my journey into guncrankdom.
ReplyDeleteHis story was someone emptied one into him across the table at a card game. He then took the empty gun from the other guy, beat him senseless with it then drove himself to the hospital, staggered into the ER and told the receptionist "you gotta help me I've been shot". When she asked where he opened his shirt and said "all over".
As big as he was there were LOTS of places a .25 could hit his torso and not be lethal.
they bite when you shoot them. Don't like that at all.
ReplyDeleteThey are cute though and are better than a brick in a tight spot.
Course I do my best to stay out of those spots these days.
There was also a South Bend, IN cop killed back in 2007 or so, IIRC by a .25 wielding thug. One through the chest wall into the heart.
ReplyDeleteAt one point in my past I toted two Baby Brownings, one in each pocket. I've since moved up to a J frame.
ReplyDeleteMy first .25 was an FIE Titan. I would have gotten a .22 but my buddy's Jennings didn't impress me with how reliable it was.
ReplyDeleteThe bug caught hard and I've been accumulating them here and there ever since.
The engineering is quite fascinating, everything has to fit in the given size. Lots of competing requirements to deal with with guns this size and power.
The gun I wish I'd snagged was the .25 ACP scaled 1911. That was a masterpiece and he didn't really want a lot for it. By the time I'd regretted passing on it, it wasn't at the gun show.
Pics added to my post linked above.
ReplyDeletei received my grandfather's colt .25 from my father many years ago. it shoots fine for a gun with no sights, but boy is it loud! my father-in-law thought it was so cute he bought one at the next gun show. and then another!?!?
ReplyDeletedo they call it a mouse gun because a mouse could probably hold and fire it?
I have my grandfather's, which he bought in Chicago in 1927 after graduating from Northwestern and before moving to Seattle. Walnut grips, original box, manual, and brush.
ReplyDeleteGuess back then they still figured you needed to pack heat Out West.
Anyway, I love disassembling and reassembling it - a real little jewel. JMB didn't skimp the design mojo, whatever caliber he was working with.
I can easily palm it, which suggests that it may be more efficacious to simply grip it in my fist and slug somebody than to try shooting it.
I admit it: I've dual-wielded my 1908s against a plate rack, like a Lollipop Guild version of Last Man Standing. :)
ReplyDeleteWe are the enforcers of the Lollipop Guild
ReplyDeleteThe Lollipop Guild
The Lollipop Guild
My 1944 CZ Duo with the German markings on it is a very nice and well made pistol. Of course beginning life as a J.M Browning (Peace be upon him) design helps. I resurrected mine from a box of misfit firearms left over from a yard sale. It has been totally reliable, never jamming, failing or causing any trouble.
ReplyDeleteI bought one years ago on a whim, and then spent a goodly amount of time practicing with it. Finally got good enough to hit a paper plate at ten yards consistently. If you concentrated real hard, you could shoot it, but otherwise it would be a three foot range gun to empty into center mass.
ReplyDeleteRoger: mine has never jammed either! A testament to JMB's genius.
The bare bones Honda sort of reminds of the motorcycle ridden in the movie THEN CAME BRONSEN. Nothing showy or extra, just the essentials.
ReplyDeleteVery cool bike - I'm not a rider, my wife loves her three and she's really happy when she gets back from taking them out on the road.
Dang it - wrong thread! Sorry - was meant for Honda Gold Wing thread above.
ReplyDelete"Enforcers of the Lollipop Guild"
ReplyDeleteMy Internets are done for today, now. :)