Vintage Concealed Weapons

[David Conwill]

On second thought, since I'm broke, I probably couldn't have afforded something nice like a Colt back in those days. I'd probably be carrying an H&R or Iver Johnson I bought out of the Sears Catalog. In .38 S&W, no doubt.

-Dave

 

[DeaconKC]

I'm a Parole Agent,so expected to be armed. 1911, or Smith .44 special. Or I am having an old S&W 1905 .38 Special "Fitzed" right now.....

 

[MagistrateChris]

On second thought, since I'm broke, I probably couldn't have afforded something nice like a Colt back in those days. I'd probably be carrying an H&R or Iver Johnson I bought out of the Sears Catalog. In .38 S&W, no doubt.

-Dave

AS a poor law student, headed off to the city to engage in your studies, im sure your grandfather would have pulled you aside and handed you his Colt Single Action Army that kept him safe all those years, to keep yourself safe.

What year are you in?

 

[David Conwill]

AS a poor law student, headed off to the city to engage in your studies, im sure your grandfather would have pulled you aside and handed you his Colt Single Action Army that kept him safe all those years, to keep yourself safe.

I like it! Funny you should mention the SAA. I've been eyeing the SAA clones lately and imagining taking up Cowboy Action Shooting as a hobby. I would feel quite safe packing a .45LC even today.

What year are you in?

I take a heavy course load and don't take summers off. So I'm considered a third year, and will be finished in December, but I've only been going for something like 19 months.

-Dave

 

[DeaconKC]

I just parted with a Ruger Vaquero in 45 Colt. Great gun and often was loaded with Winchester Silvertips. It will still do the job!

 

[Diamondback]

Ah yes, Blackpowder as PDW--even if you don't connect, you'll lay down a nice smokescreen, and if you're close enough you'll still give "light 'em up!" a whole new meaning...

lol lol lol

 

[Harp]

Dad was a revolver guy. Why? Revolvers don't jam.

Amen.

 

[DeaconKC]

A "little" extra for your walking stick

http://www.coldsteel.com/sticks.html
I have used their edged stuff for years, first rate quality.

 

[MagistrateChris]

Before this thread dies, and back to the point, does anyone pocket carry a firearm while in good clothing (read: a suit)? I;ve been doing so for some time, and noticed thatit's starting to take a toll on the pockets. I'me using a thin nylon holster for my Bodyguard (Smith 649), and the only other item(s) I carry in the pocket are a Bianchi Speedstrip with 6 rounds for relaod.

Any tips on how to keep carrying this way without fear of feeling my Bodyguard sliding down my pants leg one day?

 

[up196]

Pocket bottoms

I have a pair of Bill's Khakis that had a hole worn in the bottom of the right pocket. I took them to a tailor shop and had the lower half of the pocket cut off and replaced. You can have the replacement pocket bottom made from heavier weight material to resist wear and also have the pocket made deeper to better conceal what is carried.

 

[DeaconKC]

Pick up some thin leather at a hobby store and have it sewn in. This will also break up the outline of the "item". Uncle Mike's and Desantis both make very good little pocket holsters for the J frames.

 

[carebear]

In John Bianchi's "Blue Steel and Gun Leather" he points out that most early holsters were designed for external belt wear of large pistols.

Civilians and even police in the early years carried their smaller, concealable pistols in reinforced, lined and/or specially shaped pockets.

So the idea of modifying your trousers or coat to better carry is nothing new, and in fact is the actual "vintage way".

 

[MagistrateChris]

I'm using and Uncle Mike's pocket holster as we speak.

And, I guess if I truly wanted to be vintage, I should lock up by Bodyguard and go find an appropriate Det. Special. Anyone know when they started making the hammer shrouds for the Special? Are they vintage.

 

[carebear]

I think the Bodyguard and shrouds are both '50s era.

Smith's Centennial goes back a lot further.

Not a lot that's really "new" in guns other than materials used.

 

[Highlander]

Yes, I believe Wyatt Earp even carried his pistol (when he carried) in a pocket of his frock coat that was custom made for the pistol and waxed for easy access.

 

[DeaconKC]

It was common up through the Depression Era to line a coat pocket with canvas or leather to hide the outline of a handgun. There were a couple of pictures of old timers who had an inside pocket sewn into a frock coat that would hold a whippet shotgun!

 

[MagistrateChris]

I wouldn't mind lining a pocket of an overcoat or such, but not my suit pants!

Maybe this is why my grandfather had a fondness for .25 autos. They were smaller and easier to pocket carry. BTW, he was a dentist, and was robbed once for drugs just after WWII. He never went unarmed again.

 

[Highlander]

I had a chance to buy a 1903 (about 6 years ago) Colt 32 Auto. It came with a hard leather piece, about 4" by 5", with a holster sewn on the front, so it could be placed in a coat pocket and lay smooth. It was at a local gun shop and had a story. They who owned it, and was selling it said his grandfather was a foreman in the oil fields during WWI, and the owner gave it to him in case the Germans ever tried to blow up the wells.

Well, I piddled around and looked at it a couple of times and one day was in there and was looking at it, and another guy (a friend), said, "are you going to buy that?"... I said... "Not today". He said, "Well then I will"...

I have kicked myself ever since... But it was a cool rig with a story.

 

[Tone Loki]

I'm having a grey flannel suit made for me right now by Mark Powell (www.markpowellbespoke.co.uk) and as a little extra touch I've asked for an inside pocket just the perfect size for some brass knuckles.

I cannot wait to show you the results.

 

[Highlander]

On the Brass Knuckles, yes. Most people put them on like RINGS across the bones, and not braced against the front of the knuckle face and held firmly on the heel of the hand. The hand should almost be flat and not balled up like a fist.

My experience with them comes from a borrowing a set from a law enforcement relative that had confiscated them from some local thug. Myself and three of my National Honor Society Buddies (yeah, nurds) went to the shop and sand cast ourselves three sets (one a piece). Today we'd be undergoing psychological exams.

They turned out pretty well, but took some work to fine tune them. I honestly never used them because I have seen the devistation they produced. And you just as well pull a gun if things are that severe.