Grandpa's guns

Jellicle · April 28, 2015, 07:45 PM

I'm somewhat new to the Curio thing. OK, very new. But I think at least one, and maybe both, of these belong in that category.

Without making this too long a story, my grandfather passed away in the mid-80's. In his attic were a couple of old trunks and some boxes of old documents, magazines, newspaper clippings and such, and in his shop was a mass of old tools. My grandmother left them as is, and when she left us, it all got moved, pretty much intact, to an outbuilding on my parents place. Well, last summer my mother passed on, and my father is now moving into my youngest brother's house, with the farm going up for sale. My little brother quickly volunteered to take care of all the old tools and crafts stuff, which was ok by me, as I love historical documents, photos, etc.

But one weekend back in February, I was going through the 3rd of 5 boxes, and found an old locked security box, like a cash box. I set it aside and finished my digging (found some cool photos, but that's fer another day). Then had to work a couple shifts.

The first morning I was off work, I took the box to a buddy's shop, and he used a portable band saw to cut off the hinge on the box. And, inside wrapped in oil cloth and brown paper, were these...

Well, I can't get Tinypic to work right here, so I'll attach the photo instead.

They were covered in what I later found out was Cosmoline, with pieces of cotton soaked in the stuff in the barrels and chambers. I cleaned on them most of a day to get all that stuff off. But I'm glad it was so thorough, because the little guys were in great shape.

The PPK I figured out right away. The little Colt I had to kind of look it over, but on the barrel it says "Pocket Positive .32 Police Ctg.".

It's really kind of funny, because the only gun I ever knew of him owning was the one he taught me to shoot with, an Iver Johnson .22 revolver. Finding these was like finding a whole new side of him I never knew existed. Kind of a cool connecting kind of feeling.

Blindstitch · April 28, 2015, 08:17 PM

Nice score.

Similar to your story my wife's father wasn't much of a hunter but grew up on a farm as a kid. Gave up hunting deer and went without for some time. Maybe 15 years back he borrowed a winchester 94 to deer hunt with. Well he never got a deer but three years ago he died and going through the house we found the Winchester 94, single shot 12 gauge and a brand new with tag 45-70 buffalo gun. They all were functional and hidden quite well throughout the house.

**4V50 Gary** · April 28, 2015, 08:34 PM

Check out James Severn's book, Colt Firearms (From 1836). Your little pistol is listed on page 248-9.

It's supposed to be the smallest revolver frame made by Colt. From Ser#30,000 onward, it's supposed to have the new safety lock (used all the way up to the Python).

Jellicle · April 28, 2015, 08:57 PM

Thank you 4V50. It is indeed a tiny little thing. If it had a stubbier barrel, I could carry it in a shirt pocket.

James K · April 28, 2015, 10:31 PM

The term "Positive" indicates that that revolver has the then-new Colt "positive" hammer block safety, which allowed the gun to be carried safely with the cylinder fully loaded. (S&W's of that era had hammer blocks, but they depended for operation on a spring and could be rendered ineffective by dirt or grease, so they weren't "positive.")

Jim

JWT · April 28, 2015, 11:20 PM

Very nice little guns indeed.

Clark · April 29, 2015, 09:55 AM

I collect guns, especially Colts and Winchesters.

But your own family heirlooms are the best guns to collect.

We have an Iver Johnson for 110 years, a Winchester for 80 years, and a Springfield for 70 years, but our family has no Colt heirlooms.

Hang on to that Colt!

Hogghead80 · August 2, 2015, 12:29 PM

I just took ownership of a noble 602g 20 gauge pump shotgun. It's condition is probably 90% , just some finish problems but not bad at all. Anyone know anything about these? What they are worth? Is it a good usable shotgun. Has the 28" barrel with the adjustable choke built into the barrel.i have pictures but don't know how to post them. I am new I'm the forum..

James K · August 2, 2015, 06:30 PM

.32 Police Cartridge was Colt's way of saying .32 S&W Long. The cartridge is still available (as much as anything is today) and, while no powerhouse, is better than dirty looks and throwing stones.

Jim

RJay · August 9, 2015, 09:42 PM

Make sure you research that PPK, It looks like wartime production and could be worth a few coins, some more so than others.

Boncrayon · August 11, 2015, 09:02 PM

the revolver looks like an S&W 32 long that was standard issue to police before the .38Sp came about.

Ibmikey · August 12, 2015, 08:32 AM

This Grandpa has a set of unfired nickle/stag 4 3/4" Colt SAA pistols in .45 Colt caliber consecutive numbers (actually SASS badge numbers) with the badges and cased in walnut. The pistols reside in my best friend's safe in Texas and will be given to the grand kids (who know nothing of them) after i croak. The pistols are already twenty years old so should be special to the kids, of course they will need to determine how to saw the case in two and which gets Grand Dads and which has Grand ma's pistol (they have Cowboy Nicknames engraved on backstrap). My buddy will get a Texas Colt SAA 32-20 from 1903 for being a friend.

April 29, 2015, 09:55 AM	#7
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	I collect guns, especially Colts and Winchesters. But your own family heirlooms are the best guns to collect. We have an Iver Johnson for 110 years, a Winchester for 80 years, and a Springfield for 70 years, but our family has no Colt heirlooms. Hang on to that Colt! __________________ The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books." "Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist. Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought?

August 2, 2015, 12:29 PM	#8
Hogghead80 Junior Member Join Date: August 2, 2015 Posts: 2	i also just recieced a little treasure...i think I just took ownership of a noble 602g 20 gauge pump shotgun. It's condition is probably 90% , just some finish problems but not bad at all. Anyone know anything about these? What they are worth? Is it a good usable shotgun. Has the 28" barrel with the adjustable choke built into the barrel.i have pictures but don't know how to post them. I am new I'm the forum..

August 9, 2015, 09:42 PM	#10
RJay Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2005 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,936	Make sure you research that PPK, It looks like wartime production and could be worth a few coins, some more so than others. __________________ Ron James

August 11, 2015, 09:02 PM	#11
Boncrayon Senior Member Join Date: March 24, 2008 Posts: 920	Grandpa's guns the revolver looks like an S&W 32 long that was standard issue to police before the .38Sp came about.

April 28, 2015, 08:17 PM	#2
Blindstitch Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2013 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2,692	Nice score. Similar to your story my wife's father wasn't much of a hunter but grew up on a farm as a kid. Gave up hunting deer and went without for some time. Maybe 15 years back he borrowed a winchester 94 to deer hunt with. Well he never got a deer but three years ago he died and going through the house we found the Winchester 94, single shot 12 gauge and a brand new with tag 45-70 buffalo gun. They all were functional and hidden quite well throughout the house.

April 28, 2015, 08:34 PM	#3
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,832	Check out James Severn's book, Colt Firearms (From 1836). Your little pistol is listed on page 248-9. It's supposed to be the smallest revolver frame made by Colt. From Ser#30,000 onward, it's supposed to have the new safety lock (used all the way up to the Python). __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

April 28, 2015, 08:57 PM	#4
Jellicle Junior Member Join Date: April 27, 2015 Posts: 7	Thank you 4V50. It is indeed a tiny little thing. If it had a stubbier barrel, I could carry it in a shirt pocket.

April 28, 2015, 10:31 PM	#5
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	The term "Positive" indicates that that revolver has the then-new Colt "positive" hammer block safety, which allowed the gun to be carried safely with the cylinder fully loaded. (S&W's of that era had hammer blocks, but they depended for operation on a spring and could be rendered ineffective by dirt or grease, so they weren't "positive.") Jim

April 28, 2015, 11:20 PM	#6
JWT Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2007 Location: Southern Arizona Posts: 3,888	Very nice little guns indeed.

August 2, 2015, 06:30 PM	#9
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	.32 Police Cartridge was Colt's way of saying .32 S&W Long. The cartridge is still available (as much as anything is today) and, while no powerhouse, is better than dirty looks and throwing stones. Jim

August 12, 2015, 08:32 AM	#12
Ibmikey Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2013 Location: Now relocated to Texas Posts: 2,943	This Grandpa has a set of unfired nickle/stag 4 3/4" Colt SAA pistols in .45 Colt caliber consecutive numbers (actually SASS badge numbers) with the badges and cased in walnut. The pistols reside in my best friend's safe in Texas and will be given to the grand kids (who know nothing of them) after i croak. The pistols are already twenty years old so should be special to the kids, of course they will need to determine how to saw the case in two and which gets Grand Dads and which has Grand ma's pistol (they have Cowboy Nicknames engraved on backstrap). My buddy will get a Texas Colt SAA 32-20 from 1903 for being a friend.