Rare Guns - Pics and Info!

predecessor · November 8, 2009, 09:53 PM

I'm a sucker for rare things. (except for meats, I like my protein cooked)

Show us your handguns that are unique or very hard to find and tell us about it. (if it's readily available on an auction site, it doesn't belong in this thread

)

Here's one of my personal favorites:

Astra Constable Sport .22 LR

- I don't know exactly how many were produced and imported but I have never seen another. Add on top of that the construction and action on this pistol is akin to a single action Astra A-50 and yet is marked "Constable" on the slide. An all steel Spanish PP series clone, it is remarkably accurate and reliable.

EnoughGUN · November 8, 2009, 10:28 PM

OK, maybe not as rare as that but I have only ever seen two for sale and I have one of them. They aren't made anymore and not many were made when they were. I have yet to meet someone that knows what it is or hard of it.
Alchemy Spectre .45

predecessor · November 8, 2009, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Alchemy Spectre .45

Interesting. How does it shoot?

ZEBRARANGER · November 9, 2009, 12:37 PM

Probably not rare as they've made thousands, but rare in this condition. Its a Smith & Wesson 3rd model Double Action .38 made in 1889. My dad gave it to me after cleaning out his safe. Its been in the family for years and it just sat in there on the back shelf for years. Its a beautiful gun, the craftsmanship they had back then just amazes me. I always wonder who originally carried it and how it was used in the early years, apparently not very much.

Winchester_73 · November 9, 2009, 12:43 PM

Man I wish I had something that I couldn't find on an auction site for this thread. Unfortunately I do not have anything so rare that its not on any auction sites.

model18 · November 9, 2009, 12:48 PM

Ruger Bisley Single Six .22 ............Blue with SS frame only 750 made (maybe not rare, but not common!)

predecessor · November 9, 2009, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Ruger Bisley Single Six .22 ............Blue with SS frame only 750 made (maybe not rare, but not common!)

Very cool gun - and certainly fits the bill - rare enough that it will be hard to find any of the 750 owners willing to part with it!

Quote:

Man I wish I had something that I couldn't find on an auction site for this thread. Unfortunately I do not have anything so rare that its not on any auction sites.

Don't sweat it, the point of this thread is to learn about cool unique and hard to find guns. If you have something that fits the mold, post!

lee n. field · November 9, 2009, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Alchemy Spectre .45

Interesting. Half 1911, half Glock, is the way it looks externally.

BlkHawk73 · November 9, 2009, 01:51 PM

Only a few hundred made:

[IMG]

[/IMG]

At the least, 1000 of one model, at the most, less than 2000 of another: (two are consecutive #'s)

[IMG]

[/IMG]

One of 79:

Winchester_73 · November 9, 2009, 04:11 PM

About 2 years ago S&W came out with the 460XVR Whitetails Unlimited Special edition. These were made for the amount of members for WTU for each state. Some states had 100 revolvers made, some 300, a few 500 and 1 state had 1000. They only wanted $799 at the time, so I called and asked for PA and they said they had none. I then asked for a 1 of 100 state. So they had New York, and I figured that would be as good as any. Ironically, a PA 460 WTU would be 1 of 300 anyways so really I got the better one by default. I've shot it, its awesome. Only 100 like this one

Sorry the pics aren't great...

Jbar4Ranch · November 9, 2009, 04:30 PM

Liberator .45acp pistol.

A pair of convertible Ruger Vaquero.40 S&W/.38-40 revolvers, but not just a pair, a consecutively numbered pair. As near as I can tell, 753 5 1/2"ers were made and 674 4 5/8"ers. I actually have three of these, but the third one is 77 numbers away from these two.

A pair of Ruger .22's with factory Ruger roll marked muzzle brakes. Unfortunately, a previous owner of one of the brakes had it industrial hard chromed.

An unfired COP 4 barreled .357 "derringer", complete with box.

A Savage model 101 single shot .22 "revolver".

My first .480 Ruger SRH was roll marked ".475 Ruger", but it had to go back for warranty work and a new revolver, marked .480 Ruger, was sent back to me. If I had known it would be replaced, I wouldn't have sent it in. Here's some of the first fifty cases anyway.

eastbank · November 9, 2009, 04:43 PM

two hand engraved (done with a gavel and chase) three inch barreled square butt 60 ss smith and wessons in 38 spl., one with ivory grips and a ruger old army with a 4 didgit serial number with no prefix and stag grips, eastbank.

Playboypenguin · November 9, 2009, 04:50 PM

...I know it sure is hard as heck to find one.

Beretta 92 Compact in stainless

troy_mclure · November 9, 2009, 07:22 PM

jbar4ranch, where did you get the liberator?

EnoughGUN · November 9, 2009, 07:40 PM

WOW some very nice guns! It's always nice to see when people care enough about something to keep it in nice shape and not beat it up.

Lee and Predecessor as you guessed the Spectre is a Glock upper on a 1911 frame. Alchemy Arms used to make Glock parts and decided to build their own gun. Like many things about the time they got it right they went under. This one looks to have been fired very little maybe just at the factory. I have no idea how it shoots although I have seen posts from owners and people that have shot them that say they are very nice. I do not want to shoot it because there is no repair or parts support if anything goes wrong.

EnoughGUN · November 9, 2009, 07:43 PM

Playboy that Beretta is beautiful, wish I could find one like it. There was a Cougar in stainless with wood grips like that on Gunbroker a while back, I should have bought it!

Jbar4Ranch · November 9, 2009, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troy mclure

jbar4ranch, where did you get the liberator?

The Philippines back in the 70's when I was a swabbie. Fortunately, our bags weren't checked very carefully. I picked up another one, half of one anyway, from a man in SLC in the early 80's who was in poor health and liquidating a lot of his personal firearms - a lot of real oddball stuff. His name, George Hyde, didn't mean much to me at the time, but it turns out George Hyde was one of the original designers of the Liberator and this particular pistol turned out to be one of two cut downs that were used at the factory to show military liaisons and plant workers how the thing was assembled and worked. A collector in Iowa made me an offer I couldn't refuse, and it's now in his collection.

WC145 · November 9, 2009, 08:19 PM

Here's my S&W 646, .40 S&W, only 300 made:

My AMT Backup DAO in .38 Super:

My S&W Performance Center 586 L-Comp:

dogtown tom · November 9, 2009, 09:16 PM

First pistol I ever bought was this Remington Model 51 .380acp. Gave $75 for it in about 1973 or '74.

Serial number 1537, it was made in 1918, the first year of production, before Remington began putting their name on the right side. Remington made 65,000 in .380 & .32acp. The only semiautomatic handgun Remington Arms ever designed.

These are one of the most natural pointing pistols you'll ever handle.

pogo2 · November 9, 2009, 09:17 PM

About 20 years ago Colt made a special run of Gold Cups called the "Elite" models. These were two tone guns with blued slides and stainless frames, made in .45, 9mm and .38 Super calibers. I bought the .38 Super shown below about 10 years ago from the original owner. It is unfired and serial number 16. I don't think many were made, and it is a safe queen.

Piper Cub · November 9, 2009, 09:22 PM

Semerling LM 4

predecessor · November 9, 2009, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Semerling LM 4

Can you tell us more about it?

KyJim · November 9, 2009, 10:14 PM

I learned about the Semerling from the Repairman Jack series of novels (anybody else read them?). It held four shots but you had to manipulate the slide yourself for each shot. Billed as the smallest .45 acp. If I'm wrong, blame it on Repairman Jack.

darkgael · November 9, 2009, 10:22 PM

Not very rare but the rarest that I own - a WWII vintage Webley in .38 S&W.
[IMG]

[/IMG]
Pete

Skans · November 10, 2009, 09:13 AM

This is a great thread! I love looking at rare guns. I don't know if I have anything that you can't find somewhere on the internet if you look, but here are a few of my pistols that aren't all that common:

EAA Stock 10mm

]

Steyr GB

Megastar .45

November 8, 2009, 09:53 PM	#1
predecessor Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2006 Posts: 837	Rare Guns - Pics and Info! I'm a sucker for rare things. (except for meats, I like my protein cooked) Show us your handguns that are unique or very hard to find and tell us about it. (if it's readily available on an auction site, it doesn't belong in this thread ) Here's one of my personal favorites: Astra Constable Sport .22 LR - I don't know exactly how many were produced and imported but I have never seen another. Add on top of that the construction and action on this pistol is akin to a single action Astra A-50 and yet is marked "Constable" on the slide. An all steel Spanish PP series clone, it is remarkably accurate and reliable. __________________ ________________________________________________________________________ The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.

November 8, 2009, 10:28 PM	#2
EnoughGUN Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2009 Posts: 538	OK, maybe not as rare as that but I have only ever seen two for sale and I have one of them. They aren't made anymore and not many were made when they were. I have yet to meet someone that knows what it is or hard of it. Alchemy Spectre .45 __________________ GLOCK Austrian for Lemming

November 9, 2009, 12:43 PM	#5
Winchester_73 Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2008 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 2,863	Man I wish I had something that I couldn't find on an auction site for this thread. Unfortunately I do not have anything so rare that its not on any auction sites. __________________ Winchester 73, the TFL user that won the west

November 9, 2009, 12:48 PM	#6
model18 Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2006 Posts: 419	Rare Guns Ruger Bisley Single Six .22 ............Blue with SS frame only 750 made (maybe not rare, but not common!)

November 9, 2009, 01:51 PM	#9
BlkHawk73 Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 1999 Location: Maine Posts: 756	Only a few hundred made: [IMG][/IMG] At the least, 1000 of one model, at the most, less than 2000 of another: (two are consecutive #'s) [IMG][/IMG] One of 79: __________________ Shoot safe, shoot often

November 9, 2009, 12:37 PM	#4
ZEBRARANGER Senior Member Join Date: May 6, 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 620	Probably not rare as they've made thousands, but rare in this condition. Its a Smith & Wesson 3rd model Double Action .38 made in 1889. My dad gave it to me after cleaning out his safe. Its been in the family for years and it just sat in there on the back shelf for years. Its a beautiful gun, the craftsmanship they had back then just amazes me. I always wonder who originally carried it and how it was used in the early years, apparently not very much.

November 9, 2009, 04:11 PM	#10
Winchester_73 Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2008 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 2,863	I do have one for this thread afterall... About 2 years ago S&W came out with the 460XVR Whitetails Unlimited Special edition. These were made for the amount of members for WTU for each state. Some states had 100 revolvers made, some 300, a few 500 and 1 state had 1000. They only wanted $799 at the time, so I called and asked for PA and they said they had none. I then asked for a 1 of 100 state. So they had New York, and I figured that would be as good as any. Ironically, a PA 460 WTU would be 1 of 300 anyways so really I got the better one by default. I've shot it, its awesome. Only 100 like this one Sorry the pics aren't great... __________________ Winchester 73, the TFL user that won the west

November 9, 2009, 04:30 PM	#11
Jbar4Ranch Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 1999 Location: Near Helena, Montana Posts: 1,719	Liberator .45acp pistol. A pair of convertible Ruger Vaquero.40 S&W/.38-40 revolvers, but not just a pair, a consecutively numbered pair. As near as I can tell, 753 5 1/2"ers were made and 674 4 5/8"ers. I actually have three of these, but the third one is 77 numbers away from these two. A pair of Ruger .22's with factory Ruger roll marked muzzle brakes. Unfortunately, a previous owner of one of the brakes had it industrial hard chromed. An unfired COP 4 barreled .357 "derringer", complete with box. A Savage model 101 single shot .22 "revolver". My first .480 Ruger SRH was roll marked ".475 Ruger", but it had to go back for warranty work and a new revolver, marked .480 Ruger, was sent back to me. If I had known it would be replaced, I wouldn't have sent it in. Here's some of the first fifty cases anyway. __________________ Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets replaced... SASS 47015

November 9, 2009, 04:50 PM	#13
Playboypenguin Junior member Join Date: February 27, 2006 Location: Great Pacific Northwest Posts: 11,515	I do not know if I would call it "rare", but... ...I know it sure is hard as heck to find one. Beretta 92 Compact in stainless

November 9, 2009, 07:22 PM	#14
troy_mclure Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2008 Location: gulf of mexico Posts: 2,716	jbar4ranch, where did you get the liberator? __________________ There is only one tactical principle which is not subject to change. It is to use the means at hand to inflict the maximum amount of wound, death, and destruction on the enemy in the minimum amount of time."

November 9, 2009, 07:40 PM	#15
EnoughGUN Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2009 Posts: 538	WOW some very nice guns! It's always nice to see when people care enough about something to keep it in nice shape and not beat it up. Lee and Predecessor as you guessed the Spectre is a Glock upper on a 1911 frame. Alchemy Arms used to make Glock parts and decided to build their own gun. Like many things about the time they got it right they went under. This one looks to have been fired very little maybe just at the factory. I have no idea how it shoots although I have seen posts from owners and people that have shot them that say they are very nice. I do not want to shoot it because there is no repair or parts support if anything goes wrong. __________________ GLOCK Austrian for Lemming

November 9, 2009, 07:43 PM	#16
EnoughGUN Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2009 Posts: 538	Playboy that Beretta is beautiful, wish I could find one like it. There was a Cougar in stainless with wood grips like that on Gunbroker a while back, I should have bought it! __________________ GLOCK Austrian for Lemming

November 9, 2009, 08:19 PM	#18
WC145 Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2008 Location: Downeast Maine Posts: 1,836	Here's my S&W 646, .40 S&W, only 300 made: My AMT Backup DAO in .38 Super: My S&W Performance Center 586 L-Comp:

November 9, 2009, 09:16 PM	#19
dogtown tom Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2006 Location: Plano, Texas Posts: 3,090	First pistol I ever bought was this Remington Model 51 .380acp. Gave $75 for it in about 1973 or '74. Serial number 1537, it was made in 1918, the first year of production, before Remington began putting their name on the right side. Remington made 65,000 in .380 & .32acp. The only semiautomatic handgun Remington Arms ever designed. These are one of the most natural pointing pistols you'll ever handle. __________________ Need a FFL in Dallas/Plano/Allen/Frisco/McKinney ? Just EMAIL me. $20 transfers ($10 for CHL, active military,police,fire or schoolteachers) Plano, Texas...........the Gun Nut Capitol of Gun Culture, USA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pELwCqz2JfE

November 9, 2009, 09:17 PM	#20
pogo2 Senior Member Join Date: June 5, 2002 Location: Southwest Posts: 879	Colt Gold Cup Elite .38 Super, reverse two tone About 20 years ago Colt made a special run of Gold Cups called the "Elite" models. These were two tone guns with blued slides and stainless frames, made in .45, 9mm and .38 Super calibers. I bought the .38 Super shown below about 10 years ago from the original owner. It is unfired and serial number 16. I don't think many were made, and it is a safe queen.

November 9, 2009, 10:14 PM	#23
KyJim Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2005 Location: The Bluegrass Posts: 9,142	I learned about the Semerling from the Repairman Jack series of novels (anybody else read them?). It held four shots but you had to manipulate the slide yourself for each shot. Billed as the smallest .45 acp. If I'm wrong, blame it on Repairman Jack.

November 9, 2009, 10:22 PM	#24
darkgael Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2006 Location: Homes in Brooklyn, NY and in Pennsylvania. Posts: 5,473	Rare Not very rare but the rarest that I own - a WWII vintage Webley in .38 S&W. [IMG][/IMG] Pete __________________ “Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports ... all others are games.” Ernest Hemingway ... NRA Life Member Last edited by darkgael; November 11, 2009 at 05:28 AM.

November 10, 2009, 09:13 AM	#25
Skans Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2008 Posts: 11,132	This is a great thread! I love looking at rare guns. I don't know if I have anything that you can't find somewhere on the internet if you look, but here are a few of my pistols that aren't all that common: EAA Stock 10mm ] Steyr GB Megastar .45