Gun Digest Editors - Gun digest greats on handguns

Chapter 1
Handgun Facts Maj. Charles Askins, Jr., Gun Digest 1949-1950

Chapter 2
Sixguns Elmer Keith, Gun Digest 1952

Chapter 3
Speed Guns and Fast-Gun Harness Lt. Col. Charles Askins, Gun Digest 1954

Chapter 4
Six Gun 53 Style Warren Page, Gun Digest 1954

Chapter 5
Gunfighters in Texas Charles Askins, Gun Digest 1956

Chapter 6
The .44 Magnum One Year Later Elmer Keith, Gun Digest 1958

Chapter 7
Sixgun Miscellany Elmer Keith, Gun Digest 1960

Chapter 8
Two-Fisted Handgunning Col. Charles Askins, Gun Digest 1970

Chapter 9
Practical Pistol Shooting Jeff Cooper, Gun Digest 1971

Chapter 10
The Eight Dangerous Myths of Self-Defense Massad Ayoob, Gun Digest 1986

The first revolver was patented by Samuel Colt in 1836. Since then there have been no less than 156 manufacturers of revolving handguns. The Army and Navy, since that time, have adopted 44 different revolvers and 9 different pistols, made by 32 separate manufacturers, ranging in caliber from 32 to 58. The earliest model was accepted in 1842, the last in 1911. While Colt invented the first firearm which successfully employed a cylinder containing separate charges of powder and ball, it remained for another soon-to-grow-famous New Englander, Douglas Wesson, to adapt his newly perfected 22 rim fire cartridge to an equally successful and new revolver. His revolver, puny and low powered, was quite popular with Union officers during the War between the States. This revolver, a seven-shot breech loader, was the Model of 1855.

From their crude beginnings in 1836, the Colt and contemporary revolvers were what is known as the single action type the hammer must be eared back each time a shot is fired. About 1877 the double action revolver made its appearance. This gun was a considerable refinement over the original as it merely necessitated pulling the trigger strongly to make the hammer rise and fall. In addition, of course, the weapon could be employed as a single action any time the shooter desired. As may well be appreciated, the double action feature made it possible not only to fire the first shot quicker and more accurately, but also to get off the following shots with greater speed. Today, all revolvers are of the double action type save three. The original Colt Peacemaker (discontinued) is still sold in quantities, as well as two inexpensive semi-target revolvers.

As revolvers were improved, three definite types emerged. The first of these was the service type handgun. This is a revolver of 78, 44 or 45 caliber with a large frame, considerable weight, not less than a 4 to 6 inch barrel with fixed sights, a large grip, and characterized by great sturdiness of construction, rugged reliability and long life. Both Colt and Smith & Wesson make such guns in several models and calibers:

• Colt New Service (Discontinued)
• Colt Official Police
• S&W 38-44 Heavy Duty
• S&W 1926 Model 44 Military
• S&W 357 Magnum
• S&W 1917 Army (1949 Production)

We have a second and much larger group of handguns which may be classed as general utility or pocket weapons. These models are not nearly as big or as heavy as the service type revolvers and are almost invariably of smaller caliber and shorter barrel length, lighter in weight, and have been designed essentially for stowing in the pocket or concealing beneath the coat. They may be grouped as follows:

• Colt Police Positive Special
• Colt Police Positive (Not in Production)
• Colt Detective Special
• Colt Bankers Special (Not in Production)
• Colt Pocket Positive (Not in Production)
• S&W Military and Police
• S&W Terrier (1949 Production)
• S&W Hand Ejector (1949 Production)
• S&W Regulation Police (1949 Production)
• I.J. Protector (Not in Production)
• Iver Johnson Hammerless (Not in Production)

The major class of revolvers is the target handguns. These models have seen more development and refinement than either the service or utility types due to the fact that target shooters are a more vocal group than any other class of revolver users; as a consequence, they have demanded, and obtained in some measure, those improvements which they desired.

• Colt Officers Model
• Colt Police Positive Target (Not in Production)
• Colt Shooting Master (Not in Production)
• S&W K-22 Masterpiece
• S&W 22-32 Target (1949 Production)
• S&W 22-32 Kit Gun (1949 Production)
• S&W 38-44 Outdoorsman
• S&W 1926 Model 44 Target
• Harrington & Richardson Sportsman
• Iver Johnson Supershot Sealed Eight
• I.J. Champion (Not in Production)

At various times during the past, auto pistols have been made by Savage, Remington, Harrington & Richardson, Smith & Wesson, and other companies since gone out of existence. Today, only Colt and High Standard survive.

Colt automatic pistols are a result of the inventive genius of the worlds greatest firearms designer, the incomparable John Browning. The weapons range from the tiny 22 caliber to the 45 ACP. In Europe, the Fabrique Nationale d Armes de Guerre, at Herstal, Belgium, manufactured the Browning auto pistols which are the same as the Colt product. The FN Company, however, produces only 25, 32, and 380 Auto, and, so far as is known, have never attempted to manufacture a 22 similar to the Colt Woodsman. The 45 Colt Automatic is the property of the U.S. Government and, consequently, was never considered for manufacture by the Belgium firm.

Service automatic pistols used by the military and police, as well as outdoorsmen, are the following: Colt 45 Automatic Model 1911 and the Colt 38 Super Automatic.

Very recently High Standard has designed for future production an entirely new automatic pistol chambered for the 38 Special cartridge. This pistol will be a big gun with a weight of 40 ounces and will utilize one of the finest all-purpose cartridges in the book. It will offer strong competition to the 45 and the 38 Super.

Among the utility or pocket type automatics, Colt had three little guns identical in action but differing slightly in weight, frame, and barrel length. These models were made up for the 25 Auto, 32 Auto and 380 Auto cartridges. High Standard also makes an automatic for the 380 Auto cartridge.

Automatic pistols intended for use as target handguns represent the most tangible progress in the improvement of hand weapons during recent years. Credit for this improvement lies largely with High Standard. Some 25 years ago this company, newly organized, designed a 22 auto pistol that was roughly finished but possessing many virtues. It had a 6 inch barrel, good sights, considerable weight, fair balance, and reliability plus a very reasonable price. As a result of the success of this model, the company developed a line of target guns which incorporated linger stocks, greater weight, heavier barrels, improved trigger pull, adjustable sights, and outside hammers. As a result of these improvements the High Standard auto pistol is today as good as any firearms made. The improved High Standard guns especially constructed for target shooting (before World War II) were: