Handgun - Forgotten Weapons

Audley Safety Holster and an OSS Colt 1903

July 28, 2020 Ian McCollum 5

F.H. Audley was a saddler who ran a business in New York City starting in the 1870s. As his business in horse tackle declined with the spread of automobiles, he found himself looking for other […]

Knight’s XM9 Beretta “Hush Puppy” – For USAF Survival Kits

July 24, 2020 Ian McCollum 12

The original “Hush Puppy” was a Smith & Wesson Model 39 pistol fitted with a suppressor for use by Special Forced in Vietnam. The name came back in the 1980s, when the US Air Force […]

New Model Melior: A Remarkably Nice Belgian FN Lookalike

July 22, 2020 Ian McCollum 13

The New Model Melior was patented just before World War One, but did not go into production until 1920. It was a visual lookalike of the FN Model 1910, where the (retroactively named) Old Model […]

Pistols for Royalty: the Mannlicher 1900 Standard and Magnificently Engraved

July 20, 2020 Ian McCollum 16

The model 1900 was a transitional pattern of Mannlicher pistol, intended to be an improvement over the somewhat clumsy and underpowered Mannlicher 1896. Only about 250 of them were made, with an eye towards military […]

Walther PPKs on the Range: Comparing the .32 to the .380

July 18, 2020 Ian McCollum 26

Today I’m out at the range with three examples of Walther PPK pistols – one in .22 rimfire, one in .32 ACP, and one in .380 ACP. While the .22 is along for the comparison, […]

Kohout & Spol 7.65mm Mars Pistol

July 15, 2020 Ian McCollum 18

The “MARS” pistols made in Czechoslovakia began with the “Slavia” line, designed by one Antonin Vilímec in 1920 or 1921. Those were basically simple copies of the vest-pocket Browning pistols, and were made until 1935. […]

The Omni: Llama’s Fancy Upscale Pistol…Attempt

July 13, 2020 Ian McCollum 22

Llama was never the most prestigious of the three major Spanish pistol makers, and in the 1980s they decided to have a try at an upscale new pistol. The design was done by an American, […]

WW1 French Contract Colt 1911 for Tank Crewmen

July 8, 2020 Ian McCollum 28

France was in an interesting position during World War One of being a primary supplier of rifles and machine guns to its allies, but a major importer of handguns. In addition to a great many […]

Russian FN 1905 Vest Pocket Officer’s Pistol

July 6, 2020 Ian McCollum 7

In the years before World War One, the Imperial Nicholas Military Academy in Russia purchased several thousand handguns from FN for resale to its officer candidates and graduates. These were mostly FN 1900 and FN […]

AJ Ordnance “Thomas” at the Backup Gun Match

July 4, 2020 Ian McCollum 14

Today, I’m taking the AJ ordnance “Thomas” .45 to the Backup Gun Match to try it out on the clock. The Thomas was designed as a concealed carry pistol, with no external controls and a […]