Bachman Gun seemed like a good store, with a very good selection, but somewhat standoff-ish folks behind the counter. But anyways, nothing here really caught my eye. I'll be writing about 3 pistols, each of which is the first example that I've handled. Coincidentally, each was also designed by John Moses Browning.
After finding Ella, taking her home, disassembling and cleaning her, I can't keep my eyes off of old pocket pistols. At Miller's pawn, I finally got a chance to check out their collection. A few weeks back, the first time I came by, I saw that their guns were all stored in a separate, caged in, locked area. I asked if they had the area closed off at the time, and they mentioned that they would have it opened up again during the week.
This time, I asked if they just keep it closed off during the weekend. The lady behind the counter surprised me, and said: "We don't let anyone back there unless they have a concealed handgun license". Chuckling, I reached in my pocket, pulled out my wallet, and showed her mine. I said "I've never heard of a policy like that before!" She said that it helps them keep out the young punks that just want to play with the guns and act like idiots. Apparently, normally, if they think they'll have a problem, they just ask what kind of gun someone is looking for, and then go in the back to pick one out. Things to remember/consider if I ever really want to think about running a gun shop.
After she unlocked the door, she left me alone to browse in peace. Now, let me tell you, it may have been a small space, but they packed it full of awesome. Someone there has good taste. I'm not going to focus on them, but for any gunnies in the Garland area, let me tell you, they are chock-full of great deals, beautiful guns, and great finds. Two, side by side under a glass case, really caught my eye.
I didn't take any photos, but I wish I had. The store has a "no cell phone use in store" policy (either the owner's feel that its rude, or they're type A control freaks... not that the two are mutually exclusive), so I didn't take any snapshots with my phone.
So, without pictures of my own, Find # 1 looked something like this:
A Colt 1903 Pocket, this particular gun had a nickel finish. This was the first example of these guns that I've had the chance to handle (I need to start getting to gun shows... either that, or I need to stay away), but after delving into pocket pistols with Ella, I've been hoping to catch one in the wild. Checking the serial number, this is a Type III pistol, manufactured in 1920 (almost like Ella's big sister). The shop wanted $495, and checking with my blue book (guessing approximately 80-90% condition), taking into account the nickel finish, this seems to be a pretty decent asking price. If this pistol stays around for a while, I might have to bring my wallet and go back for a chat to see just how low they'll go.
Find # 2, sitting right next to Find # 1, looked a little like this:
This beauty is a Browning 1955 in .380 ACP. The 1955 model is an imported FN model 1910, with the Browning name, chambered in .380. In a break from earlier designs, Colt wasn't interested in the model 1910, leaving FN to serve the European market with the model 1910 in .32 ACP, and neglecting American buyers. This form of the pistol survived from 1955 until 1968, when the Gun Control Act of 1968 made importation of this pistol impossible to profitably import.
The example I saw has a very high serial number (possibly made in the very last runs in 1969?) of 644315. By my guess (I'm not too practiced at appraisal yet), this gun was probably 70%, maybe 80%. Like I said, I don't have a ton of experience with appraising condition. The folks at the store were asking 395, which seems to be quite a bit higher than what the blue book would value this gun at ($250-275). It's a good looking gun, but unless they could be talked down quite a bit, it wouldn't happen.
After oogling the pretty girls at Miller's, I headed up the street to Bob's Pawn. I wasn't impressed with the folks here. Again, these folks were stand-offish, rude, and seemed like they were in a big damn hurry to get me out of the store to close up (ten minutes before their closing, while I was handling a pistol). Oh. Also... they wanted 3 bucks and a quarter for a rusted over dull file. I offered two bucks for it, because I wanted the steel for a knife. My large mill file find from earlier in the day is in great shape (which I got for a buck), and is probably of more use to me in the shop as a file than as scrap steel. Anyways, this thing was rusted out, pitted and useless. And he wouldn't take the two. I'm ok with a shop trying to make some money... but two bucks in the register for what is essentially a piece of brittle scrap... or a customer walking? I'm not sure I get it.
Dissatisfaction with Bob's pawn aside, here's a picture of what Find # 3 looked like:
While technically, this could be considered another example of the FN 1910, I'm still counting it as a fresh example. Basically, the FN model 1922 is an upsized 1910, designed to meet the request for increased grip length and magazine capacity, as well as for a longer barrel for the Yugoslavian military. I'd guess the example I saw today was >90% condition, which leaves the stores price at $325 pretty reasonable. Unfortunately, without photos of the gun, I don't have a way of identifying the gun's markings to identify its origins. I'm pretty sure I didn't spot any WaA stamps, so I'm not thinking that this gun was made during the Nazi occupation of Belgium. Regardless, this pistol felt great in the hand, and is absolutely beautiful.
Well, that's a wrap for finds that caught my eye on the pawn circuit. I have to say, after handling these beautiful weapons, I have to wonder how a gun like this one can ever catch the eye.
Seeing the Glock version of a .380 pocket pistol next to any of these designs (Only one of which, at 89 years old, was designed in the last century... Its like trying to compare Roseanne Barr
with Catherine Zeta Jones.
No, worse. It's like comparing John Lithgow's nude scenes in Season 4 of Dexter (
with Zoe Saldana.
Form follows function, beauty is in the eye of the beholder... Yeah, sure. However, the sad truth is, no matter which way you look at it, Gaston Glock may have been a great craftsman, but he is no artisan. Like Mr. Glock, John M. Browning revolutionized firearms design (unlike Mr. Glock, over, and over, and over again), but he also did it while combining humble materials to transcend engineering and create works of art.
Oh. And Zoe Saldana is HOT. End of discussion.
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