[Gunsnrovers]

In September, my wife came home with her grandfathers pistols. The Colt Hammerless was his service pistol (he was in the Signal Corps in Italy). The Beretta Puma he picked up in the 1950's and evidently CCW'd it while collecting. He owned a small town paper and collected all his advertising money in person.

The Colt is well worn in finish, but shoots great.
http://www.suckasstheatre.com/newgunpics/Colthammerless1.jpg
http://www.suckasstheatre.com/newgunpics/Colthammerless2.jpg

The Beretta is very clean and easy to shoot well, but it HATES JHP ammunition.
http://www.suckasstheatre.com/newgunpics/beretta32.jpg

[MrMurphy]

Colt Model M, version of 1908. Nice little gun, very flat, but tiny sights and the recoil's a bit sharp. Not many got used for "service pistol" use... the OSS got some, Generals got issued some, etc.

[Gunsnrovers]

My mother in law has all his paperwork, etc., but I've asked her to send me a copy of the Army letter allowing him to keep the pistol after the war. My wifes side of the family has a long deep history in the US.

Kind of nice compared to my side. We're all unwashed and unwanted Europeans (Irish Protestant, Russian Jew, and Italian Catholic) from 1918~1919... :D

[Old Fuff]

Judging from the grips, your pistol was made around the First World War or shortly thereafter. The serial number could determine the exact year. Anyway, I think it was privately purchased before World War Two, and he took it with him - something that wasn’t uncommon. That said, he might have needed a letter to bring it back.

The Beretta - and the Colt as well, were designed for and intended to use hardball. It should come as no surprise that one or both don't like hollow points.

However both a good, high quality pistols.

[Johnny Guest]

Congratulations on the two family heirlooms - - each has its own charm. I personally prefer the Colt, but that’s just my opinion. IF you were to decide to carry one, the .380 has it all over the .32 ACP, given equivalent loads. I own a similar-era colt 1908 and was surprised to find that it shoots Federal JHP ammo very well. Flawless functioning, and the pistol is quite accurate with both the Fed HP and Remington 95 gr. FMJ.

Best,
Johnny