Heirloom-quality pocket pistols?

RevolvingGarbage said:

The MDE/Kevin was going to be my choice as well. I handled one in 2010 and loved it but never got around to picking one up. When an LCP could be had all day for $200 there was no good reason to spring for one, but the yearning is still there.

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I should have bought a Kevin just for using the name. That way I could say to my wife, “Kevin and I are going for a walk.”, etc. etc.

TTv2 said:

Apparently one can only be proud to own cars with more than 3 cylinders in the engine...

What is the dividing line between "quality skilled manufacturing" is and just regular manufacturing? Is it hand fitting? Okay, so at least we have an idea that an heirloom gun is metal frame and a minimum of $900.

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Some cars are simply daily transportation, might as well be a personal sized bus. Some cars are daily transportation with the extra that makes it more than daily transportation.

Most of my cars and trucks have never had that extra. And when I sell them or pass them down to other family members, they sure aren’t memorable other than they run and have AC.

With guns, if the machining was done to the gun, I hold that gun at a higher intrinsic value than if the machining was done to a mold that made a major part of that gun.

Either the Seecamp or NAA Guardian 380 are older designs, but they are quality built and make excellent compact pocket pistols. I'm sure either one will endure the test of time. I have one of the original Guardian 380's. Its almost 20 years old and its been flawless. Its endured some unintentional rough treatment during its life and it just keeps going. Its proven its stoutness, and it looks good. I have a couple of polymer pocket pistols, but I dont consider a polymer a heirloom quality piece that can endure multiple generations of ownership.

I have an almost 140 year old Smith & Wesson 3rd model double action that my Dad passed down to me a couple of years before he died, its my heirloom piece. It was made in 1886, 38 S&W, and has been in the family and passed down from generation to generation, it has endured the test of time. Because they made so many of them, its not worth a whole lot. But the value of it to me goes deeper than monetary. A pic of the Guardian 380 and the 3rd Model Double Action. I also collect Morgan silver dollars of the same time period, so I included a few of them as props in the photo.

Tallball

This is the Bauer version... I think a copy of the Colt and FN?

• Bauer 25acp
  
  

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• I'm pretty sure the Bauer .25 was a stainless steel copy of the Baby Browning.

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Here are some of my "heirloom pocket pistols".

None finer than the FN produced Baby Browning .25.

Not safe to carry with a round in the chamber however. You’d need to rack the slide after the draw, and you’ve only got 6 rounds of .25 ACP to work with.

Honestly, and LCP would be a step up and will last for years and years.

Jimbo80

You have an awesome collection of pocket pistols sir! Thanks for sharing it with us!

Here's my "Baby" -- it's a Precision Small Arms:

I think that, to most of us, the phrase "heirloom-quality" frequently also means "old enough to have already been an heirloom."

Current production? One day maybe, a Glock 42 or Ruger LCP Gen 2 might be considered as "cultural" as the all-steel guns of yesteryear seem to be to us today. But now? Beyond the already-mentioned pistols from Seecamp, NAA, PSA, and the like, nothing is coming to my mind. Is the Micro Eagle 380 still in production?

TTv2 said:

Apparently one can only be proud to own cars with more than 3 cylinders in the engine...

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I'd be proud to own a 3 cyl. SAAB from the '60's.

SAAB even won the Monte Carlo Rally twice with them.

Almost forgot... the Colt Government .380 is almost small enough to be considered a pocket pistol.

My Micro 9 Rapide is a bit of an heirloom pistol to me...but I can't loose sight of the fact that it's also a great little shooter that is meant to be carried and used. Any and all wear marks give it.... character.

The name that immediately comes to mind is Detonics. A well polished combat master is a thing of pure beauty and function.

Jim Watson said:

I had a CZ45 .25 ACP that sure looks like what Mr Seecamp was looking at for ideas.

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It was. Larry Seecamp made no secret of the fact that he was semi-cloning the CZ-45. And the Rohrbaugh is much the same design scaled up to 9mm. All three are fine firearms.

A CZ45 has been on my list for quite some time.

I’ll go ahead and second the Baby Browning. The thing is so small it feels almost too small to grip, but it also feels very well made. They’re still obtainable and will set you back several hundred dollars at minimum, which is probably less than a Seecamp or NAA Guardian, both of which I think are less attractive because they have more modern lines.

The PPK is technically pocketable and so might qualify, and it is gorgeous. I’ve always wanted one with high relief engraving.

toivo said:

Here's my "Baby" -- it's a Precision Small Arms:

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How’s the quality? They’re asking $1150 for new ones. Far too expensive for a low end copy.

Speedo66 said:

I'd be proud to own a 3 cyl. SAAB from the '60's.

SAAB even won the Monte Carlo Rally twice with them.

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In addition to the Geo Metro convertible, I'd really like one of those Japanese kei trucks. 660cc and a fun little 4x4 with heat and AC. Way cheaper than a Polaris Ranger.

TTv2 said:

In addition to the Geo Metro convertible, I'd really like one of those Japanese kei trucks. 660cc and a fun little 4x4 with heat and AC. Way cheaper than a Polaris Ranger.

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Generally not streetable in the US though.

A friend has one as a farm truck, used to be owned by a giant manufacturer for moving goods around the plant.

Pretty cool go anywhere little truck.

Speedo66 said:

I'd be proud to own a 3 cyl. SAAB from the '60's.

SAAB even won the Monte Carlo Rally twice with them.

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In 1962 and 1963, until the Austin Mini hit the scene. The old 2 cycle Saabs never could beat the Austin Mini Cooper. Mini's won in 64 through 67 but was disqualified in '66 due to non factory head lights. It think it was the first rally light bar. Controversial decision that the lights were against the rules.

How'd we get so far off track,
Back to small heirloom pistols. I don't have any.
I used to have a 1903 which I would have considered as a heirloom but I was forced to sell it unfortunately. Always regretted it.

.455_Hunter said:

A polymer-framed heirloom pistol is kinda like a collector's grade Yugo GV.

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FIFY

JCooperfan1911 said:

How’s the quality? They’re asking $1150 for new ones. Far too expensive for a low end copy.

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That's crazy! I paid $600 for mine. But they're definitely not a low-end copy. The build quality is first-rate.

https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=483535

Why not customize or Gucci a modern pocket pistol? Multi-tone cerakote, custom texturing, custom grip panels