$305 Colt Detective Special Grips?
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Hawk
Member
Don't take my surmise as authoritative - I didn't read the whole thing but "Fitz" sure shows up a lot when one does a "search this thread".
Fuff, dfariswheel: what, exactly, is a "Fitz"?
Fuff, dfariswheel: what, exactly, is a "Fitz"?
J.H. FitzGerald, ("Fitz") to his many friends, was a key employee at Colt between the 2 World Wars, and the best company promoter since the Col. himself. He was a major force in keeping Colt alive during the Great Depression, and their point man when it came to law enforcement sales.
His revolver design was built around a concept of side-pocket carry, either pants or topcoat. It was for this reason that he cut away the front of the trigger guard, because of the tight confines of a pocket. In addition the hammer spur was bobbed and often the butt was shortened and rounded in the manner used on Detective Specials.
However some rather interesting people, Charles Askins being the most notable, liked the amputated trigger guard on any handgun, including a few pistols.
Askins and FitzGerald were both close friends, and Charley sent the Colt Company a fair amount of business when they badly needed it. But more to the point, Askins discovered he could quickly unload a revolver (or pistol) by, “fanning the trigger,” as he put it. He would hold the gun in the left hand (he was a southpaw) and use the edge of his right to literally fan the trigger through the open front of the trigger guard. It should be noted that he used a holster of his own design that covered the trigger guard, or where the guard would usually be. This holster was adopted by the Border Patrol for general issue, but they never made any alterations to their guns.
When I was a callow youth, and not the brightest light bulb in the room, I ask Askins – who was in a mellow mood – if cutting away the trigger guard wasn’t a bit dangerous. He looked me up and down, and then told me in somewhat stronger language that wouldn’t get past Art’s Grandma, that there were a lot more dangerous things one would encounter in a gunfight then a cut-away trigger guard. His words and experience made an impression I haven’t forgotten.
His revolver design was built around a concept of side-pocket carry, either pants or topcoat. It was for this reason that he cut away the front of the trigger guard, because of the tight confines of a pocket. In addition the hammer spur was bobbed and often the butt was shortened and rounded in the manner used on Detective Specials.
However some rather interesting people, Charles Askins being the most notable, liked the amputated trigger guard on any handgun, including a few pistols.
Askins and FitzGerald were both close friends, and Charley sent the Colt Company a fair amount of business when they badly needed it. But more to the point, Askins discovered he could quickly unload a revolver (or pistol) by, “fanning the trigger,” as he put it. He would hold the gun in the left hand (he was a southpaw) and use the edge of his right to literally fan the trigger through the open front of the trigger guard. It should be noted that he used a holster of his own design that covered the trigger guard, or where the guard would usually be. This holster was adopted by the Border Patrol for general issue, but they never made any alterations to their guns.
When I was a callow youth, and not the brightest light bulb in the room, I ask Askins – who was in a mellow mood – if cutting away the trigger guard wasn’t a bit dangerous. He looked me up and down, and then told me in somewhat stronger language that wouldn’t get past Art’s Grandma, that there were a lot more dangerous things one would encounter in a gunfight then a cut-away trigger guard. His words and experience made an impression I haven’t forgotten.
dfariswheel
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Colt and/or Fitz made several models of pistols with cut away trigger guards and, on revolvers, cut off hammer spurs.
These genuine factory models are very rare, and the vast majority of them floating around are home-made copies.
Among famous Fitz owners was Charles Lindberg who was carrying his Fitz on the day he gave testimony against his son's kidnapper and murderer.
Another Fitz owner was famed Texas Ranger "Lone Wolf" Gonzalez who's two Colt 1911 .45 autos are in the Ranger museum in Waco.
These two 1911's have cut away trigger guards and are profusely engraved and inlaid.
Fitz himself was a HUGE man and HIS Fitz Specials were a pair of Colt New Service .45 revolvers, which he carried in special lined front pants pockets.
(In those days, mens pants pockets were larger then today).
Fitzgerald was said to be blindingly fast with them.
Pictures of Fitz guns showed up in gun magazines from time to time, and within 30 days, otherwise good revolvers showed up in the stores as trade-in's.
The "do-ers" thought they looked racy as Hell, but soon discovered just how unsafe a revolver was with a cut away trigger guard.
In addition, if given a good bump, the guard could easily bend, blocking the trigger.
The Fitz was very much a specialty gun intended for people who knew exactly what they were about.
Others found out that there really isn't any safe method of carrying such a gun, and even holstering it in a proper holster was dangerous.
Here's the identifying characteristics of a genuine factory Fitzgerald Colt Detective Special.
These genuine factory models are very rare, and the vast majority of them floating around are home-made copies.
Among famous Fitz owners was Charles Lindberg who was carrying his Fitz on the day he gave testimony against his son's kidnapper and murderer.
Another Fitz owner was famed Texas Ranger "Lone Wolf" Gonzalez who's two Colt 1911 .45 autos are in the Ranger museum in Waco.
These two 1911's have cut away trigger guards and are profusely engraved and inlaid.
Fitz himself was a HUGE man and HIS Fitz Specials were a pair of Colt New Service .45 revolvers, which he carried in special lined front pants pockets.
(In those days, mens pants pockets were larger then today).
Fitzgerald was said to be blindingly fast with them.
Pictures of Fitz guns showed up in gun magazines from time to time, and within 30 days, otherwise good revolvers showed up in the stores as trade-in's.
The "do-ers" thought they looked racy as Hell, but soon discovered just how unsafe a revolver was with a cut away trigger guard.
In addition, if given a good bump, the guard could easily bend, blocking the trigger.
The Fitz was very much a specialty gun intended for people who knew exactly what they were about.
Others found out that there really isn't any safe method of carrying such a gun, and even holstering it in a proper holster was dangerous.
Here's the identifying characteristics of a genuine factory Fitzgerald Colt Detective Special.
Hawk
Member
Quite interesting.
Clearly from an era when corporations hadn't yet developed a fear of lawsuits and/or folks still accepted responsibility for not injuring themselves.
Clearly from an era when corporations hadn't yet developed a fear of lawsuits and/or folks still accepted responsibility for not injuring themselves.
I have always disagreed with these observations. Not that something couldn’t happen, but I don’t know of a single instance when it did.
If you look at the picture in the above post, notice that the tip of the trigger is opposite the end of the amputated trigger guard. So long as the trigger is forward the guard can’t bend very far, and those frames were made of forged, heat-treated steel, not pot metal.
While it is true that you can push against the trigger while reholstering or whatever, it would take at least an 8 to 10 pound push to fire the gun. One is not likely to do this accidentally!
As for safely carrying the revolver, the Fitz modifications in no way changed the famous Colt “positive” hammer block. When the hammer is at rest (forward) it is blocked by two independent blocks that prevent the firing pin from touching the primer.
However there was one feature I didn’t like. FitzGerald left in the single-action mode, and the top of the hammer was coined (checking stamped in). Done correctly a cocked hammer could be lowered, but one slip…..
On this point we do agree. But a substantial number of 20th century gunfighters either used or indorsed the Fitz modified trigger guard, including William Fairbairn (of Fairbairn & Sykes fame) Charles Askins, and Rex Applegate among others.
I will also again submit this comment, made by one that had the experience to back it up:
Guillermo
member
safety of the Fitz
Like Old Fuff I too questioned the “even while holstering” knock to the open fronted trigger guard. A Fitz owner would merely put some forward pressure on the hammer when holstering. Heck I do something similar with an unmodified revolver.
Many years ago I had shirt tail get into the holster while I holstered my Dad’s .38 Diamondback. It did not fire but the hammer did come back a little. Ever since I let the web of my thumb into the hammer as I holster a weapon.
The bottom line is that while I am not hacking the front off of the trigger guards of my revolvers, I would be happy to have a Fitz in my stable. And unless I came down with a case of Ayoob-lawyer-itis I might even carry it.
Keep your powder dry
Guillermo
Like Old Fuff I too questioned the “even while holstering” knock to the open fronted trigger guard. A Fitz owner would merely put some forward pressure on the hammer when holstering. Heck I do something similar with an unmodified revolver.
Many years ago I had shirt tail get into the holster while I holstered my Dad’s .38 Diamondback. It did not fire but the hammer did come back a little. Ever since I let the web of my thumb into the hammer as I holster a weapon.
The bottom line is that while I am not hacking the front off of the trigger guards of my revolvers, I would be happy to have a Fitz in my stable. And unless I came down with a case of Ayoob-lawyer-itis I might even carry it.
Keep your powder dry
Guillermo
dfariswheel
Member
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- 6,656
Two cases for you:
1. Customer brought in a Fitz type Colt in which the trigger guard had gotten bent inward from an unnoticed bump.
It didn't prevent the trigger from being PULLED, but after the trigger was pulled, the guard had enough "spring" to move inward and prevent the trigger from RETURNING far enough to reset the action.
He got one shot and a tied up gun.
This could have been "embarrassing" if he'd needed the gun.
2. Jeff Cooper once wrote about a Fitz owner who tried carrying his in his waist band.
The trigger caught on his belt as he was inserting it, and according to Cooper, he very nearly became a soprano singer.
The Fitz guns were for people who were paying attention at all times, and were willing to take some chances.
After trying a Fitz type gun, famed Border Patrolman Bill Jordon decided it was a little TOO racy even for him, so he developed a method where he cut a half-moon section out of the right front of his trigger guards.
This allowed even his banana-sized finger enough clearance to the trigger, but left enough metal to prevent the guard from bending and to guard the trigger.
1. Customer brought in a Fitz type Colt in which the trigger guard had gotten bent inward from an unnoticed bump.
It didn't prevent the trigger from being PULLED, but after the trigger was pulled, the guard had enough "spring" to move inward and prevent the trigger from RETURNING far enough to reset the action.
He got one shot and a tied up gun.
This could have been "embarrassing" if he'd needed the gun.
2. Jeff Cooper once wrote about a Fitz owner who tried carrying his in his waist band.
The trigger caught on his belt as he was inserting it, and according to Cooper, he very nearly became a soprano singer.
The Fitz guns were for people who were paying attention at all times, and were willing to take some chances.
After trying a Fitz type gun, famed Border Patrolman Bill Jordon decided it was a little TOO racy even for him, so he developed a method where he cut a half-moon section out of the right front of his trigger guards.
This allowed even his banana-sized finger enough clearance to the trigger, but left enough metal to prevent the guard from bending and to guard the trigger.
Guillermo
member
Soprano
It would be stupid to carry a Fitz shoved into a waistband. I am stunned that Colonel Cooper would do such a thing. Even our heros make mistakes just like humans.
Guns need to have a home. I carry every single day and I always use a holster. There is no freaking way that I would EVER carry a Fitz without a holster.
BTW
If Colonel Cooper were to use my "forward hammer pressure" method he would not have nearly become a liberal.
It would be stupid to carry a Fitz shoved into a waistband. I am stunned that Colonel Cooper would do such a thing. Even our heros make mistakes just like humans.
Guns need to have a home. I carry every single day and I always use a holster. There is no freaking way that I would EVER carry a Fitz without a holster.
BTW
If Colonel Cooper were to use my "forward hammer pressure" method he would not have nearly become a liberal.
Cosmoline
Member
I thought ebay banned firearm related merchandise. Apparently they're OK with rank fraud. The seller is a criminal, nothing less.
Guillermo
member
Thank you for pointing out my scanning mistake.
I did miss that
Hero status intact
I did miss that
Hero status intact
Guillermo
member
kyjim pointed out my error.
I posted a correction of sorts (instead of editing so as to take my medicine publically)
I posted a correction of sorts (instead of editing so as to take my medicine publically)
Guillermo
member
no problemo
my mistake
I can take a deserved whippin
my mistake
I can take a deserved whippin
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