If you lived in the year 1920...
- Thread starter Andrewsky
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Alphazulu6
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Colt 1911 45 ACP.
MPanova
Member
Colt 1911 45 ACP.
M1 Shooter
Member
Colt 1911 .45 ACP
Colt New Service .44 Spl or .45 Colt 4" barrel
Colt Police Positive Special .38 Spl 4" barrel(I would prefer a Detective Special, basically just a Police Positive Special with a 2" barrel, but it wasn't introduced until 1926)
S&W Hand Ejector .44 Spl 4" barrel
S&W M&P .38 Spl 2" or 4" barrel
I would be comfortable carrying any one of these even today, however, some of them are a little large for everyday concealed carry. I suspect open carry was much more common and accepted in 1920 though, so that could be an option. Also, since hollowpoints were unavailable in those days, I would probably prefer the larger calibers, but I wouldn't feel undergunned with the .38's, especially since in those days the .38 revolver was pretty much standard for everyone, cops and crooks alike.
Colt New Service .44 Spl or .45 Colt 4" barrel
Colt Police Positive Special .38 Spl 4" barrel(I would prefer a Detective Special, basically just a Police Positive Special with a 2" barrel, but it wasn't introduced until 1926)
S&W Hand Ejector .44 Spl 4" barrel
S&W M&P .38 Spl 2" or 4" barrel
I would be comfortable carrying any one of these even today, however, some of them are a little large for everyday concealed carry. I suspect open carry was much more common and accepted in 1920 though, so that could be an option. Also, since hollowpoints were unavailable in those days, I would probably prefer the larger calibers, but I wouldn't feel undergunned with the .38's, especially since in those days the .38 revolver was pretty much standard for everyone, cops and crooks alike.
1911 guy
Member
Same thing I carry now.
Only difference would be manufacturers name and ammo. Colt was the only maker then and hardball was the only fodder available.
Only difference would be manufacturers name and ammo. Colt was the only maker then and hardball was the only fodder available.
yhtomit
Member
Colt 1908, perhaps. I think that's a really good looking pistol; though I've not yet held one, it *looks* like it would fit my hand better than nearly any gun I can think of. That Browning fella, he had some good judgment 
Or, as 1911 guy reminds us (me, at least), the 1911 had already been out there for a while when the 1920s began.
timothy
Or, as 1911 guy reminds us (me, at least), the 1911 had already been out there for a while when the 1920s began.
timothy
Ala Dan
Member in memoriam
Colt 1911 .45 ACP, and a sawed off double barrel 12 gague~!
Texfire
Member
Colt SAA Wells Fargo model in .45 Colt.
No way you'd make me try one of them there newfangled automatic handguns, they're a passing fad, you'll see! Give me a Colt any day, if it was good enough for my grandpappy in the Indian Wars, it's good enough for me.
Tex
No way you'd make me try one of them there newfangled automatic handguns, they're a passing fad, you'll see! Give me a Colt any day, if it was good enough for my grandpappy in the Indian Wars, it's good enough for me.
Tex
Shear_stress
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1903 Colt, as the 32 ACP round "is a stopper". Plus, they had seventeen years to work out the kinks on that newfangled piece of ironmongery.
If I was really strapped for cash, I'd probably tote one of those funny-looking toggle pistols made by the Kaiser. Got a bunch of 'em in a pickel barrel down at the hardware store. I think they want half a sawbuck for one.
If I was really strapped for cash, I'd probably tote one of those funny-looking toggle pistols made by the Kaiser. Got a bunch of 'em in a pickel barrel down at the hardware store. I think they want half a sawbuck for one.
dogtown tom
Member
Remington Model 51 .380
jaysouth
Member
It would be interesting to compare the average wage of the era with the cost of a gun in those days.
As a general rule, a new Cold 1911 costs about a weeks wages of a skilled craftsman.
Back in the good old days, if you were cutting fabric in a sweat shop for $6.00 a week, had rent and a couple of kids, there was not a lot left over for toys and trinkets. (whenever someone mentions the "good old days" I can remember what an outhouse smelled like in august. So much for the good old days.)
In 1920, most folks in this country were on the ragged edge of survival.
As a general rule, a new Cold 1911 costs about a weeks wages of a skilled craftsman.
Back in the good old days, if you were cutting fabric in a sweat shop for $6.00 a week, had rent and a couple of kids, there was not a lot left over for toys and trinkets. (whenever someone mentions the "good old days" I can remember what an outhouse smelled like in august. So much for the good old days.)
In 1920, most folks in this country were on the ragged edge of survival.
M1 Shooter
Member
Geez, how old are you, were you around back then? How did you come to this conclusion?
In 1920 the US was experiencing a post war economic boom. The Great Depression didn't start until 1929. Sure wages for the average factory worker weren't the best, but neccessities didn't cost that much either.
Back then you could get a brand new run of the mill Colt or S&W .38 Spl revolver for around $20. You probably could have purchased a used one in good condition for around $10. Many people owned firearms back then, although admittedly most folks owned hunting rifles and shotguns instead of handguns, but even then a decent hunting rifle would have cost anywhere from $20-$50 unless you bought a surplus M1873 Springfield "Trapdoor" for around $5-$10.
I'll use my Great Grandfather as an example. He served in WWI and after the war he went back home to the family farm. They were not weathy by any means, yet he had a decent collection of firearms. I know several were bought in that era because of sales receipts we found after he passed. Those guns were a Winchester M1894 .30-30 (who didn't have one of these then?), a bolt action single shot .22 rifle (can't remember the make/model probably Winchester though), an H&R single shot 12 ga shotgun , and a S&W M&P .38 Spl with a 6" barrel. So if a "poor" working farmer could afford those guns in the 1920's, then the average factory worker should have been able to muster up enough money for a self defense handgun.
bill larry
Member
Colt Model of 1917
Cosmoline
Member
A custom cut-down Police Positive Special in .32-20 and a Winchester '92 to match. Then I'd buy a guitar and become a wandering bluesman.
Remember, Colt modeled it on the cut down PPS's folks had been making for years before. As in many cases the commercial release followed the smithing trends.
Remember, Colt modeled it on the cut down PPS's folks had been making for years before. As in many cases the commercial release followed the smithing trends.
How about what people really carried? Mostly solid frame and breaktop .32 or .38 S&W DA revolvers. Auto pistols were somewhat "exotic" and featured in the movies, but were not fully trusted and very few people carried them.
Law enforcement officers mostly carried Colts, like the Police Positive for uniformed police or short barrel versions of the New Police or the early Detective Special for plain-clothes officers. Among police, S&W's were common in the south, but so rare in the north that the Mason-Dixon line was sometimes called the Smith and Wesson line.
In the west, many LE officers still carried SA Colts, or guns of that era; some carried .45 autos. Otherwise, a few police or federal agents carried .45 autos, as did crooks, but they were not common among the citizens, being mostly considered an "army gun" and too big and heavy.
Surprisingly, a fairly common gun for those who could afford it and had a taste for the esoteric, was the Luger, which was being imported by Stoeger and which had been a favorite "bring back" in WWI.
Jim
Law enforcement officers mostly carried Colts, like the Police Positive for uniformed police or short barrel versions of the New Police or the early Detective Special for plain-clothes officers. Among police, S&W's were common in the south, but so rare in the north that the Mason-Dixon line was sometimes called the Smith and Wesson line.
In the west, many LE officers still carried SA Colts, or guns of that era; some carried .45 autos. Otherwise, a few police or federal agents carried .45 autos, as did crooks, but they were not common among the citizens, being mostly considered an "army gun" and too big and heavy.
Surprisingly, a fairly common gun for those who could afford it and had a taste for the esoteric, was the Luger, which was being imported by Stoeger and which had been a favorite "bring back" in WWI.
Jim
Redneck with a 40
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Since this is 1920, I'd have to go with the 45 ACP 1911. If we were talking about 1935, then I would go with the 357 magnum. Its superior at punching through barriers such as car doors and windshields.
Its superior at punching through barriers such as car doors and windshields.
Maybe a 1911 if I wern't expecting trouble.Quiet
Member
Luger P-08
DMK
Member
Colt 1911 45 ACP.
Just like Bruce Willis.
Just like Bruce Willis.
chaim
Member
If I lived where my dad's family is from (very rural, even today, Greene County PA) I'd probably have a SAA in .45LC or .44-40, something that could do something against bear since it was still black bear country plus in the country open carry might have been more acceptable. Another option might have been a 1911 or a surplus Colt or S&W .45ACP revolver.
If I lived where my mom's family was living (Ohio cities, mainly Toledo), I'd probably want something more concealable. Probably a Colt PPS in .38spl, possibly having a gunsmith cut it down to 2" or 3" or a a 2" S&W M&P (or a 4" that a smith cut down to 3"), or possibly a 1911 (I'm not sure gun leather was up to the task of concealing a full-sized 1911 then as it is today though).
I'm sure if I was around back then, and old enough, I would have volunteered to go over to fight The War, so I'd have been exposed to, and possibly have experience with, either the 1911 or .45ACP revolver.
If I lived where my mom's family was living (Ohio cities, mainly Toledo), I'd probably want something more concealable. Probably a Colt PPS in .38spl, possibly having a gunsmith cut it down to 2" or 3" or a a 2" S&W M&P (or a 4" that a smith cut down to 3"), or possibly a 1911 (I'm not sure gun leather was up to the task of concealing a full-sized 1911 then as it is today though).
I'm sure if I was around back then, and old enough, I would have volunteered to go over to fight The War, so I'd have been exposed to, and possibly have experience with, either the 1911 or .45ACP revolver.
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