Old "Manstoppers" in modern times

.455_Hunter · Jan 13, 2006

Greetings,

Though I generally carry modern arms, I sometimes feel the nostalgic urge to carry a "manstopper" from yesteryear. What is the oldest weapon or weapons you have carried for self-defense, either open or CCW, and what did you load it with?

These are some of my "oldies, but goodies" that have served protection duty including year of production (if known):

1939- Enfield No. 2 MK I* (DAO) in .38 S&W w/ Win 145 gr. LRN, Rem 146 gr. LRN or 178 gr. FMJ Mil Surp

1917- Colt New Service M1917 in .45 ACP/Auto Rim w/ Win 230 gr. JHP in full-moon clip or Georgia Arms 230 gr. LRN Auto Rim

1917- Webley MK VI in .455 Webley w/ Fiocchi 262 gr. LRN

1897- M1892 Frech Lebel in 8mm Lebel w/ Fiocchi 110 gr. FMJ

M1887 Swedish Nagant in 7.5 mm Nagant w/ Rem 98 gr. LRN .32 S&W Long

H&R Young America in .32 w/ Rem 88 gr. LRN .32 S&W

H&R Young America in .22 w/ CCI 29 gr. LRN .22 Long

I am still working on ammo so I can carry my Webley Bulldog in .450 Adams.

Enjoy,

Hunter

I know that some people may get bent out of shape by this question, but carry guns don't HAVE to be the latest and greatest rubber-gripped polymer-framed special to get you out of a jam.

BigG · Jan 13, 2006

1916 9mm Luger (P08)

1938 9mm Luger (P08)
:evil:

McCall911 · Jan 13, 2006

Colt Army Special (4" barrel) in .41 Long Colt. Nice little revolver!

The ammo I used was leftover factory ammo (Winchester IIRC) that was maybe 10-15 years old at the time. Never thought of reloading....

.450 Adams

Is that not the same as .450 Short Colt?

If it is, I thought Fiocchi loaded that recently.

.455_Hunter · Jan 13, 2006

.450 Adams

Yes, Fiocchi does does load the round. Unfortunately, from what I have heard, it is pretty HOT. My "Bulldog" is not a real Webley, but a Belgian import made for a firm in Birmingham. It is proofed "not for nitro", so I hesitate to load it with anything exceeding BP ballistics.

TexasRifleman · Jan 13, 2006

Well, I have carried 2 SAA's in .45 Colt. They guns themselves are not that old, but the technology certainly is.

Wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of 2 Colts in .45 that's for sure.

kjeff50cal · Jan 13, 2006

19??- Colt New Service M1917 in .45 ACP, 2 1/2" barrel snubnosed by an unknown gunsmith who knew his business, with Hornady "Flying Ashtrays"... long traded :banghead: .

1903 Colt Auto, .32 ACP, Win. Slivertips fed beautifully

1923 Colt Official Police, .38 special, Wad-cutters & HydraShocks

1970 (not so old) 1922 FN Auto .32 ACP, Win. Slivertips

1910? 1895 Nagant, 7.62 X 25, Shot POA with .32 H&R Mag. 95 grns.

P95Carry · Jan 13, 2006

All that I have in your category. I got some Fiocchi brass and load that with a modest charge of shotgun powder - propelling an oversize cast 230 grain LRN.

Mild load but safe for the gun - but it still has that (for some reason) strange sound, peculiar to the old ''Wobbly''!

P. Plainsman · Jan 13, 2006

Love that Webley.

Dr.Rob · Jan 13, 2006

1917 Colt New Service Army .45 ACP loaded up with Federal 230gr Hydrashocks or WW 230 gr hardball. Smooth buffalo horn grips.

1919 vintage Colt Government model. Remington-UMC 230 gr ball ammo.

Never carried my Luger seriously.

CAnnoneer · Jan 14, 2006

Is anybody making new stainless Webleys in widely available factory calibers?

SMLE · Jan 14, 2006

MkV Webley with 4" barrel and Fiocchi 262grn LRN.
1909 vintage Colt New Service with Royal North West Mounted Police markings, converted from .455 to .45LC
Colt 1917 .45ACP.

Sunray · Jan 14, 2006

No handgun round is now nor has ever been a 100% reliable at stopping anything. Mind you, shooting the firearms that pretended to be certainly has a great deal of attraction. Ok, it's fun. Know anybody who owns a howdah pistol?

1911Tuner · Jan 14, 2006

Old Manstoppers

Seems that I remember hearing that a 10 gauge double used to make short work of things. Coulda just been a rumor though...

gregr · Feb 15, 2006

The Real "Manstopper"

Anybody interested in pictures of my .577 Tranter Manstopper six shot revolver? made in 1860

P95Carry · Feb 15, 2006

Hell yes! Post a pic or two.

Zen21Tao · Feb 16, 2006

1940 Mosin Nagant 91/30 rearsenaled sniper rifle.

c_yeager · Feb 16, 2006

The three guns that have a permanent spot on my "want" list are the 1917 colt, some variety of short barrelled Webley, and a first or second generation Detective Special; i would have no problem with carrying any one of those weapons.

LAK · Feb 16, 2006

.455_Hunter said:
I know that some people may get bent out of shape by this question, but carry guns don't HAVE to be the latest and greatest rubber-gripped polymer-framed special to get you out of a jam.

On the contrary, I think the best designs (and often fabrication, assembly, and finishing) predate the 1960s. I have never carried or otherwise relied on a handgun of more recent design.

Although I personally do not, I do not scoff at anyone who chooses to rely on a single-action revolver for self defense either.
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foghornl · Feb 16, 2006

Many years back, when it was all I had, I packed my repro "1858 Army Remington."

That's right...a BLACKPOWDER revolver. The one time I drew it, ya should seen the miscreant's face...

isn't even close.

Vern Humphrey · Feb 16, 2006

Colt New Service (1906) in .45 Colt, 7 1/2" barrel. Not a concealable gun in hot weather, though.

I like a 255 grain Lee wide nose cast of wheel weights and lubed with Liquid Alox loaded over 16 grains of Li'l Gun for a velocity of about 1000 fps and about 19000 CUP.

thorazine · Feb 18, 2006

.455_Hunter said:
What is the oldest weapon or weapons you have carried for self-defense, either open or CCW, and what did you load it with?

It was a P229 with a datecode of 1999.

Loaded up with Speer Gold Dots.

Pilot · Feb 18, 2006

Mauser C-96 "Broomhandle" in 7.62 Mauser. All new springs of course.

Manedwolf · Feb 18, 2006

.455_Hunter said:
Greetings,

Though I generally carry modern arms, I sometimes feel the nostalgic urge to carry a "manstopper" from yesteryear. What is the oldest weapon or weapons you have carried for self-defense, either open or CCW, and what did you load it with?

These are some of my "oldies, but goodies" that have served protection duty including year of production (if known):

1939- Enfield No. 2 MK I* (DAO) in .38 S&W w/ Win 145 gr. LRN, Rem 146 gr. LRN or 178 gr. FMJ Mil Surp

1917- Colt New Service M1917 in .45 ACP/Auto Rim w/ Win 230 gr. JHP in full-moon clip or Georgia Arms 230 gr. LRN Auto Rim

1917- Webley MK VI in .455 Webley w/ Fiocchi 262 gr. LRN

1897- M1892 Frech Lebel in 8mm Lebel w/ Fiocchi 110 gr. FMJ

M1887 Swedish Nagant in 7.5 mm Nagant w/ Rem 98 gr. LRN .32 S&W Long

H&R Young America in .32 w/ Rem 88 gr. LRN .32 S&W

H&R Young America in .22 w/ CCI 29 gr. LRN .22 Long

I am still working on ammo so I can carry my Webley Bulldog in .450 Adams.

Enjoy,

Hunter

I know that some people may get bent out of shape by this question, but carry guns don't HAVE to be the latest and greatest rubber-gripped polymer-framed special to get you out of a jam.

From what I've heard of them, I might be even more inclined to trust an old .38 special S&W Chief's Special over some of the newer S&Ws.

Johnny Guest · Feb 18, 2006

Geezer guns

I've let several handguns used for defensive purposes get away over the years.

Gone now--
Various Colt 1903 (.32) and 1908 (.380) pocket pistols, from various years.
Walther PPK 7.65mm, late '30s
Walther P38, code ac40
Webley MK III, from the WWI era
Savage 1917 .32 ACP
Remington M51, late 1930s vintage
Mauser 1910 7.65mm
Browning 1922 7.65 mm, 1930s
Colt New Service .45 Colt - - 1920s
Colt Police Positive Special, .38 Spl., ca. 1930s
Colt Official Police .38 Spl. 6", ca. 1930s
Colt Official Police .38 Spl. 4", ca. 1940s
Colt SAA .45 4-3/4", 2nd gen., late 1950s
Enfield No. 2 MK I* .380/200, early 1940s
S&W .38 Hand Ejector .38 S&W, 5", early 1940s
S&W M&P V-model .38 Spl, early 1940s

Still on hand, occasionally carried, just for fun - -
S&W M&P .38 Spl 4", ca. 1948
S&W 1917 .45 ACP, WWI
Colt New Service .44 Spl 5-1/2" 1917
Colt 1908 Pocket Model .380 1915
Colt 1911 type commercial .45 Government Model 1922
Colt commercial .45 Government Model, early 1940s
Colt Marshal .38 Spl 4", 1954
Colt .357 (pre-Trooper), 4", 1957
Walther PPK 9mm K (.380) 1966

Older pieces, in regular use - -
Colt .45 Government Model, 1948
Colt Agent, 1962
Colt Cobra 4", 1965
US Carbine Cal. .30 M1 (Winchester) 1943
Winchester 1894 .30-30 1953

Best,
Johnny

Gordon · Feb 18, 2006

Well I still occasionally carry:

Colt 1908 Pocket .25

Colt 1903 32

Remington Mod 51 .380

Webley Mk 5 .455 (the last of the birds heads 1916)

However I pretty often carry;

FN lightweight Baby .25

Colt Cobra First Issue .38spl

S&W 3" .32 Hand Ejector final model

Colt 1917 Cylinder & Slide Custom 4" .45

Although I regularly carry ;

Colt Officers' Model Lightweight .45 ACP

S&W 296 .44 spl

Colt Agent .38spl

Notice the newer stuff is lighter and bigger cal.

Old "Manstoppers" in modern times

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