You are holmes, what to carry?

[Tom Fury]

Two rounds in the chamber...

I thought this was strange too, as reflected in newsshooters post above. Though I suppose Holmes could have followed the revolver discipline of "Hammer down on empty chamber" (plus the one next to it to be doubly sure) and was simply "topping up" before going into action...

...Would Holmes have carried cocked and locked?

Conan Doyle seems to have known a little more about firearms than Ian Fleming did, or at least, to have camoflaged his ignorance more successfully...

 

[stevetexas]

Webley Bulldog RA .455 calibre

http://www.gundealer.net/michaelmiller/56.jpg

 

[Khornet]

Having read and re-read

All of Holmes several times, the only handgun I recall being mentioned by name is Webley, almost always in Watson's hands, though Holmes was know to carry once in a while.

Interestingly, one of the stories...The Return of Sherlock Holmes was the volume, but I don't recall the story title...has Holmes being stalked by an expert big-game hunter with an AIR GUN.

 

[sfhogman]

Dr. Watson was a medical officer in Afghanistan- perhaps he was allowed to keep his service revolver? I assume that would be a Webley or Enfield knock-off...?

 

[Khornet]

Dr. Watson

carried aWebley. In fact, in one story, I believe he used the timeless expression
"My trembling Webley" which I recall every time I do slow-fire pistol.

The airgun story was, I believe, "The Adventure of the Empty House".

 

[Trebor]

New Shooters link is the best study of the subject I've seen:

http://members.aol.com/forensicb/Holmes1.html


Besides just the Sherlock Holmes stuff, there's some interesting and obscure trivia in there about Victorian era guns. It's worth a read.

 

[mainmech48]

IIRC, there are at least a couple of references in the stories to Watson packing his "service revolver", which would've most likely have been a Webley-Pryse, Webley-Kaufmann or Webley-Green and chambered for the .455 cartridge.

Besides the Flobert 'parlor pistol' I believe that Holmes is mentioned as pocketing a Webley R.I.C (Royal Irish Constabulary) on at least one occasion.

It's been a good many years since I revisited Baker Street, but I'm relatively confident about these.

 

[6_gunner]

A Webley in .476 would have been my choice.

 

[obxned]

Sawed off side by side 10 gauge.

 

[AK Sapper]

Schofield Top Break, in .44-40

Holmes knew everything. Why not a fine, stout revolver, in a solid caliber?
Got this idea from Lawdog's blog. Good looking revolver and right for most of Holmes adventures.

 

[Trevorusn]

Out of curiosity, how much do the F&W made .442 cal. Bull Dog pistols go for?? How difficult would sourcing parts be?? And yes, I do believe Holmes would carry one!

 

[Keb]

Or this 1894 Mark II

Webley 1894 date low 3 digit.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

The only time I recall Holmes firing a handgun in anger-or danger-is in The Hound of the Baskervilles when he shoots the Hound when it attacks Henry Baskerville.

 

[mortablunt]

Beaumont Adams.

 

[SFsc616171]

In one or two of Sir Doyle's stories, Holmes comes across an American or two, and is gifted a nice Colt .45 Peacemaker, as a result of the story.

 

[Cosmoline]

I'm rusty but IIRC Holmes used his sidearm in "Hound," "Sign of Four" and brandished it in "The Dancing Men" and a number of other stories. The descriptions are vague and the weapons sometimes referred to as "pistols." I remember doing a more detailed survey of the references a few years ago, but it's tough to come to any firm conclusions from the text. I think CD just tossed that stuff in there and didn't know any more about shooting than he did about horse racing.

For Holmes' part, he was pretty clearly a gun nut of sorts (what with the parlor pistol practice and such). So I wouldn't be surprised at all if he had many different firearms scattered around, including in his famous hideouts around London. As far as what to carry, the Met. Police is a nice choice. Watson's alleged Adams would be enormous and not at all designed for concealed carry about one's person even in bulky Victorian overcoats.

 

[Pyro]

Fits the strangeness.

 

[mortablunt]

^ What the Samuel L. Sinki is that?