So... any of our members here have an interest in firearms?

Disagree. 👎

I’ve not seen an precision pistol sport (military, intn’l, Olympic, or otherwise) with a single glock in competition.

Of course, for folks who like to play Armageddon sports like IDPA😵‍💫, Glocks are a go-to.

But go to a military or civilian precision pistol event with a center fire category, and there will be long rows of 1911s (or other non-Glock pistols).

Like mine:

OOOooo... .22 rim fire handguns. I love 'em!

I know there's a saying that goes something like this: "You show 1911s to your friends. You show Glocks to your enemies."

It's different here. "I show 1911s (and Smith & Wesson K-Frames) to enemies. I show Glocks the door."

That's not entirely true. I have a token Glock on hand. It's a 2nd generation Glock 17. I mostly keep it as a specimen for study. I admire the designs of three automatics in front of it much more.

Glock 17 with (top to bottom) FN High-Power, Colt Model 1911, CZ 75 BD.



It's that old World War I era Colt Model 1911 that I've got the most mileage on, hence the long familiarity with long trigger and flat mainspring housing. Shot the livin' hooey out of it when I was young. Second most would be a Colt Gold Cup configured in the same fashion.

Looks like everyone is breaking out the wheel guns.

I don't have any all encompassing group photographs of the revolvers on hand, but let me dump out this load of revolvers chambered for the .38 Special here.



No revolvers were harmed in making this pile.

Actually I can think of at least four more .38 Special revolvers that have come to roost here since the photograph was taken some years ago. The pile began as an effort to make one of those "wheelgun wheels" but deteriorated during the effort.

Yes Professor, that is an elegant way to do .38 S&W and way cool. Unique in offering the combination of top break latch and thumb piece. I'd love to have one. They're uncommonly seen. I'd actually prefer the .38 S&W to any .380 ACP load on the planet.


Actually though, the Perfected Model was made from 1909 to 1920. The thumb piece originated with the Smith & Wesson K-Frame Military & Police Hand Ejector Model 1899 with swing-out cylinder which of course was introduced in 1899. This famous model became the Model 10 in 1957. The original round butt K-Frame hard rubber grips are of the same style, but are too large to fit the smaller lines of Smith & Wesson revolvers.

This Model 1899's image is found on the internet. It belongs to a friend of mine.



The grips of the style having the entwined S&W logo were found on the Smith & Wesson double-action .32 S&W and .38 S&W as far back as 1880 and would fit all small-framed Smith & Wesson revolvers up into the early 1950s when the I-Frame was phased out in favor of the similar sized, but more robust J-Frame.


I have a shabby Smith & Wesson 4th Model DA .38 S&W revolver from the mid-1880s. It should be wearing hard rubber grips like yours, but has the earlier style grips found on Smith & Wesson revolvers of the 1870s which are also same dimensions as the later revolvers. These grips would be more valuable, but I'd love to trade 'em for a proper pair. I had them on hand and put them on the revolver because its original grips were too shattered to be usable. I covet your grips.


These style grips continued to be used on the I-frame when it was introduced in 1903. An I-Frame Smith & Wesson Model 1903 in .32 S&W Long dating to 1917 kept here. It's sporting the same style hard rubber grips as yours.


In 1950 Smith & Wesson introduced the Chiefs Special in .38 Special. The I-Frame was lengthened and strengthened to accommodate a cylinder that would accept the longer .38 Special cartridge. The new frame size was designated the J-Frame. Sometimes the very early J-Frames were termed the "improved I-Frame." The early Chief Special revolvers with the shorter I-Frame grip frame are also known in collector parlance as the "Baby Chiefs." Few were made before the grip frame changes were introduced.

I-Frames were phased out in the 1950s and all previous I-Frame .22 rimfire, .32 S&W Long, and .38 S&W models were produced on the J-Frame for standardization.

A low-number "Baby" Chiefs Special lives here in the menagerie. Serial number is a whisker over 2000 and the revolver's unique early features include the short grip frame that dates back to the 1870s, the "half-moon" front sight, the flat thumb piece, the small trigger guard, and the pre-war style hammer spur. All those features were phased out by about serial number 3000 except for the flat thumb piece which soldiered on until the mid 1960s on some J-Frames. Its checkered walnut stocks would interchange with earlier models' hard rubber grips.


And this is a rambling pontification if I ever saw one.

I thought this group might appreciate a story, but first the requisite picture:



Years ago in law school, I discovered that the University of Texas had an underground shooting range on campus for its shooting teams. At night, a person could purchase 100 rounds of .22 for $1.00 and plink. It became my go-to study break. Close the books in the library around 7PM, walk over, send 2-300 rounds down range, then get back to the books.

The range was staffed by volunteers, and one regular volunteer was the crustiest, grumpiest, ex-Marine shooting team old timer - complete with a patch over one eye. He rarely spoke.

After months of me coming in at nights and shooting single-hand, I go to buy a second box of ammo and he speaks: “you want to learn how to really shoot?” I felt like Yoda has finally spoken. “Of course.”

He instructed me to (1) take one of the competition pellet guns, (2) turn the target to its blank side (no markings) at the requisite 10m, and (3) use a sandbag rest to shoot from. He then said, “when you can send 5 pellets into a blank target at a group smaller than a nickel from a sandbag, I’ll tell you the next step.”

My impression of crusty Yoda’s instructions was that he thought it would take me several months to be able to meet his challenge. I set into it. While I had never done real precision shooting competition, I was an above average shooter.

So I was very proud of myself when it took me only 20-30 minutes to get that nickel-sized group at 10m on a blank target from a sandbag. But I thought I’d play it cool.

I walked over to his station, and without saying a word slid the prize target in front of him.

He slowly leaned over and looked at it, much cooler than I was, then slowly leaned back. Without looking at at me and turning back to whatever else he was doing, he says, “well, now you know what the pistol is capable of, and that the rest is just you fυcking up.”

I got my first gun from my dad when I was five or six, it was a Ruger Standard. I was competing in local NRA shoots with my folks pretty quickly and when I was large enough to handle the recoil was using my .22 and my dad's 1911 in Conventional Pistol matches. Today I don't shoot competitively, unless it is against my kids. I like Colt and they make up the bulk of my 12 pistol collection. While I have shot a few glocks none have ever impressed me so I continue to shoot 1911s and trust my life to them. I keep either my Delta Elite or my Python close at hand for defense at home or in the winter when I can easily conceal a full sized hand gun on my person. In the summer I will carry my New Agent in 9mm or my trusty Detective Special on me.

These stories reminded me of this forty five year old photo I found in an old album recently. I had arrived at our local pistol club range to find a good friend trying out his new M29 .44 Magnum with some special loads he had put together. They were the equivalent of a hot .44 Special, and he insisted that they were very accurate, so after a while I persuaded him to let me share the fun.

I had not handled the M29 before but it fitted my big hands like it was made for them. So I sat on the ground, rested elbows on my knees, took a very firm grip and squeezed off six shots. This was the result at 50 metres:



My mate was a bit unhappy with me but I just loved it, and not long after had one of my own.

Which reminds me of the guy who in their early days bought a new Ruger Single Action .44 Magnum. He was so excited about it that he persuaded his wife and kids to come to the range to celebrate the first time it was fired.

Not having fired a .44 Magnum before, he rather unwisely chose to sit at a bench with his elbows resting on its top. He greatly underestimated the recoil from a full factory load: the revolver slammed straight back into his head, burying the back sight deep into his forehead.

With a curtain of blood streaming down his face, he turned around to his family with a beaming smile and said: "That was great - anyone else like a shot?"

My .44 magnum story.

Around 1990 I was a Warrant Officer in the Air Force and one of my responsibilities was evaluating weapons. A couple of representatives from S&W were on a sales trip to Australia, and I was invited to attend a sales demonstration at the police outdoor range and I was allowed to take one person so I chose my mate (of course).

It was a good gathering of about 20 guests, mostly very professional looking police officers, some SOGies (Special Ops Group, or Sons of God as they liked to be known as) and three or four defence personnel. The cops tried out some of the Smiths, one guy doing a fast draw and a couple of double taps at a 10 metre baddy target. We all had a chance to check out the full range they had with them, and also check some of the cop's guns (Clocks, SIGs etc).

The reps also had some "door openers", a white plastic container about the size of a tobacco can. These could be stuck to a door or anything else that needed "opening". The sticker guy would then retreat and someone would shoot the device which would detonate with a fairly impressive bang.

Anyway, towards the end of the shoot, just as I was having my turn with the .44 (I had to wait till last) the rep blew cease fire so I opened my chamber and waited. He then announced that there was still one device left and they'd prefer not to go through the hassle of transporting it back so he told me to hold while he stuck it on the 20 metre target frame. He walked back and gave me wink and said "All yours Sir!".

Well there I was, in front of some of the most professional shooters in the area, all with their eyes fixed on my back. I glanced down at the chamber as I closed it, and to my horror there was only one round left.
"Shit!"
Nothing for it but hope for the best.

So quickly, but without rushing, I put the round into position, put my left arm behind my back, raised the gun straight arm "duelling style" to a smidgeon above the target and let the trigger pull bring it on target as I fired.

To my amazement, there was an almighty bang, quickly followed by the sound of about 20 people clapping. I flipped the chamber open and got cleared by the rep, and was then greeted by comments, ranging from "Well done Sir!" to "Yeah, that was pure arse" (from my mate!).

But I didn't care. I could walk off the range with my head held high and the honour of the Air Force intact.

It also helped that the incident was witnessed by my mate who I'd let tag along, so my legend status in the crew room was assured (for a week or two at least).

Great stuff - I think that qualifies as a 'hole in one'. One of the joys of shooting is when it all comes together and you pull off the perfect shot.

OOOooo ...

I'd like to have a Smith & Wesson Model 30. Cute and fun too for shooting .32 S&W Long.

I have that one's grandfather, a Smith & Wesson Model 1903 from 1917, of which your Model 30 is the direct descendant.