Just for fun

[Thumbcocker]

In the humor and off topic section I posted a link to a video showing film shot in 1935 if a 21 day canoe trip. It was pretty well received and I got to thinking, always dangerous, about what sidearm the boys might have taken on their adventure. I decided to start a thread about it. So here goes.

The year is 1935. You are going to spend 21 days on a wilderness canoe trip. You will be paddling and portaging everything you take. What handgun, only those available in 1935, do you take?

My answer: Colt Woodsman target with the 5 or 5 1/2" barrel (whichever was offered) and a 500 round brick of high speed hollow points. 2 spare magazines.

Reasons: Light weight for the time. Accurate. Not too loud. Some gun is better than no gun. Enough ammo to do lots of plinking.

What is your choice and why?

[Bmi48219]

Not to make a point of my ignorance but did anyone market a ‘high speed 22 LR hollow point’ in 1935 ?
I ask because I don’t remember seeing high speed LR when I started buying 22 ammo in 1961.

[Winger Ed.]

I'd be more of a Win. Model 12 or Browning Auto 5 shotgun guy.
I wouldn't be doing random plinking.

If I only had room for a sidearm:
If something needed shooting, I'd want to hit it pretty hard. So that would make me 'need' a .38Spec. or a 1911.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Maybe a 6" Colt Army Special in .32-20 if I could find one..... or an S&W. Would really prefer adjustable sights.

I wonder, did they offer .22s in 500 rd. bricks back in the 1930s? Wasn't there..... Seems like when I was a kid, in the 1950s, I only saw and purchased 22s in 50 rd. boxes.

DG

[tobywan45]

If I only had room for a sidearm it would be in a .45 the dilemma being a 1906 or in a single action .

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[rintinglen]

I'd have likely chosen a 22 revolver, maybe a big name, target model if I could afford it, or maybe an H&R or Iver Johnson. Though I could easily see a Woodsman, but they were pretty dear in the mid-30's for a depression era income.

[pworley1]

1911

[Loudenboomer]

Didn't see the original vid. So not sure where we're canoeing. Seen plenty of Brownies on the river banks in Alaska. Certain parts of the Rockey's in the lower 48 are not much better. If allowed two guns Slugs in a Model 97 or 12 Winchester and the 22 pistol would be best. If only allowed a pistol a .44 spl.
with heavy loads or one of the new fangled .357 magnums would be more my style.

[wilecoyote]

...canoe trip ?...1935 ? BAR 1918

[Mk42gunner]

Auto loader: Either the long barreled Colt Woodsman or the 6 3/4" High Standard Model B.

Revovler: S&W .22/.32 6" target Model (Beakart?) Precursor of the Kitgun, or any other good target sighted revolver.

Since canoes can be a bit tippy, I would want a good cleaning kit even if I bought the new fangled non corrosive primed ammo.

Robert

[Texas by God]

I would carry a Colt 1911 in .45 in a shoulder holster.


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[Txcowboy52]

Colt .45 SAA on my hip , with a box of ammo.

[littlejack]

1911 45acp or saa 45 Colt.

[35 Whelen]

A 4 3/4" Colt SAA in .44 Special with two handloads- A 246 gr. cast RN running around 750 fps for small game and a cast 250 gr. SWC running 1000 fps for hunting larger game and for defense.

35W

[gunther]

RinTinGlen: How did the plastic grips on your second model match target survive in such good shape for so long? Beautiful! Had a set curl away from the frame. Sigh.

[Thumbcocker]

Hemmingway wrote about "high speed greased hollow points" in several of his stories. In "The Last Good Country" Nick Adam's had a "carton" of .22 ammo for his rifle so I think 500 round bricks were around for a long time. Not everyone could afford to buy that much at once though. It was not uncommon for stores to sell shotgun shells or centerfire ammo individually to folks with limited cash.

[Thumbcocker]

Maybe a 6" Colt Army Special in .32-20 if I could find one..... or an S&W. Would really prefer adjustable sights.

I wonder, did they offer .22s in 500 rd. bricks back in the 1930s? Wasn't there..... Seems like when I was a kid, in the 1950s, I only saw and purchased 22s in 50 rd. boxes.

DG

My Dad, born in 1939, talked about being flush enough after baleing hay, to afford a 500 round "carton" of .22 ammo.

[rintinglen]

RinTinGlen: How did the plastic grips on your second model match target survive in such good shape for so long? Beautiful! Had a set curl away from the frame. Sigh.

I suspect it had to do with the storage of the gun, I bought it 4th hand, and though it has been heavily used, it was not abused, and was stored in a basement. The story I got was that the original owner had been a target shooter back in the 50's and had left it to his wife who later gave it to her nephew, a Fountain Valley police officer. He sold it to me about 13 years ago.

[bedbugbilly]

Some how, I can see one of them bring along a Luger that their father brought home from World War I.

My Dad - born 1908 - often talked about hunting with a group go guys in the 1920s and one of them was a WWI Vet who had a Luger that he had brought back. Dad always said how good he was with it and if he caught a bunny sitting, it was supper that night.

[Larry Gibson]

"Wilderness".......where?