Scotland Yard CID Service Revolvers?

[Ally]

You have no idea. I should get a nomination for sainthood for all the times I've resisted temptation. Nah. I've never felt a real urge to shoot anyone for being stupid though I have on occasion wished for a convenient lightning bolt to come shooting out of the sky.

[ChrisGeorge]

Swanson's pistol

http://antiqueguns.biz/guns/ripper.htm

Described as follows:

This very rare brass frame Tranter pistol was made in England in the 1880's in caliber .22 short (marked .230 cal). This 7 shot revolver has a removable ejection rod stored in the grip.

It is accompanied with an original period leather pocket protector holster with loops for wearing on belt.

The Vintage Silver oval escutcheon inserted into the back of the grip is a very finely made and bears the inscription "to: Donald Swanson 1882" - with the family motto: "Per Deum Et Rege" ( Latin: "By God and My King") and the "Ducal (or Baronial) Coronet" over the monogram "AB" (or "BA")

[Bob Hinton]

Swansons pistol

Yes but this wasn't his service pistol, it was what was known as a Salon pistol. Pistol shooting was very popular in Victorian times and a number of shooting salons were set up.

These were places like a gentlemans club where you could go and shoot a few targets in your lunch break. Because they were just normal premises only very low powered cartridges could be used, hence the .22 short, which has only slightly more stopping power than a thrown egg, indeed there is a school of thought that says slightly less!

There is a famous watercolour of London Streets (possibly by Grimshaw) and in between the other shops is a Shooting Salon.

[ChrisGeorge]

Hi Bob

Yes I thought someone would think I was indicating that Swanson's pistol was a service pistol. But I didn't say that and neither did the website I referred to.

All the best

Chris

[Bob Hinton]

Not mentioned.

Hi Bob

Yes I thought someone would think I was indicating that Swanson's pistol was a service pistol. But I didn't say that and neither did the website I referred to.

All the best

Chris

Oh yes I realise that but I felt sure that someone would post about it being a pretty poor choice for a manstopper - I thought I would head them off at the pass.

[Ally]

I have a darling little .22 mini-revolver. I've always wanted to be mugged and whip that out, then while the bad guys are wetting themselves from laughter, I can run away.

[tji]

I have a darling little .22 mini-revolver. I've always wanted to be mugged and whip that out, then while the bad guys are wetting themselves from laughter, I can run away.

Pmsl, Now who said guns had to be violent!!!?

tj

[Pontius2000]

if a .22 round goes in a skull, it will not go out the other side. it will instead ricochet off the inside of the skull and bounce around like a pinball, turning the brain into mashed potatoes. and since there is almost no recoil, it's easier to hit a mark with a .22 than a large caliber. so they can be as deadly, or even more deadly, than a .38 or .40.

just saying, stop picking on .22 calibers.

[Supe]

Pilate,

just saying, stop picking on .22 calibers.

When you say .22 caliber, what do you mean, .22LR? There are many different cartridges available that use a bullet that is nominally.22 caliber in diameter, including the NATO 5.56 (.223) round that would do a lot more than skid to a stop inside a skull. for that matter, there are .22 Long Rifle loadings that would leave entry and exit wounds in the head. When talking calibers you need to be pecific about the actual cartridge and the loading.

Don.

[Pontius2000]

Pilate,

just saying, stop picking on .22 calibers.

When you say .22 caliber, what do you mean, .22LR? There are many different cartridges available that use a bullet that is nominally.22 caliber in diameter, including the NATO 5.56 (.223) round that would do a lot more than skid to a stop inside a skull. for that matter, there are .22 Long Rifle loadings that would leave entry and exit wounds in the head. When talking calibers you need to be pecific about the actual cartridge and the loading.

Don.

yes, I'm talking about a .22 LR as that's the only .22 I've ever shot. but I imagine they all work about the same.

[Bob Hinton]

.22lr

if a .22 round goes in a skull, it will not go out the other side. it will instead ricochet off the inside of the skull and bounce around like a pinball, turning the brain into mashed potatoes. and since there is almost no recoil, it's easier to hit a mark with a .22 than a large caliber. so they can be as deadly, or even more deadly, than a .38 or .40.

just saying, stop picking on .22 calibers.

The problem with a .22LR is that you have to hit someone in a vital spot to kill them or even slow them down. You get a .38 or a .40 in the thigh or the arm and I can guarantee it’s going to sting.

Having said that my back up pistol for years was a .22LR. It was a little flat self loader called a VP70, I think it was made by Bernadelli I’m not sure. It had a 2 ¼” barrel and I used to feed it with hollow nose CCI Stingers. These had a muzzle velocity faster than a .44 Magnum and when they hit made a hole the size of a.38. At close range they could also pierce a car door, hit the driver but stay within his body, which made it ideal for built up areas.

When I was practising on a twice weekly basis I could hit a dinner plate at 100 yards with it.

I believe certain State forces in America use a .22LR version of the Thompson with a 500 round magazine as they find it ideal to stop a vehicle without stray rounds taking out half the county.

[Stephen Thomas]

I have a darling little .22 mini-revolver. I've always wanted to be mugged and whip that out, then while the bad guys are wetting themselves from laughter, I can run away.

Very funny Ally

And there's always the Crocodile Dundee option

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01NHcTM5IA4

[Steve S]

Back to the 1880's...The Webley Bulldog was a civilian.short-barrel version of the 1868 RIC model...Both were solid-frame,unlike the break-open later models...Watson's model would have been one of these two...Officers bought their own pistols,as long as they took government issue ammo.The Official Army issue at the time was the 1882 Enfield,still used by the RCMP to the early 20th century.
Steve

[Bob Hinton]

1882 Enfield

Back to the 1880's...The Webley Bulldog was a civilian.short-barrel version of the 1868 RIC model...Both were solid-frame,unlike the break-open later models...Watson's model would have been one of these two...Officers bought their own pistols,as long as they took government issue ammo.The Official Army issue at the time was the 1882 Enfield,still used by the RCMP to the early 20th century.
Steve

Anyone else agree with me that this pistol was one of the ugliest ever made?

[Steve S]

Completely........well,drawing with the Nagant..........