- "Willed" To Me By My Dad ...

[Zeke311]

Just moved down here back in March. Fifteen days later, my Pop had a stroke as a complication from a quad-bypass nine months prior ... I was able to make it back to Syracuse in time to say goodbye, & make a decision with my Mom to remove him from life support - he fell on concrete, hit his head, & received an inoperable brain bleed & was immediately knocked out & into a self-induced coma ... he never regained consciousness again.

Sorry for the extensive details, ... it is just how I am, ...

Here are the three pistols he had, & left to me:

S&W Model 36 Chief's Special - Nickel Plated w/ a couple speed loaders & belt holders for them & a pictured leather holster.




Colt Auto .25. All original, matching everything, as pictured, along w/ cool leather holster ...





Davis Industries DM-22. I guess it is more or less called an over/under Derringer.





As far as the Chief's .38 Snub goes, I know he bought it brand new in the late-1960s, ... & the fifty rounds I have shot through it in the past three weeks are the most it had ever seen in the previous forty-five'ish years of its existence. It had not been fired in approximately fifteen years ... it was his carry when he drove armored truck for a casino - last time around 2000. Then it went into the safe.

I like it, but my hands are kind of too big for it, but my gf loves it.

Now, the 'lil Colt ... This pistol I absolutely love! This thing, to me, has a coolness factor of 10-out-of-10. Yeah, obviously if my hands are too big for the S&W, they are bigger on this, ... but w/ a big hand & a 6ft-5in frame, I can one-hand it w/ no problem because of its clear lack of any kick ... but it actually has some range to it when I have taken a bit of patience w/ it.

The Colt, as well, I know he bought brand new ... this one in the early-1970s. I did some investigating on this & found many earlier models were manufactured for Colt in Spain under the name Astra, ... until the early-70s when Colt started making them themselves right here in the US, & the US-made Colt models have serials that begin w/ "OD". This one begins w/ ... "OD". :^)

I have shot a box of fifty through it in the past couple weeks, ... before then? My Dadaybe had shot twenty through it, & it had easily not been fired since the late-70s, ... when I was around five or six yrs old. Fires like new.

Lastly is the Derringer. This is only maybe twenty years old, or so ... & had six rounds put through it as I actually heard them at a distance. Then it sat on a shelf. I have not done a thing with it since having it in my possession, & likely won't, ... actually, will probably sell it, even though I know I would not get much for it even though it is basically brand new & everything from retail is present.

I want to get either a .40 or 9mm subcompact semi-auto as a carry, which will probably mean I will have to sell either the S&W or the Colt. GF loves the SW, but she will never end up with a CCW, & I just love the Colt even though I know what it essentially is: Not much more than the Derringer ... power-wise, per se.

Eh, who knows ... just participating in this "Show & Tell".

Thanks, folks!

Edited October 5, 2015 by Zeke311

[teecro]

Sorry for the loss of your father....

 

If they had been willed to me from my father there is absolutely no way I'd trade or sell any of them ever....

[peejman]

Sorry for your loss. Treasure the heirlooms.

[Spots]

Don't sell them. They make fantastic plastic semi's everyday but you can never buy your dad's guns back. Even if you bought the same model it'll lack the history.

Sent from behind the anvil

[Pete123]

I have to triple the thoughts not to sell them.  They need to go down through the generations.  That colt pocket pistol is completely awesome.

[Grand Torino]

Sorry about the loss of your dad. Don't loss his pistolas if you can help it.

[DaveTN]

Sorry for your loss.
That looks to me like a Nickle, Square butt, Model 36.

[bigun]

Sorry about your loss and praying for your family. Don't sell or you'll regret it later, and you can never replace.

[Caster]

I will agree with the others in the 'don't sell' sentiment only if they hold real value to YOU.
You can't answer this question here (well, I guess you could, but you shouldn't). If you have strong positive memories and the peices left you bolster those memories then you will most certainly regret parting with them. If you don't, sell them and get something you want. Most people here would be in the first category.
A few of us would be shed of them at the first gunshow and come home with something new.

In the end, only you can make that decision. Just know, it's rare to be able to get second chance. Usually, when they're gone, they're gone. Edited October 5, 2015 by Caster

[Tuffus]

Sorry for your loss. Don't sell the guns. You will be sorry if you do later on. I have a friend that's very anti gun but she inherited a S&W model 60 from her dad that she won't sell for any price. She never knew he owned a gun until after he died and it was in his will to give it to her. Checking the serial numbers it was made the first year they made the model 60 so he had it a long time. Still looks brand new and it lives in the box it came in. Once a year she lets me take it out and make sure it's oiled up and resting comfortably.

[Wingshooter]

Sorry about the loss of your dad.

I couldn't sell the guns. They are very nice even without the history, but I'd treasure them for the sentimental value. I'd find something else to sell, or save or utilize layaway to get the new gun. I always like to grow a collection :)

[Dolomite_supafly]

Not sure if it my eyes or the small screen of my iPhone but the Colt looks like it has a hammer. If it does please let me know the model. It would be a cool little pistol.

[Spots]

Not sure if it my eyes or the small screen of my iPhone but the Colt looks like it has a hammer. If it does please let me know the model. It would be a cool little pistol.

Yeah the colt has a hammer when I blow the picture up. Also I think the S&W is a model 36 not a model 38. I'd love to have a lil snub nosed like that for carry.

Sent from behind the anvil

[Zeke311]

Not sure if it my eyes or the small screen of my iPhone but the Colt looks like it has a hammer. If it does please let me know the model. It would be a cool little pistol.

You are absolutely seeing the exposed hammer. It is a Colt Automatic .25, made by Colt, 1970 or 71 ... according to their website Serial lookup.

[Zeke311]

Yeah the colt has a hammer when I blow the picture up. Also I think the S&W is a model 36 not a model 38. I'd love to have a lil snub nosed like that for carry.

Sent from behind the anvil

Yes, it is absolutely a 36 ... it was a typo in the OP ... I fixed it. It is 100% a "MOD. 36" CS.

Also, ... my FFL here looked it up in a book before I had a chance to in a book & apparently the 36 came in two different barrel lengths ... a 2" & a 1 x/x ... this is the shorter of the two.

[Zeke311]

Yeah the colt has a hammer when I blow the picture up. Also I think the S&W is a model 36 not a model 38. I'd love to have a lil snub nosed like that for carry.

Sent from behind the anvil

What is available out there for a carry holster for a SW 36 ... for CCW ... belt &/or "pocket"?

Thanks ... Actually, this is a question anyone could offer some info on. I know the one left with the gun really is not anything worthwhile, ... & least in my eyes ... maybe, besides something completely custom, it is about as best as I am going to get.

[DaveTN]

What is available out there for a carry holster for a SW 36 ... for CCW ... belt &/or "pocket"?

Thanks ... Actually, this is a question anyone could offer some info on. I know the one left with the gun really is not anything worthwhile, ... & least in my eyes ... maybe, besides something completely custom, it is about as best as I am going to get.

I would guess most any holster known to man is made for a J-frame, its the most popular small revolver in the world. Just depends on how you want to carry. That outside the waistband thumb break looks exactly like what I would want, is it not in good condition?

I would never carry a gun in my pocket, but especially not one with an exposed hammer. Edited October 5, 2015 by DaveTN

[Zeke311]

I would guess most any holster known to man is made for a J-frame, its the most popular small revolver in the world. Just depends on how you want to carry. That outside the waistband thumb break looks exactly like what I would want, is it not in good condition?

I would never carry a gun in my pocket, but especially not one with an exposed hammer.

Oh, no, it is in great shape. Just did not know if maybe over the course of time something better had not come along. Didn't know to what extent if there was something more direct fit for this, or if things are somewhat generic for revolvers, per se.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Is there a model number on the Colt? I might have found another project. Imagine it with a 22 silencer.

[1madss]

Take a look at a Tyler T-grip for your M36. I have them on all of my K-Frames and they do a great job of filling my hand with the magna grips. They also keep the old-school look.

[A.J. Holst]

Is there a model number on the Colt? I might have found another project. Imagine it with a 22 silencer.

James Bond cool.

[tacops]

I grew up hearing my Dad say "the only way I will let go of my guns will be to feed the family".  He's passed now and I have his weapons in the back of the safe.  They periodically get cleaned, admired and returned to the safe.  I have mine for shooting.  It's a personal choice but I would keep them.  Very sorry to hear about your Dad.

[nightrunner]

Is there a model number on the Colt? I might have found another project. Imagine it with a 22 silencer.

Looks to be a Colt Junior.

[Caddy096]

Still have the derringer? Txt me 413 537 5543 figures worth a shot

[FUJIMO]