Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns The Holy Grail of handguns?

Okay guys, what's your "Holy Grail" of handguns. Meaning...what's that ONE handgun you've always wanted and figured you'd never own?

For me, it would have to be a fully accessorized Artillery Luger. 32 Round snail drum magazine, Board/Flap holster and all.

My first impulse was to say the Luger Carbine, which is cooler but...uh...it's a CARBINE dummy (sometimes I ain't so bright).

Factory engraved, Ivory stocked Smith & Wesson 1950 Target .44 Special with a four inch barrel. Of course there would be a hand tooled George Lawrence holster and belt to go with it.

Kevin

Truth is, I've owned or easily could have owned every handgun I've ever coveted. Even the vaunted Auto-Mag, which turned out to be a great single shot blaster with a grip like a 2X4.

So, if I had to make a choice, I'd love to find an example of one of Armand Swenson's lovely 1970s vintage 1911 custom jobs. I'd want his full package. He was both a functional gun-maker and an artisan.

http://www.coolgunsite.com/comm_pistols/custom/swenson/swenson.htm

Dan

Honestly, I just don't know.

If I wanted Lugers, I could have them today. Same with most any other out there.

The only three that spring to mind, and vaguely at that, are the Schofield, the M1909 Colt, and the Colt 1861 Army Conversion (had my hands on an original one of these, once, and shot it...... oh baby.....)

Colt Bisily in 38-40, 43/4 or 51/2 barrel. I had one in 32-20, but it was a beater!
John

Had most of everything I really wanted, but today it would most likely be a custom Wilson Combat of some version, just because.

Or a no dash 6 1/2" S&W Model 29

Or a 4" Colt Python

Or a 36 caliber 1851 Navy Colt

Or a...................

MM

Yep, same here, actually. I always drool over them when I see a nice one under glass. Something has always kept me from buying one, though. Probably the price had something to do with it. Also, the lack of a real mission for it, other than to hold it in my hands and look at it.

I have owned just about every handgun i have ever really wanted except one, the AMT 44 Auto Mag. Maybe one day.

Cole Younger's 2nd model American in the Russian calibre taken off of him by a Sheriff after the Northfield Bank robbery and passed down to family members since. It sold for the first time, a few years back. I believe it fetched $104,000 at the time. Probably a bargain.

colt bisley 38-40 always loved the 38-40

I watched a lot of westerns as a kid and always wanted one of those Colt six-shooters that could fire 40-50 rounds without a reload. I know they gotta be pricey though.

1st Gen Colt SAA in 45colt or a 1950 Target in 44spl

A pre WWII S&W .357 mag preferably one of the early registered guns. Second choice is a S&W New Model 3 .44 Russian.

Original Smith & Wesson Model 1950

Since this is all pretend, I'll break it into two catagories.

Holy Grail handguns I can never own;
General Patton's SAA, Elmer's #5, and for dry-firing while watching movies-----------John Wayne's pair of Great Westerns gifted to him by same, and he worn in The Shootist.


Holy Grail handguns I just can't afford;
This one for sure
http://www.bowenclassicarms.com/NEW/Projects.htm#Another_Engraved_Smith_&_Wesson_N-frame

A early 2nd gen SAA in .45 Colt, 4.75", engraved, with ivory stocks.
A Larry Vicker's 1911.
A full-house custom High Power from Novak.

Save your money, you have a better than 80% chance of being disappointed. Most were not very reliabile at all...accurate as all get out, but not very reliable. Making ammo is a PIA and cases only last 2-3 loadings because the .308 base case is thick and hard. There are some tricks you can do to extend case life, but I always found the best was was to chit-can the whole thing and buy a S&W 29.

Mine would be a pristine Registered Magnum with all the goodies- box, paperwork, etc.

Second choice would be a mint/blued 6" Colt Python.

Elmer Keith's Triple Lock 44 spl.

BMT

Jeff Cooper's 1911.

General Patton's SAA
A Vickers 1911
A Yost full custom 1911
Dirty Harry's 44 (the one used in the flicks - not any old S&W)
A Jardine:

This one don't suck: