The ASP: An Early Subcompact 9mm for Sneaky People
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 มิ.ย. 2024
- / forgottenweapons
The ASP was a custom take of the S&W Model 39 autoloading pistol developed by a man named Paris Theodore in the 1970s. Theodore made a wide variety of sneaky James-Bond-like guns for various clients, but is best know for the ASP. At the time, it was one of the best options for a subcompact pistol in a full-power pistol cartridge (9x19). In addition to cutting down the slide and grip and dehorning the whole gun, the sights were replaced with Theodore's proprietary "guttersnipe" sights to provide a very fast (and "accurate enough") sight picture for close quarters shooting.
When Theodore sold his business in the late 70s, it was purchased by folks who continued to make the ASP pistols in Wisconsin, where this particular one came from.
My understanding is that part of the justification for the "guttersnipe" is that it avoided the need for a front sight blade, eliminating yet another potential place the gun might snag on when being drawn quickly.
I think you're right actually, in 3 separate occasions when I was drawing my piece, it snagged on the cottons I was wearing. I still managed to get my shots in first though but was a close call on all 3 occasions.
Only fat people habe that problem
@@infamoushokage7697
Seems like the gun was made for more sneaky, spy-like uses. Like say, you're an undercover cop and you're keeping your gun in a purse. Maybe the front sight will get caught on an inside pouch or the lip of the purse. 1970 police and CIA seemed to be wearing suits and those detective trench jackets and slacks. Ties and such were still in. It would probably be snagged on say, suits, jackets, bags, possibly ties, the back of the pants where one might tuck the gun into, etc.
I also feel that fat people wouldn't have as much of a problem. From what I've noticed, a lot more fat people wear clothing thats too small for them (possibly from denial), and tighter clothing would result in less snagging.
Thats just my opinion though.
@@ksm1985 Yeah, those paper targets at the gun range sure can draw quick, gotta watch it or they'll pop you before you can even get your Dirty Harry "Do you feel lucky, Punk" out from behind your teeth.
That is correct, these guns were meant for deep concealment, often a pocket. Today many pocket guns have very small rounded sights for the same reason. Also the Sig P365 SAS is a modern take on the ASP. That is why it has no traditional Front sight and the takedown lever/slide stop changed to be snag free
When the ASP was new I wanted but could not afford it. Fast forward forty years- still want it still cannot afford it. Still great for Ian to give a demo and history on a ground breaking pistol.
Make a GoFondMe page and hope some folks help you own one.
Good luck and godspeed you getting one.
Interesting video.
@Wet Johnny e-begging is the way of the future
@Wet Johnny I was about to jump the gun and say "implying that e-begging is bad", before I realized that you didn't actually imply that.
The message I finally decided on putting in this awfully long-winded comment is as follows: "And...?"
@Wet Johnny if you can't even afford essentials the best thing to do is commit and stop living off other people
Now you can buy a SIG SAS and it will have night sights. You probably already bought it since this video is old.
One of the reasons I love seeing Ian at Shot Show is his smirk when someone says "first time it's been done" or "this radical new idea we're implementing." Because you know he has seen it before on some random firearm from 40-100 years ago. That guttersnipe sight reminded me of the new sig xray sights.
Shout-out to all the people who know this pistol from Call Of Duty Black Ops 1.
Lol that game was fun
+The Ghost of the Flying Dutchman RIGHT!?
I don't remember it in Snake Eater.
Brap Brap or those who know it from its parent, the smith and Wesson model 39.
um, you dummy
Operation 40, bay of pigs. Remember, Mason.
7-15-1-2-19-7-25-6-13-6-7-15-14-0
@@labmanatlarge "the Rusalka. where Castro gifted me to Dragovich"
James Bond in the 'newer' novels (not written by Ian Fleming) used the ASP for almost as long as the PPK.
The PPK is a peashooter, anyway.
That is not true in the slightest. .32 ACP (European ammo, not the stupid downloaded American target ammo) is an extremely viable round, .380 ACP even more so. All bullets can kill you.
Red McCloud aren’t those rounds made specifically for self defence
John Gardner's James Bond novels where I first heard of this pistol. Of all the forgotten weapons in the world, the ASP is my all time favorite. Like the Bren Ten from the television series Miami Vice, the ASP saw very few media appearances in movies and television. Apart from Commando (1985) and I also understand that one was going to be used in Cobra (1986), but the scenes were it appeared were deleted.
As a proud second generation James Bond fan, I really enjoyed reading Carte Blanche. It was a nice touch by author Jeffery Dever, to arm 007 with the Walther PPS in .40 S&W. If you have not read the John Gardner books (published from 1981-1996), I highly recommend them. Bond begins using the ASP 9 in the fourth book, Role Of Honor (published in 1984) and uses all the way thought to the last book in the series Cold Fall.
ASP: A Sneaky Pistol, A Stealthy Pistol, A Small Pistol, A Smelly Peacock, etc. Take your pick.
A Smelly Peacock
A smoll pp
@@tronalddrump1193 A Small Penis
Active Self Protection
A Suboptimal Pie
That sight makes me think I should be shooting into a thermal exhaust port because it looks kinda like the sight used in that star wars scene.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought that lol
+Cameron Jenkins
"Stay on target."
+Sam Buffington
"Stay on target!!"
+Cameron Jenkins you switched off your targeting computer, whats wrong?!
Use the aimbot, Luke.
Sheesh. I once passed up a chance to get one of those for under $500. Came from a probate sale and sat on the shelf at a local gun shop for a long time because nobody could find the right spare magazines that would fit it.
8digitPDX I wonder if the regular S&W 39 magazines would work with it?
I was just thinking the same thing
.. and it sold at auction for $6000 ...
Aye but even from the other side of Atlantic I can see you are buying HISTORY.
+Vincent Lok Yeah, but it was a presentation set. That's a big deal in this kind of thing.
first time I heard of this gun was in Call of Duty, it's cool to see such a rare gun in person.
yeah me too. I thought it was a really cool gun in that game. Wasn't sure if it was a real gun or not because I hadn't heard about it.
+Filipe Amaral I just rekt everyone with the makarov honestly.
+UserUnknown
And the CZ75 blew it and every other gun out of the water.
You sure? Dual python was pretty legit.
Clone Trooper Two words. Full. Auto.
Those sights are very interesting. Like 'one-point-perspective' drawings. I can see how in a pinch, with adrenaline at the max, there are sensible, instinctive, common-sense features that maximise deployment speed with the best grip. Love the book title too!
Would probably be great for a scenario where you had to arm someone with little experience as well.
DEA, CIA ...RIA...
John Ratko The plot thickens...
Tep, why
RIC, RUC, CPD, B.I.G., NYC, J-M-Z...
DMV... YMCA... BLT with cheese
DMX... Jay-Z... LL Cool J... Mickey D...
Ian, I really enjoy Forgotten Weapons. You get me interested in firearms that I previously thought I could care less about. While it's not good for my pocket book, I do love the information and history of these guns. Please keep it up. You do a real service for all gun enthusiasts.
Thanks!
Tell me about it every time i see a cool rifle or something i go out and try and find it lol i had 2 guns before i subscribed now i have 8 :p thanks Ian, sorry bank account
Daniel Bruce
will pugh
couldn't care less about you mean. Lol
im surprised the gutter sights arent more popular, id love this on my sks or a shot gun
will pugh I was hoping to get a set on whatever carry gun I chose, but sadly they aren't as popular they probably should be. no front sight to snag.
River Styx Armory lets get some investors and start this bad boy up!
will pugh wish it was that easy. the sights are available, but from what I can tell usually a special order [read: long wait time] only. what would help is a giant billboard showing that their are more options than plain blade and notch
River Styx Armory why would anyone want something besides plain edge. Serrations are for lazy people that have no clue about sharpening a knife.
Frank Stadelmann are you being serious? it's a discussion about handgun sights, not knives.
Blops 1 quickest reload ever
Mackenzie Ross +plus sleight of hand, and either spamming with middle finger or mouse spam
In all honesty if you knew how to use it, quite over powered lol
Funniest shit ever, to run out of ammo after killing one guy and have another mag in by the time you can Click at someone else. And then you have run out
Fastest shooting with an auto clicker or modded controller
In real life, reloading is difficult, but the fire rate is slightly fast
shout out to all my black ops 1 players who assassinated fidel castros body double.
James Bond himself actually used one in the John Gardner continuation of Fleming's novels.
@ Spleen Arrow, Indeed he did. Beginning in the 1984 novel, Role Of Honor and continuing up to the 1996 novel Coldfall, James Bond was armed with an ASP. Gardner also had 007 load his ASP with Glaser Safety Slugs (an early frangible bullet) for greater stopping power. If I had the money, I would defiantly get an ASP for my James Bond collection.
Something that might interest you, from 2002-2007 gun smith Jonathan Deval produced the ASP 2000. It is a tribute pistol based Paris Theodore's original blueprints. Like the ASP, which is a customized Smith & Wesson 39, the ASP 2000 is a customized Smith & Wesson 3913 pistol. The pistol is custom modified for fast instinct shooting. The standard sights are replaced with a 'guttersnipe' which is for fast reflex shooting, the grips have a transparent window to check how many rounds are left and various edges are burnished and a cut out for left or right handed shooting are cut into the trigger guard.
@@JB0071051982brother I just met his son. I'm with Siad Theodore now and he has all the info about him in writing a book about Paris. Im from Ohio and I went to NYC and I met with Paris's son. He created the ASP it was his company Armaments, Systems, and procedures. He also created the quell system. That's why he's called q like the real James Bond he really is and he created all modern spy weaponry and the briefcase and the appendix holster and the ankle holster etc. reach out if you want to know more. I'm with the family now
I once saw one of these at a gun show in Hickory. NC. The friend I was with recognized it instantly and was stunned to find it there. For me, it was the first time I ever heard of it, and I still wish I'd had the cash to pay the shockingly low asking price.
I remember seeing this gun back in video games (cod black ops 1) and actually fell in love with the design and smooth characteristics and can not wait to get one myself
Good luck getting one.
I have a copy of the Shooters Bible from 1973. The cost of a blued Model 39 is $173.50. So in total, the customer would be spending around $473.50.
Lucas Hagg that was the era my gramps bought his Colt Commander. I asked him what he paid for it, and he said "less than $200", if I remember correctly. That was a good price even then for either a model 39 or a commander.
He mentions the collector kit was actually $875 in contemporary money.
I’m sorry $1875 in the 1980s...wow. Like Les Baer for compact 9mm.
so getting your normal pistol turned into an ASP was like pack-a-punching it, you had to give them a gun and money and they upgrade it
Communism and peace XD
uh yeah thats how it works almost everywhere. you buy a gun, send it to someone and pay them money to trick it out.
LMFAO
Watching this videos 7 years after it was uploaded, and it's really interesting that there is a 1970's gun with that kind of sights, today there is a pocket 9mm pistol with a similar sight system. That's the Sig Sauer P 365 SAS.
I read awhile back that this is the gun used by Sully (played by David Patrick Kelly) in the movie "Commando" when he was escaping from Matrix in the shopping mall scene.
The title is clever
ASP stands for An early sub-compact 9mm pistol for, Sneaky, People
JugularSpeed 77 wow they even included the word "early" even tho at the time it was perfectly modern? What a company with vision!
This is 100% false.
@@wollsmoth69 shocker
@@woah5546 Indeed
Tunasub bruh I was tryna be clever when I was 14. Go away
I remember learning about the ASP in the 1970s when I carried a S&W 39-2. At that time the pistol cost around $135 but the custom work would cost you almost $375 as I recall. That was "obscene" - to think of a nearly $525 compact carry gun. The Devel conversion came along around the same time with a bit less extravagance.
In 1990, S&W released a commercialized version based on the 3900-series pistols in production. The first gun was the Model 3913 Ladysmith.
There was also a model 3913NL and 3914NL which were the same gun without the "Ladysmith" logo. The 3913 was a stainless gray alloy frame while the 3914 was black anodized alloy.
I have a well used 3914NL that has been an excellent carry gun and it's easily as quick & accurate as you'd want a small 9mm to be.
i really wish these were still made it seems like the best ccw ever made.
ahahah how can people honestly think a gun made in the 70s could be in any way equal to something modern, what a bunch of dummies
**still considers the 1911 to be the best handgun of all times, looks up to the sky every time he mentions Browning**
tehgreatvak lol, so true
+tehgreatvak Cz 75 was designed in the 70s, that pistol is not only held in high regard, but is also still very good.
I know, I was poking fun at my own cognitive dissonance.
+WVgregWV depends on the model. The AKM is a fantastic weapon but is by far not the best.
+Mikhail Blagodarov I think most people think of AK 47 when mentioning AK in general. Probably due to its reputation for reliably firing even when covered in mud.
This has to be my favorite sub compact 9mm, I wish someone made reproductions.
got a link?
Check out a used S&W model 3913, single stack 9mm 8 round mag. S&W liked this idea and ran with it. Still have mine from the '90s and it's the most accurate 9mm I own.
Finally. A gun you can take to the library.
NAA guardian
I have been watching your content for a couple of years now, i can not explain but there is something extremely soothing in your videos, always calms me down, when i feel any disturbance or overexcitement i just go and watch how weapons work. Thank you your channel is definitely unique in a special way.
I love guttersnipe or trench sights, especially on the Colt New Agent.
"Hold on, sir! I must retrieve my comically huge book. But it is in no way hiding a weapon."
Funny thing about that is it was mostly empty space inside
Wow 7 extra magazines with that gun, that particular guy was literally prepared for the worst case scenario.
Just to note, the two pistols in this vid are both set up for right-handers, there's a relief cut on the trigger guard to allow the trigger finger to rest against the guard. You could also order the pistol with a left-hand/trigger finger relief cut.
GREAT video. This is a really neat historical item, for sure. Thanks for the effort you put into this production.
im not even a gun enthusiast, but i really enjoy these videos. keep it up man
Now that's an interesting piece of design and history O_o Thanks, Ian.
The algorithm fed me this gem from the past, was really happy to view it!
Funny I just now remembered that time Alex Mason killed Castro’s body double with the ASP in Call of Duty Black Ops. Man the fact this gun was made in the 60s really show the attention to detail the developers put in that game
Sterling Archer *always* remembers how many rounds were fired in a firefight
Pretty sure he's used an ASP as well, just can't recall which series/episode.
I've wanted one of these ever since I read an article about in a gun magazine. Not only are they priced out of my range, their magazine are out of my price range too. I've even hoped that someone would make clear plastic grips for the Makarov so I could have a pseudo ASP :-(
The saddest part is that if I ever actually did own one of these I'd absolutely never carry it.
@Toupee Ron and subsequently have it confiscated by the police until all of the details were worked out if you ever had to use it. say bye bye to it for at least a couple years until that happens. would be stupid to carry something so valuable today when there are far cheaper options to have get tied up in red tape.
I love stuff like this-you can tell how much thought went into all the features.
My 2nd carry gun was a S&W 39-2. Competed, carried it. Came within ounces of using it. Then it started doubling. Timer caught rapid double taps. As multiple Officers, couple .gov involved it was “suggested” I get it fixed. Must admit the thought of 2 rd burst with 8+1 sounded good back then. It never did 3 (or more)
This weapon is a marvel in its own right. Everything about it is well thought out and quite a bit is extremely well engineered. I was first introduced to it in Call of Duty: Black Ops, with its weird sights and slim, smooth profile I was intrigued. After quite a bit of research, I was shocked that the also-known-as Trench Sights hadn't caught on! They seemed to be rather effective in a few cases cited out in the real world, and the no-catch-ever design is something that continues to impress me, years later.
There are a lot of good concealed carry weapons on the market, but honestly?
Were I to ever have the luxury of choosing, precisely, what sidearm I wanted to be there in case I needed it, the ASP is absolutely my number one choice.
I nearly bought a Devel back in the late 70s, but went Detonics instead... Keeoing track of how many rounds fired was one of the motivations behind USAAF air crews using pieces of shot out windows and cockpits to make grips for their issue 45s. German Luftwaffe may have done the same thing because I have seen both an old Luger and an old P38 with plexiglas grip panels.
I knew sooner or later you'd uncover one of these!! Glad to finally see it.
A friend of mine had one back in the 70s from Mr. Theodor's shop. It didn't work right and was plagued with feeding issues. My friend got Mr. Theodor on the phone and was told, "That's impossible! I worked those guns over to where they'd feed empty cases." My friend took a moment to try a magazine full of empty cases, and just as advertised, the empties did feed. Too bad he explained to Mr. Theodor that they would not feed live ammo. The gun went back and the feeding issues were resolved.
Best channel for the coolest firearms along with TFB...
ASP+duel weld+steady aim= the same power as every other pistol in black ops one haha
RJ McKinney asp+ slight of hand pro + good trigger finger = best pistol in the game
Steampunx facts
So true. Dual wield on those was an absolute waste.
th-cam.com/video/ritkrrfUK3M/w-d-xo.html
It shot so fast in BO1.
That's one cool weapon. I wish all guns had a clear window like those. Thanks.
I remember reading about these in the gun magazines back in the early 1970s.
It’s right there in the name:
Aneasilyconcealed9mmfor
Sneaky
People
Honestly that's not too obscene a cost for a boutique custom handgun. COUGHwilsoncombatCOUGH
This pistol truly inspires. I remember I wrote an article about it just because I was so excited about the ASP.
I'm with the son of the father, Paris Theodore who created the company ASP armaments systems and procedures now
I have often wondered about the ASP. Thanks for doing a video on it.
"1970's" , " sneaky things in dark places"
* scene fades in on the NYC skyline at nighttime*
My imagination leads me to believe that back in 1970, this gun was carried concealed into a nightclub in Manhattan by undercover CIA operative Michael T. Dawson posing as a Soviet nationalist. His mission was to infiltrate the underbelly of New York City's suspected Soviet spy ring to gather intel on their secret sleeper agent operations inside the United States.
The meeting inside the club quickly went south as the Russian crime lord Nikolai Novikov who Dawson was there to meet did not recognize him or the dialect of Russian that agent Dawson was speaking, as he caimed to hail from the same region of the Motherland as Novikov. He called Dawson out on his phony Russian accent and he knew at that moment that they had made him. His cover was blown.
He instinctively grabs the bottle of Vodka sitting on the desk in the meeting room, smashes it over the head of the henchmen sitting adjacent to him, as the other henchmen in the room realize whats happened, they fumble to draw their weapons on Dawson but its too late. Dawson quickly draws his concealed .9mm ASP pistol. Before Novikov can react, he puts two rounds in his head from across the desk. A firefight ensues...* scene fades out* .you decide how the movie ends....
This comment deserves more likes. Excellent scriptwriting.
Soviet Nationalist? Communism is the opposite of nationalism, lol.
@@StoopidAnimul Yeah, a little research gap right there. "Дружба народов" was like, the hottest thing going in SSR.
Three years later, but shouldn't he be FBI, operating on domestic soil? CIA charter forbids them from working inside the U.S. but the FBI have counter-espionage as part of their mandate.
It would be cool if someone applied the ASP concept to a Glock 26.
i love the look of the sights on that gun.
I can understand you don’t have control over the advertisement. I do like your show. I Drool every time you present a broom hand Mauser.
It kinda looks like a walther p88 compact.
Other 70's notable 9mm compact firearm is the HK P7. I would like to see a review on this one.
Those sights somehow remind me of the trapezoid sights on Steyr pistols. Dont know if the idea is in any way similar though.
The great grandfather of the Smith & Wesson Shield thousands of people carry. Very cool.
These videos are addictive. MOAR!!!!
This gun reminds me of Call of duty: Black ops 1
It is
first pistol you unlock
Derpy Aura Same gun, albeit a decade too soon. Still a cool piece for sneaky people.
this gun is satisfying
(Apologies if I duplicate a previous comment....) Since we're all quarantined, I've been binge watching your previous episodes. S&W liked this idea and ran with it producing the S&W model 3913, single stack 9mm 8 round mag. Still have mine from the '90s and it's the most accurate 9mm I own. The only problem with the S&W autos of this time is that due to the rather high bore axis they are susceptible to return to battery issues due to "Limp Wristing."
great vid. I saw a video recently with Jerry Mitchulek where he said he likes smooth grips for same reason. The asp was ahead of its time
I'd really like to try something with that sighting system. Do any modern weapons have something similar?
Did this give birth to the 3913 series then the later CS guns by S&W? I remember these from wasted youth reading gun magazines.
+KNiteshft Yes, S&W tried to cater to that market, especially after Theodore's business went bankrupt.
I've always wanted to own one of these. Beautifully designed
this gun has always fascinated me
I thought it would be pronounced A-S-P
007 uses an ASP in at least one of the John Gardner written James Bond novels.
Role of Honor 👍🏻
@@Ryan-lz8zm Everything from Role of Honour until his last: Cold. Mike Grell's late-'80s 007 graphic novels also used the ASP.
Oh man, I am so jealous. Ian, you must have the coolest job in the world being able to show these off.
The sights: "Use the force, Luke. Use the force." - Ingenious gun. Really. Love it.
Anyone else getting kids toys for related videos?
This Guy I got a couple of those and some videos on learning the alphabet and shapes. What's up with that?
***** Kids gotta stay strapped 'nah mean?
I think it has something to do with the education category.
no, I did get an attack helicopter one though...oh bby
Yep thinking it something with the wording of the title but can't figure out what.
Profession: Sneaky Person
Neat video. I carried a Detonics .45 at one time. Finest centerfire pistol I ever used.
Wow! Really cool concept for those sights!
I have a 70's (almost sub-)compact in .45cal ACP - a Spanish Star PD. Tiny gun, alloy frame, horrible kick but interesting piece of hardware. Perhaps you could compare one to a standard Colt 1911a1 on a video one day?
Literally has nothing to do with a 1911, besides kinda looks like one
@@gosonegr Even Ian in his video on the Star 1920 acknowledges that Star copied the JMB design of the 1911, albeit with the simplified Eibar style lockwork!
What does ASP stand for?
+Rusty Shackleford A Sneaky Pistol.
+Forgotten Weapons I know but is it an acronym?
+Rusty Shackleford He said in the video!
+Steven Boelke He might have ,but I did not watch it to the end.
7:00
Finally, another video of this gun. If I had the money I'd buy one in an instant.
The ASP was way ahead of its time.
That looks like a really useful bit of kit
6 grand for this handgun is a flaming joke .
Black Ops anyone?
I've never seen sights like this before. They look pretty cool and they do seem to be effective for a quick reaction.
Such a cool weapon. I remember fondly a photo piece done on an extensive ASP collection by Ichiro Nagata many years ago in one of the gun magazines. The company that made those in Wisconsin is the same company famous for the ASP telescoping baton in use by virtually every cop in the US.
Great video. This is really a cool early subcompact pistol. An I bet that is it made of good quality because it is Smith Wesson made originally. Very cool story behind this Pistol.
I wish S&W would make DA/SA autos out of metal again.
Not everyone wants a Faux Glock.
i like the sights. especially considering that you dont need a lot of space on top of the slide.
Also that dagger is gorgeous.
Very cool gun. I like that clear window grip, and the sight system.
Well on the theory of it being smooth to make it easier to get a hold of I have heard of it before with Jerry Miculek and his completion grips so it must have merit. Great vid!!!
Very interesting gun, especially the sight and see-through grip.
Great piece of history, very cool gun. Thanks for sharing!
I had the pleasure of meeting Paris Theodore in the mid 90's. The ASP was the inspiration for the S&W 3913!
such an awesome design. ground breaking really
Legend has it that Paris Theodore brought this idea to S&W, they turned him down, and then proceeded to produce the Model 469, incorporating many of his ideas. Also, it seems that every so often someone has come up with a "revolutionary NEW sighting system!" with no front sight. Prior to lasers and red dots they never seemed to last long.
Amazing firearm, thank you for sharing this with us.
That sight is amazing!!!
I like the sights! They need a comeback!
Coolest case I've seen . Nice gun