That is spot heat treating on the slide lock and at the end of the slide. It is more noticeable on refinished guns. Especially at the end of the slide. Remington rand pioneered heat treating where colt failed. After 46 is where you will get fully heat treated slides and replacement slides.
Tom, getting your glove repeatedly caught in the Makarov's takedown catch was just like a routine that W. C. Fields could have incorporated in one or more of his films. Thank you for the nostalgic reminder of one of the 20th Century's greatest comics. 😄
On the topic of the rare Walther pistol with no magazine one could reverse engineer one. When I worked for John Martz Luger maker I made forms and fixtures to press and fold custom magazines; it's all about allowances and tolerances. Nice pistols. If I had the money these days I would like the Savage .45.
In the 1980s I was assigned a Union Switch & Signal 1911 which Air Force gunsmiths had chopped down to make more concealable. It was part of a batch of WWII era handguns we still had in inventory. I cringed when I saw who made it, knowing even back then it was considered a collector's piece by everyone except our government.
Ever hear of an artillery colt? That's basically what you had 100 years forward. They're usually worth more than cavalry colts. Provided it was documented as being done by the AF.
@@Foche_T._Schitt It's a moot point because they were withdrawn from service a few years later and presumably destroyed. It's possible they may be in storage somewhere. I do not believe any of them were ever released for private ownership. There may have been liability concerns. All of the converted pistols were of WWII era manufacture, meaning the slides were not fully hardened. This process was not perfected until after the war. I once owned a 1915 manufactured Colt Commercial 1911. The soft slide eventually cracked and I had to replace it. I've read the Air Force compacts developed the same issue. Regarding who made them, yes they were all hand rebuilt by the gunsmiths at Lackland AFB. On my next duty assignment I was stationed at Lackland and occasionally worked with the civilian head of that section, Tom Kershmer (spelling?), who was a brilliant gunsmith in his own right. I also listened to the gripes of several of the gunsmiths who modified them. As I recall, the heavy stippling and squared-off trigger guard proved to be particularly aggravating and tedious work. They were given the rebuild assignment partly because this section was at risk of being disbanded. It supposedly saved the USAF money over buying pistols commercially. This was several years before Colt introduced the Officer's Model. At that time the OSI (Office of Special Investigation) was increasing its senior leader security protection duties due to the rising terrorist threat in Europe. I remember one of their instructors had recently graduated from Jeff Cooper's Gunsite Academy and was an avid fan of his concepts. All of these factors coalesced and resulted in this unique pistol with its 1/2" shorter grip and 4 1/4" barrel. Randall later made a fairly close clone in stainless which they dubbed the LeMay pistol. I currently own a Springfield Range Officer Compact, which has a 4" barrel and shortened grip. I wonder if they got the idea from the USAF pistol.
The first time I ever heard about the belt buckle pistol was when I was a teenager in the late 60s or early 70s. One of my Dad's employees was a WWII veteran of the European campaign. His unit captured a German officer who was wearing one. As I recall, he said the contraption had a wire which ran up the torso and down the arm so it could hand-activated without fidgeting with the buckle itself. A few years later I saw a picture of one of these devices in Smith & Smiths' Small Arms of the World. This leads me to believe that some of them are genuine, though I can't imagine ever trying to use one since it would result in your immediate execution. Maybe that made some kind of perverse sense if you were a SS officer on the Russian Front.
@@brittakriep2938 I suspect most of them are postwar imitations. The German "Fallschirmjäger" gravity knife became a popular souvenir after WWII, but from what I've read, many of them are postwar fakes as well. Caveat emptor!
@@brittakriep2938 Some US states and cities have banned them, but when one researches the history of these restrictive laws, the prime motives turn out to have been either racist or xenophobic.
@@Paladin1873 : The reason, why this belt buckle pistols are forbidden ( may be with a special permit museums or few collectors can own this) is that they imitate an everday item. Weapons who look like an everyday item, for example swordcanes or ,firing pens' are not allowed here in Germany.
@@skigdividerx4991 It was done by Colt company then when " they still had All the time in the world". If one gets hold of a vintage Colt, try looking beneath the Firing pin block..one Way of distinguishing a faked WWll vintage Colt , which is plentiful in the Far East 👍 Mine is a 1943 vintage..
That is spot heat treating on the slide lock and at the end of the slide. It is more noticeable on refinished guns. Especially at the end of the slide. Remington rand pioneered heat treating where colt failed. After 46 is where you will get fully heat treated slides and replacement slides.
Tom, getting your glove repeatedly caught in the Makarov's takedown catch was just like a routine that W. C. Fields could have incorporated in one or more of his films. Thank you for the nostalgic reminder of one of the 20th Century's greatest comics. 😄
I like Morphys they always have some great items on the block.
On the topic of the rare Walther pistol with no magazine one could reverse engineer one. When I worked for John Martz Luger maker I made forms and fixtures to press and fold custom magazines; it's all about allowances and tolerances. Nice pistols. If I had the money these days I would like the Savage .45.
The Walther Mod MP really reminds me of a Desert Eagle a lot smaller but very similar in the way the slide works kinda
In the 1980s I was assigned a Union Switch & Signal 1911 which Air Force gunsmiths had chopped down to make more concealable. It was part of a batch of WWII era handguns we still had in inventory. I cringed when I saw who made it, knowing even back then it was considered a collector's piece by everyone except our government.
Ever hear of an artillery colt?
That's basically what you had 100 years forward.
They're usually worth more than cavalry colts.
Provided it was documented as being done by the AF.
@@Foche_T._Schitt It's a moot point because they were withdrawn from service a few years later and presumably destroyed. It's possible they may be in storage somewhere. I do not believe any of them were ever released for private ownership. There may have been liability concerns. All of the converted pistols were of WWII era manufacture, meaning the slides were not fully hardened. This process was not perfected until after the war. I once owned a 1915 manufactured Colt Commercial 1911. The soft slide eventually cracked and I had to replace it. I've read the Air Force compacts developed the same issue. Regarding who made them, yes they were all hand rebuilt by the gunsmiths at Lackland AFB. On my next duty assignment I was stationed at Lackland and occasionally worked with the civilian head of that section, Tom Kershmer (spelling?), who was a brilliant gunsmith in his own right. I also listened to the gripes of several of the gunsmiths who modified them. As I recall, the heavy stippling and squared-off trigger guard proved to be particularly aggravating and tedious work. They were given the rebuild assignment partly because this section was at risk of being disbanded. It supposedly saved the USAF money over buying pistols commercially. This was several years before Colt introduced the Officer's Model. At that time the OSI (Office of Special Investigation) was increasing its senior leader security protection duties due to the rising terrorist threat in Europe. I remember one of their instructors had recently graduated from Jeff Cooper's Gunsite Academy and was an avid fan of his concepts. All of these factors coalesced and resulted in this unique pistol with its 1/2" shorter grip and 4 1/4" barrel. Randall later made a fairly close clone in stainless which they dubbed the LeMay pistol. I currently own a Springfield Range Officer Compact, which has a 4" barrel and shortened grip. I wonder if they got the idea from the USAF pistol.
These are really neat artifacts
Thanks Tom very nice video but Ian is going to get jealous
Isn't that Ian's chair?
The Savage looks like something from a 50s sci-fi movie.
Blowback action. Reportedly had excessive recoil which is why it was rejected.
I was thinking its was just me. But I love the way those pistols look.
Dragon man has a couple real belt buckles like that in his museum
I suspect that what you call a fingerprint, is a hardened area. The slide-stop would wear out the frame otherwise
Makes sense. Thanks
Maybe if was punched out it would work harden and blue differently?just saying.
I thought Luger came over for the army trials here in the US with 45 caliber lugers I'm pretty sure
Cool I have a pistol made in factory 66, its a 54 Model
I can see why that Walther was not very successful. 9mm with a direct blowback action must be pretty harsh on the gun and the shooter.
8:12
It's a difference in heat treat.
That 1914 1911 is insane.
thank you
The first time I ever heard about the belt buckle pistol was when I was a teenager in the late 60s or early 70s. One of my Dad's employees was a WWII veteran of the European campaign. His unit captured a German officer who was wearing one. As I recall, he said the contraption had a wire which ran up the torso and down the arm so it could hand-activated without fidgeting with the buckle itself. A few years later I saw a picture of one of these devices in Smith & Smiths' Small Arms of the World. This leads me to believe that some of them are genuine, though I can't imagine ever trying to use one since it would result in your immediate execution. Maybe that made some kind of perverse sense if you were a SS officer on the Russian Front.
I am german, and Brittas boyfriend. In Germany this belt buckle pistols are seen as mostly fakes, because german ,secret items' are rather rare.
@@brittakriep2938 I suspect most of them are postwar imitations. The German "Fallschirmjäger" gravity knife became a popular souvenir after WWII, but from what I've read, many of them are postwar fakes as well. Caveat emptor!
@@Paladin1873 : Fun fact: By german weapons law they are forbidden for german citizens.
@@brittakriep2938 Some US states and cities have banned them, but when one researches the history of these restrictive laws, the prime motives turn out to have been either racist or xenophobic.
@@Paladin1873 : The reason, why this belt buckle pistols are forbidden ( may be with a special permit museums or few collectors can own this) is that they imitate an everday item. Weapons who look like an everyday item, for example swordcanes or ,firing pens' are not allowed here in Germany.
Are you competing against Ian now at Murphy?
Good morning!!! I hope you win the stuff you want.
Love the glove routine
The 9mm that you talk about, is that 9mmS or 9mmP?
9mm luger
If memory serves me correctly, Browning gave the patent on the 1911 to the government,
That Walther safety doesn't quite look like 90 degrees.
Tom china has a poly framed 9mm now!!
2nd viewer..
My war Time 1911.45 has a serial number underneath the Firing pin block that corresponds with its frame's serial number..
Wow!
@@skigdividerx4991
It was done by Colt company then when " they still had All the time in the world".
If one gets hold of a vintage Colt, try looking beneath the Firing pin block..one Way of distinguishing a faked WWll vintage Colt , which is plentiful in the Far East 👍
Mine is a 1943 vintage..
You better get smart about these things ... The belt buckle gun is something Siegfried would have.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Hippies are everywhere!
Eric Cartman was Right about this!
The Army wanted an exposed hammer.
My moneys on that they were simply made and sold to officers with not official SS contract. And very few we’re probably made.
12:20
These ones are fake at all.
First seen in France in the 60s - but nice Artwork
🍸✊🏻
Communist Makarov still does not want to be handled by a capitalist.
😁👌👍😎
🤛😉👍🏴☠
Hah! My "Like" is 100-s!
Some interesting examples. Algorithm comment.