Before the 80s there were few pistol varieties. Now stay with me!
If you wanted a .45, there was Colt and... that's it. Sure there were knockoff in Spain or whatever, but THE .45 was a Colt M1911A1
If you wanted a 9mm there was the Browning Hi-Power or that new up and comer from S&W, the model 39. Sure there were Lugers from the war, and some other things, but those 2 were the go-to. And Smith made various flavor with different model numbers descending down from that 39, but they don't count, do there?
If you wanted a revolver there was Smith or Colt. Yes, buncha others, budget brands, imports, various... but the choice was really just those 2.
And there was other thing that also don't really count. Just stuff used by questionable foppy ferreners or girls.
The 80s came and there was an explosion of 9s. Beretta, then Glock, and whole SLEW of others, SIG, HK, and on and on and on, but before that... just those 5 handguns. Iconic. And you might dismiss the Model 39.
And now? There is sorta only the one handgun. Glock. In 9mm. Maybe Glocks 'and a few dinosaurs that still insist on using an M1911A1 type, but they are dying out.'
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Yes yes, you can be pedantic and knock down my premise easily. Hell, I can do that. You have to squint real hard to see this train of thought the same way. But you can tell that's a great big train rumbling by even with your eyes full closed. And I've been desperate for blog fodder, clearly.
I still use a Colt 1911A1 made in WW2. I also have a Sig P226 made in West Germany.
ReplyDeleteIf you open it up a shade, you had the PP and PPK (or PPK/s). But yeah, I don't recall there being a whole lot of choices to be had.
ReplyDeleteI like (and own) a Hi-Power; I don't like, and quickly sold after buying, a Glock 17; it feels wrong in my hand.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I have shot and don't like 1911's but I DO like the Glock 21. it feels and shoots right!
Well . . .
ReplyDeleteIf you wanted a .45 that wasn't a Colt, after 1976 you could get a Browning BDA, which was really a Sig P220 with the heel mag release. You could get the same gun in 9mm or .38 Super.
And if you wanted a .38 or .357 that wasn't a Colt or a Smith (or a Rohm or an Erma) you could get a Ruger Security-Six after about 1971.
And if you wanted a wondernine that wasn't a Hi-Power, you could get a Model 59 after about 1974.
I carried all of those on the job at one time or another.