Big Al Posted September 27, 2012 Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 I have seen this photo many times as I have watched and re-watched the Gangster Guns episode of Tales of the gun. It always seemed to me that the pistol in the man's left hand has a ball-shaped hammer spur. Can anyone tell me more about it? Has anyone seen another example like it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james m Posted September 28, 2012 Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 The pistol in his left hand is possibly a Colt 1900 model.Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted September 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 (edited) I don't think so. The Colt 1900 is in 32 caliber and and has a different grip angle and frame shape. The guns in the picture are identical in dimensions and features as far as I can tell. Now that I look closer, I can see that the pistol in his left hand appears to be set up for left-handed operation with the safety and slide release on the right of the frame with the appropriate notches cut in the slide. Edited September 28, 2012 by Annihilator I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalbert Posted September 28, 2012 Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 They both look like M1911's to me. I think it's a reflection that makes the hammer spur look round. David Albertdalbert@sturmgewehr.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colorado1919 Posted September 28, 2012 Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 The picture is backwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted September 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 I thought that too, but the knot in the man's hatband is not visible. Also, if it was backwards, the controls on the gun in his right hand would be visible. Does anyone know where these guns now reside? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCM Posted September 28, 2012 Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 I thought that too, but the knot in the man's hatband is not visible. Also, if it was backwards, the controls on the gun in his right hand would be visible. Does anyone know where these guns now reside? Maybe- Years ago I visited the famous gun museum in Claremore, OK. that had a Colt 45 on display that was Floyd's gun. A little research might prove it's one of these pictured . His Thompson is around too. I've posted a picture of Edna " the kissing bandit " Murry's grandaughter holding it, about a year ago.It's somewhere on one of the posting here on this subforum .Somehow I think the Colt 45 had pearl grips at the Claremore museum ??? OCM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james m Posted September 28, 2012 Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 Model 1900 Colt Auto: http://www.coltautos.com/1900.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodsy Posted September 28, 2012 Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 They are both standard 1911's and the negative has been reversed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted September 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 They are both standard 1911's and the negative has been reversed. That thought crossed my mind as well. But look at the man's hat. If the negative was in fact reversed, then the knot in the hatband would be visible. This is why I think the image is printed correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loosecanon Posted September 30, 2012 Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 If you look closley you can see the safety and slide stop notch on both guns and no ejection porthis hat may be a lefty but those Colts aren't 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted September 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 (edited) After flipping the image, I found that the guns are of the normal type. No unusual, specially modified left-handed guns here. However, I still think that the gun in question (now in his right hand) has a ball-shaped hammer spur. I know this may sound ridiculous, but I have a GI Joe 1/6-scale M1911 that has a ball-shaped hammer spur. Now I know it is just a toy, but I have studied my GI Joe guns, comparing them to photos real guns. They are quite accurately reproduced detail-wise. So I don't think they would make such a thing if it did not already exist in real life. I will post a photo to show you what I mean. By the way james m, that is a very interesting website you posted. It is now in my bookmarks for future reference. Edited September 30, 2012 by Annihilator I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCM Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Watch the buttons ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james m Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 Upon seeing this picture reversed; I now agree these are both obviously 1911's. I'm glad you're enjoying the Colt site. To me; it's amazing how much information we now have at our fingertips.Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted October 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Watch the buttons ! Explain further please, good sir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCM Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Good sir, I don't think so-But, through the years, I've studied many, many Wide World, Acme, UPI photos etc. These were taken by the newspaper people, and published in the magazines , newspapers and what all. It was the 1930s Poparatsi( however you spell it ) .A first line thing to look at, was the buttons on the coats. Buttons are on the right, secured on the left. Not always, but that is where I always start.buttons. Caught many historic photos reversed and in books-Got to remember I'm a geek on this stuff for 40mmmmmmfff years.Good story about digging up Bonnie Parker too and a photo.another post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmagee1917 Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Of course , Women's buttons are usually " reversed " when correct.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoscoeTurner Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Good sir, I don't think so-But, through the years, I've studied many, many Wide World, Acme, UPI photos etc. These were taken by the newspaper people, and published in the magazines , newspapers and what all. It was the 1930s Poparatsi( however you spell it ) .A first line thing to look at, was the buttons on the coats. Buttons are on the right, secured on the left. Not always, but that is where I always start.buttons. Caught many historic photos reversed and in books-Got to remember I'm a geek on this stuff for 40mmmmmmfff years.Good story about digging up Bonnie Parker too and a photo.another post Same here, when firearms are involved the first thing I look for is which side the operating rod or lock in the case of muskets is on. One of the most common and famous film reversals is the Al Brick footage of the USS Arizona explosion. Most often it is shown reversed. Movietone reversed it when first shown and the mistake wasn't found for nearly 50 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted October 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Another famous reversal of the negative was the picture of Billy the Kid. For years everyone thought he was left-handed because his gun was on his left hip. Recently though (within about 20 years ago I think) it was noticed that the loading gate on his '73 Winchester was on the wrong side, indicating that the photo was reversed. This often happened with daguerreotype photographs. Back on topic now, I still think that one of Pretty Boy Floyd's pistols (the one in the man's right hand now that the photo has been flipped) has a ball-shaped hammer spur. Look closely at it. What I'm trying to find out is if it is in fact the case and that there is an uber rare ball-spur M1911 hammer or it is just an optical illusion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCM Posted October 6, 2012 Report Share Posted October 6, 2012 (edited) Us outlaw " historians " aka geeks, study the old photos all the time. Still really surprises me when something else pops up in them.The famous photo of Dillinger at the family farm shows the lightening rod ground ( still there today behind the bushes ) , hanger marks in the pants, bandaged left leg from the St Paul shoot-out, cigarette in his left hand holding the Thompson, sunglasses, wooden escape pistol with ( I believe ) metal barrel, Thompson # 7387 from Crown Point escape, keys or such in his pant pocket, something in the vest pocket and shadows that give us the time of day, April 7, 1934.This is a good example of reversed buttons in a picture, published in older books and newspapers-This, as I've posted before, is the correct positive from the original negative.Also, another photo of John, standing there, same place, same time, without the Thompson & wooden gun- This is a family owned original positive, probably just before they did the Thompson shot ( guess )There were 6-7 people there ( family ) when all these were taken, possibly a couple Brownies used ( guess )Me, Bill Helmer & Jeff Scalf ( Dillinger's nephew ) at the same spot for comparison- Been posted here before, so sorry/yawn. OCM Edited October 7, 2012 by OCM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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