Everyone's concealed carry gun circa 1900

With concealed carry a reality in nearly every jurisdiction in the USA today, it's easy to forget that our 2nd amendment rights were denied for many many years.  Back in 1900, however, things were different.  In those days, carrying a pistol for self protection was a no-brainer for many of America's citizens.  Not that America was more dangerous then than it is now, probably less so overall, but the right of personal protection just wasn't questioned as it is today.

The Iver Johnson "safety automatic" at left is a perfect example of a gun anyone and everyone might have carried on their person.  There were no background checks, no waiting periods.  You simply walked into any hardware store, plunked down $6, and walked out with one.

The safety part of these revolvers had to do with two things.  First, the trigger pull is sooooo stiff there is little chance of discharging the weapon unintentionally.  And second is the transfer bar safety system.  Now commonplace, it was a real selling point for Iver Johnson, due to the fact that many of their competitors guns had no such system and could discharge with a simple blow to the hammer.  Thus the ads asking you to "Hammer the hammer".

The gun shown in this blog happens to belong to my Dad.  The serial number under the grips place it's manufacture between 1914 and 1924.  We gave it to him for Father's day this year after acquiring it in a private sale.  It is a 3rd model gun, which is capable of firing smokeless powder loads safely.  It's size and weight make it ideal for concealed carry.  The .32 S&W short cartridge is no man stopper, but it beats a .22 any day.  The small size and safe action make it a viable CCW gun even today.  Revolver reliability is also a great confidence builder.  Oddly enough, this little gun is capable of some accuracy IF you can manage that trigger.  We started out using Magtech's round nose loading, which was fairly hot for this little breaktop.  We have since started to reload the Magtech brass with Rim Rock hard cast bullets and Unique powder.

When I hold this little gem I think what it must have been like to live in the America of old.  A time when President Roosevelt kept an FN 1900 in the white house for his protection instead of trying to ban every gun under the sun.  At least most of us have at least some ability to legally carry a gun for protection, though it's not always as the founders intended.  Little guns like this are pretty cool weather you intend to carry them or not.