What do you think was the best small SLP of WWII? I'll list some of the choices below:

1. Walther PPK
2. Mauser HsC
3. Mauser 1934
4. Walther PP
5. Sauer 38H
6. CZ-27
7. Femaru P-37
8. Berretta 1934/1935
9. Browning 1922
10. Colt 1903
11. Sauer 1913
12. MAB model D
13. Browning 1910
14. Browning 1900

I'm sure there are some that I missed. Which one do you think was the best? IF you know any others, that you feel are better please list!

Matt

PP for me!!

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„Solange man nicht mit dem Kopf unterm Arm rumläuft geht es doch noch!" Erwin Rommel

Off this list--I would take the Walther Pp and then the Walther PPK as my second choice.

When taking about the 1903 Colt--are you talking about the Single Action Army Colt? or Are you talking only about magazine fed pistols? If so--then by a loooooong shot--I would take the Colt.

My favorite pistol ever is: a blacked S.A.A. 1903 or 1906 Colt .45, blackened metal with Sandstone handles. Now thats one heck of a weapon.

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Yes the Colt 1903 is a .32 cal pocket pistol. It was mainly issued to high ranking officers, and Generals. I believe Patton even had one that he carried in his pocket. If you watch the movie "Patton", he uses it to try and shoot down a He-111!

For me, I narrowed it down to three main guns;

1. Walther PPK
2. Mauser HsC
3. Sauer 38H

I will give you my answer on the best one, in a couple of weeks (when the outdoor range opens up). I plan to do a side-by-side comparison of all three of these guns. I will rate them all based on the following:
-appearance
-comfort (how good it feels in the hand)
-reliability (I think all 3 will get a 10 here!)
-accuracy
-trigger pull(how smooth, how sensative)
-innovations (design imploments that each model pioneered)
- style (how good it looks on you!)

After the evaluation, I will total up the scores, and give you my winning choice! I am also submitting the results to "Guns & Ammo" magazine. Hopefully they will put it in thier June or July issue!
They will have a photographer taking pictures of the evaluation, and one of thier writers as well. I'll let you knwo what happens!!!

Matt

Yeah--I remember the scene in Patton. But did'nt he use a Colt .45 or somekind of automatic pistol in that scene--I do not remember a revolver being used.

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

C, the Colt 1903 was a small caliber automatic pistol. Think of a scaled down 1911 without the hammer.

__________________
Ain't no rocket scientists in the firehall

Thanks Billy-and sorry about that, I was thinking of the 1906 S.A.A. Colt .45 which is my all-time favorite pistol--then comes the German stuff

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Thanks Billy-and sorry about that, I was thinking of the 1906 S.A.A. Colt .45 which is my all-time favorite pistol--then comes the German stuff

Also, I watched patton again, and he in the above mentioned scene--did use a magazine-fed pistol on the German Bomber.

__________________
Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Is that the flat top version? Sorry not all that knowlegable about Peacemakers and the like, I prefered the S&W Russian [img]smile.gif[/img]

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Ain't no rocket scientists in the firehall

The Colt 1903 is a small SLP! (not a revolver! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

It was not a scaled down 1911 either! [img]tongue.gif[/img]
It came out in 1903 (hence the name) which was before the 1911 (hence its' name too! )

If anything the 1911 was a built up 1903. But the two guns where really not that simular.

Matt

MP 38 you are mistaken, the 1903 and the 1911 look very similar externally, they should they were both designed by John Browning. The 1903 was hammerless ( and by the way was also produced by FN as the Browning M 1903) It was also produced in a long barrel model that looked even more like the 1911.

__________________
Ain't no rocket scientists in the firehall

I know the 1906 is a revolver as well as the 1903 and the 1911 being the normal colt one tends to think about--I had one about 2 years ago--it was a 1942 made Remington colt .45. This thing was parkerixed with O.D. Green, and only had holster wear on the right tip of the slide--absolutely beautiful. This was a 2 star Generals colt .45. Like the I.D.10.T that I was--I sold it.

I havent owned a 1906 S.A.A. that I dream of having. I know zilch about the '03.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Billy,

You are dead wrong! The original Colt 1903 was Colts first SLP ever made. It was not designed by John Browning! This gun performed poorly, and was replaced in the very same year by an improved designed gun that was designed by John Browning. (this is the gun you are thinking of [img]tongue.gif[/img] ).

The 1903 and the 1911 do not look alike at all. The 1903 is a straight blow back design. It has plastic grips with the name "Colt" and sometimes the ponies as well. The magazine release is located on the butt. It doesn't have an exposed hammer. It fires the .32 cartrige, and is much smaller than the 1911.

As far as the FN plant goes, you are referring to the Browning model 1903. This was a John Browning design, and yes Colt used this design to re-design thier own 1903 Colt.

The 1911 did copy some of the designs of the 1903 such as the trigger, slide shape, and grip safety. However, it had several differeces, such as the action (locking lugs), grooved or checkered grips, exposed hammer, magazine release button, and of course fired the .45 ACP. If you saw a 1911 next to a 1903 I don't think you would confuse the two!

Matt

[ 06 May 2002, 08:10 PM: Message edited by: mp38 ]

Matt according to "Small Atms of the World" The Colt 1903, and the Browning M 1903 are the same weapon built in two different plants, both are designed by John Browning

__________________
Ain't no rocket scientists in the firehall

Billy,

I said the original Colt 1903 wasn't designed by J. Browning!! This pistol wasn't successfull, and then Colt had J. Browning re-design it (in the same year!!), which is what your precious little book is referring to.

The Browning you are referring to is the Browning 1900, and yes J. Browning did design this! It was his very first pistol design, and was very successful.Later he went on to design the 1903, 1905, 1910, and 1922. These were all very successful pistols. That is why Colt wanted it!
That is what I told you before!

Matt

PS- do you know what J. Brownings last pistol design was? (hint... look in your book! [img]tongue.gif[/img] )

[ 08 May 2002, 08:15 PM: Message edited by: mp38 ]

MP ,my book is neither precious or little Brownings first automatic pistol was the model 1900, which he then refined into the model 1902,and later the 1903 model All of these weapons were built in Belgium at the FN plant. Then licence built in America by Colt. heres a link:
http://www.rayvigator.com/Govt.M1911/J.%20Browning/
and it didn't come from my precious little book either

__________________
Ain't no rocket scientists in the firehall

Thanks for repeating what I said. Let's just drop the subject, and go back to the main question I posted.

What is the best small SLP of WWII?
Anybody else have any inputs?

Matt

PS- FYI- the shooting challenge that I am conducting between the Walther PPK, Mauser HsC, and Sauer 38H is scheduled for Saturday May 25th. If weather is bad we will try for Sunday May 26th.

[ 08 May 2002, 08:21 PM: Message edited by: mp38 ]

Well I have done my testing of the 3 pistols, and have come to these conclusions:

1. Sauer 38H- This gun feels just great in the hands, nice, fit and finish. Sights are very easy to find, and center on targets. Double action trigger is very smooth, yet forgiving. Cocking/Decocking lever is a magnificant design, and years ahead of its' time! Magazine is easy to load, and release button is easy to use. At 30 yards this gun holds very tight groups of just over 1". This gun is so simple to strip and clean!

2. Walther PPK- This gun feels great in the hands. Lovely fit and finish. Plastic wrap around grip is a little less quality than the Sauer or Mauser pistols. Trigger is perfect. Feels good, and has a good soft squeeze to it. Double action with exposed hammer is way ahead of its' day. Sights are very good, and easy to use. Magazine is easy to load, and release button is also easy to use. This gun held very tight groups of 1 1/4" at 30 yards! Very easy to strip, and clean.

3. Mauser HsC- Gun looks just great, but feel is a little bit discomfort on the top of the hand near the hammer. Wood grips feel great though! Very high quality fit and finish to the frame and slide. Trigger is a bit too curved for the finger, but trigger pull is very good. Double action trigger, and semi-exposed hammer is great! Sights are a bit difficult to find, but are easy to align on target. Magazine is easy to load, but magazine release is somewhat difficult to use. Self cocking action is state-of-the-art! and decades ahead of its' time! this gun held a nice group of 1 1/2" at 30 yards. Gun is somewhat difficult to strip and clean. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Overall I would rate the Sauer 38H as the best small SLP of WWII. The Walther PPK would be a close 2nd, followed by the Mauser HsC.
All 3 of them are very fine pistols, and I would highly recommend them to anyone!

Matt

PS- I plan to do the same testing with large SLPs as well!

I would say the PPK, so I could play James Bond!

It is reliable, light and beautiful! But surely I would love to have that $1.000.000 PPK with the golden letters: "AH"

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun