A long time ago, in a land not so far away (it was, like, Hartford, Conn.), a company that made the very first 1911 pistols made a trainer version of the 1911A1 that shot .22LR. Yes, little tiny .22 from a great big gun. It was called the Colt Ace. They cost like the very dickens, if you can find them at all. Four digits, easy.
Not quite so long ago, but very much farther away in a magical land called Argentina (where the Ballester-Molinas once thundered across the pampas), the nice people from Colt were asked to set up a 1911A1 factory, where "Sistema Colts" were made, almost exactly like the ones made in Hartford except for having cross-hatching on the trigger and mainspring housing. They are very nice; they do not make them any more. I have one.
...And at the gun show today, I learned the little factory in the magical land also made their very own version of the .22 Ace, complete with crosshatching and the Sistema markings. I want it. I want it very, very much.
[Counts money in purse] Will any of you cash a check for $700, American? Because the nice man is from a far distant corner of the state, so he won't take a check -- and he left his credit card machine back in his store.
Arrrrgh! I'll have to skip a whole lot of lunches to pay for it, but storytime or not, I do so want that Argentine Ace!
--Great gun show, by the way. 99.99% guns and knives -- no beef jerky or plush-toy animals. I did buy an inexpensive 9-shooter .22 revolver, which I need (as opposed to simply want) to help work on fundamentals. If you can shoot accurately with a double-action revolver, you should be able to shoot accurately with anything.
I never, I repeat never go to a gun show without a lot of cash.
ReplyDeleteOne never knows.
Are you going back tomorrow to get it?
If I had have been there, I would have loaned you the $700.
Wife beat me out of that very amount gun show before last for a wheel gun she just had to have. Exactly like one she had stolen many moons ago that she learned to shoot with.
I hope you get it tomorrow. I am partial to 1911's. One of mine was my father's in WW II so they all are special to me.
Terry
Florida
The High Standard is a very nice revolver. Partner has onewhich I covet. One of the guys in our club uses one to shoot 10 shot matches, and often beats the high score with 9 shots. The Sears 9JC Higgins) versions had non-recessed cylinders, which meant if you dry fired them, the firing pin impacted on the rim of the cylinder and boogered up the chamber. Very reasonable revolver, and I have good memories of using 22 shorts and practicing in the basement. The DA trigger pull is a lot like doing chinups with one finger, (On partners, at least).
ReplyDeleteBobbi,
ReplyDeleteTwo weeks ago I was trying to sell my numbers matching, excellent condition "Sistima Colt" at the Tulsa Wanenmacher's Gun Show. In checking on a few others at the show, I found that I had it seriously underpriced, so I'm glad I didn't succeed in letting it go too cheaply.
A Sistema Ace would be a cool find. I have an Ace that I picked up fairly cheaply about 30 years ago, but it is a mere civilian Colt.
There are a lot of newer.22 caliber 1911's out there these days (priced very reasonably I might add), but one of the original Colts (Sistema or otherwise) or even an original conversion unit just seem more "right".
I hope you were able to put together the cash for it.
ReplyDeleteNot unless I can get a check-cashing place to turn paper into Fed Reserve notes, at a fairly ruinous markup.
ReplyDeleteMy wife traded into a HS R103 that suprised me with it's accuracy. Now I need to figure out a way to have the frame re-anodized as it's mostly worn off.Try using CCI CB Long round's in your HS, you'll be amazed at how quite they are.You folk's have the best luck at gunshow's, I guess that goes along with being in a rather large city.
ReplyDeleteBobbi, if I were home, I'd cash your check.
ReplyDeleteWe'll be home Friday. If I can still help out then, let me know.
I hope you were able to scrounge together what you needed to pick it up. If you're practicing with that .22 revolver you should check out The Sportsman's Guide's pistol ammunition page. They have really competitive prices, so you should be able to save some cash for the next gun show! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteDamn, that's a find!
ReplyDelete