Hell in a Handbasket

I still get comments on old posts from time to time, usually from people who want advice about firearms. They either want to know how much an heirloom is worth, or where they can get a neato antique gun that I wrote about.

Case in point is this post, where I discussed an odd little pistol called the Apache.

I think the last time anyone used one of these old guns to defend themselves was before WWI broke out. All surviving examples are pricey antiques that are hoarded by collectors, and it would be extremely unwise to shoot a gun that cost thousands in case it came apart and ruined your investment.

A reader left a comment, asking where he could get one of these bad boys. Questions like that are hardly uncommon, and it makes me think that something like this would sell if a modern version chambered in .38 Special was offered.

This isn't to say that I would consider it an effective hand-to-hand weapon, since I carry less lethal arms that are more effective since they are designed specifically to carry the day if it comes to blows. Like any device that is supposed to fill two distinct roles at once, compromises have to made in the design that will make it a less than ideal tool for either job. Still, it does look cool!

Since my reader wanted help in buying an Apache, I started to do a few Google searches to see if I could help them out. That is when I came across this page, which lists an actual gun which sold at auction in 2005. Looking at the side bar, I could see that whoever put the page together has the prices of many antique guns.

One thing that might be of interest to you handloaders out there is this reloading kit for pinfire cartridges. Fascinating stuff.

All of the pages has an Ebay page opening at the bottom, which is really annoying because it slows things down. But it might be worth the frustration if you find this sort of thing as interesting as I do.