Savage .380 autos in the 1930s

[Alvin Karpis]

I finally found a copy of "The Alvin Karpis Story" - autobiography of my namesake - for those of you that don't know, Karpis was a founder of the Karpis-Barker gang and was as well known as Dillinger, Nelson, Floyd, etc. in the 1930s and was public enemy #1 in 1935-1936.

Anyway, he mentions early in the book that they stole the best of everything including guns and "380 Savage automatic pistols" were mentioned by name. I find it gratifying that this guy who had his life on the line thought the 380 Savages were the best. I assume as a back-up-gun (BUG) because he carried a "45 auto" and Thompson SMG during bank jobs. Very cool.

AK

[Race Bannon]

Alvin "Creepy" Karpis also taught Charles Manson how to play the Guitar!

[Alvin Karpis]

I haven't gotten that far yet. Pretty interesting so far.

Your name reminded me that I miss the old Jonny Qwest cartoons.

AK

[Race Bannon]

They're on DVD, I have watched them with my stepson when he was 10 or 11 and he just loved them. Many of the weapons used in the cartoon looked lsimilar to M1A1 Thompsons. Lots of fun.

[The Boilermaker]

I'm on the hunt for a Savage 1917 but here is my 1907 in .32:

http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/dustertom/Guns/DSC_1651.jpg

[Race Bannon]

That Savage is beautiful. Really nice condition.

[getsome]

Do you think that perhaps Race and Dr. Qwest might have been a little more than just friends? and did Hadji grow up and run a 7-11 store? Just kidding....I watched them too along with Spiderman, Batman but the worst was Speed Racer...I really cant beleive I watched that...:D

[Race Bannon]

Let's see I always thought that Jonny Quest would become a NASCAR driver. Hadji a software engineer, Race would own a casino in Vegas and party at the Playboy mansion, Dr Quest would semi retire and invent kitchen gadgets for Billy Mays and Anthony Sullivan to sell on T.V.

[getsome]

:roll:LOL!!! Wonder if ol Bandit got put out to stud??? By the way, I think the zootshooters group is way cool....I love anything from the 30's era and the old gangsta movies....Saw White Heat night before last....Gotta love ol Jimmy C..."Come and get me coppers"!!!! I also love the Untouchables TV shows and have season 1 and 2 on dvd....Great stuff!!!! Gotta love black and white!!!!

[Alvin Karpis]

Well, thanks to this topic (it's my own darn fault) and one over at the Colt forum, I went out and got another Savage - a 1917 model in 380 acp. That's it - no more pocket pistols!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/Levallois/1917Savage380b.jpg

[G Man]

My affinity for the little 1907 .32 Savage pistols began when I learned that my SASS alter ego "Bat Masterson" (along with Buffalo Bill) did print ad's for them when they first came out. I've had quite a bit of luck for several years with the Savage in local Wild Bunch cowboy matches. I've collected several variations of the 1907 most of them in .32. I also have some .380's and even a 1917 but I don't find them as elegant as the 1907's. Until the new AZSA rules came out I had been searching for .380 magazines so I could shoot the Savage in an AZSA match. Now I can stop searching and plan to shoot the .32's in the next match. It will still take just a little longer than a 1911 as Savage never saw fit to design a empty magazine slide hold open function into this pistol.

By the way the the hit man in Road to Perdition was a Savage man until he was retired.

[Alvin Karpis]

It will still take just a little longer than a 1911 as Savage never saw fit to design a empty magazine slide hold open function into this pistol.


Unless you use a Savage model 1915 - probably not advisable given their rarity and ever increasing value but an option.

AK

[Story]

Anyone ever take apart their breachbolt?

My firing pin isn't striking hard enough, wondering if the spring isn't fitted properly.

[DeaconKC]

Story, try over at www.surplusrifleforum.com , someone there should know that takedown.

[Story]

Thanks but I figured it out myself.