D.E. Watters

Colt Law Enforcement Pistol

For Missed Opportunity Monday, we have yet another abandoned Colt design: the .40 caliber Law Enforcement Pistol. It also served as the platform for their Smart Gun tech. Here are some of the Smart Gun patents, which show bits of the pistol’s design as well. While the exterior profile looks a bit like the “AllContinue reading “Colt Law Enforcement Pistol”

Ross Seyfried’s Swenson Combat Commander

In 1981, Ross Seyfried was the last man to win the IPSC World Shoot using a non-compensated pistol in open competition. While that feat was accomplished with a Pachmayr Combat Special built on a full-sized Colt Government Model, Seyfried cut his teeth in IPSC shooting with today’s featured pistol. This is the pistol he usedContinue reading “Ross Seyfried’s Swenson Combat Commander”

Silent Weapon System – Alpha

Here’s a data dump on the Silent Weapon System – Alpha and related captive piston cartridges. Sadly there is more known about the ammunition than the actual firearms designed to use them. First, we have the patent for the Alpha cartridge’s predecessor, the Cal. .30 XM76. The XM76 was intended for legacy .30-06 firearms. However,Continue reading “Silent Weapon System – Alpha”

The Long Road to the M9 Pistol

It took roughly forty years, dozens of competitors, a variety of tests, and a ton of bureaucratic wrangling to replace the M1911A1 after WW2.

Knight’s Armament Co.’s “Revolver Rifle” and “Revolver Pistol”

While we are on the subject of sneaky, silent weapons, the .30/.44 Magnum rifle variant shown in Trey Knight’s hands was based upon the Ruger Super Redhawk. The .22/.38 Special GP100 variant was a handgun only. The ammunition for the KAC suppressed revolvers used a captive sabot. The large caliber sabot stopped against the forcingContinue reading “Knight’s Armament Co.’s “Revolver Rifle” and “Revolver Pistol””

Is Smith & Wesson About to Revive the T/C R22?

S&W’s designers go back to the well to clone yet another company’s design.

Detonics Timeline

As promised, here is my data dump regarding the history of Detonics, including its various models, accessories, and patents.

Patton and the M1 Garand

Most of you have probably never read Patton’s comments of the Garand in context with his views on infantry tactics.

Hydra-Shok Data Dump

I’ve seen some bad history lately regarding the Hydra-Shok. Federal Cartridge’s PR department keeps stating its introduction date as one year later, and some folks don’t realize that the Hydra-Shok was marketed for roughly a decade before Federal licensed the patent. Filing in February 1974, Tom Burczynski received US Patent #3,881,421 a little over aContinue reading “Hydra-Shok Data Dump”

The Colt Saga

(A Work in Progress) Colt made over $21.5 million in profits in the years between 1914 and 1918. By the end of World War I, Colt had delivered over 425,000 M1911 pistols, more than 150,000 revolvers (such as the M1917), 13,000 Maxim and Vickers machine guns made under license, and 10,000 Browning machine guns. ColtContinue reading “The Colt Saga”