Rooting around in some boxes of old stuff, I came across my grandad's copy of the 1970 Gun Digest. I was five at the time. I think he kept it for the .38 shot-shell reloading info ('cause I have some of his), but to me, it's a fascinating peek at the issues in the shooting community of the day. You'll be surprised to note that:

The .38 really sucks -- "A pipsqueak load ... with--at one and the same time--too much penetration and too little shocking, stopping power." "in the hands of a highly trained man, the 45 Auto is without peer as a combat handgun." More discussion of the .41 S&W, .357 mag ("real hollering horror on penetration" and "recoils so fiercely,") but ends with: "That the 38 Special is virtually ineffective and was a bad bill of goods from the start has been well-proven and is no longer a matter for serious discussion among knowledgeable police firearms specialists. What to do about is." Then comparison of the round to "Keystone Cops. May they both rest."

Discussion of the latest Dan Wesson revolver (with pic of Dan Wesson). Interestingly, to me, discussion of Wesson's relationship with BRNO. I've wondered why CZ marketed and distributed Dan Wesson pistols and revolvers -- I didn't realize that the connection went back that far.

Article on the HK4 pistol system, which comes with slides and barrels to shoot .380, .32 ACP, .25 ACP, and .22 LR; it also has an option 4 mm conversion kit.

Article by Col. Charles Askins on the new-fangled concept of two-handed pistol shooting!

Article on Daisy's new Van Langerhoven caseless ammunition system: "a 29 gr. lead bullet (dry lubricated) virtually identical in form to the common 22 Rimfire Short bullet, to the base of which is attached short rod of yellowish-white solid propellant. The propellant is formed in place on the bullet, extruded around a teat formed on the bullet base."

Lots of other stuff, but let me cut to the listing of available firearms. To give perspective on relative prices of firearms in 1970 (and I don't know where they derived the valuation), I present a few from the appendix:

S&W Combat Masterpiece .38 -- $89
Browning Hi-Power -- $108
Colt Gov't Model .45 & .38 Super -- $115 (blued); 133 (nickled)
Colt Trooper Mk III -- $135
S&W Airweight -- $79
S&W 357 Combat Magnum -- 4132

Beretta Brigadier 9 mm -- $117
HK4 -- $110
Star Model A -- $90
Walther P-38 -- 140
SIG 210 -- $220 (conversion kit for another $100)

Universal Enforcer Auto Carbine (pistol grip) -- #129

Random sampling of long arms:

Marlin .44 -- $130
Ruger 10/22 -- $55
Remington Nylon .22 -- $50 (I have one)
Remington 700 -- $160
Armalite AR-180 Sporter Carbine -- $237

CTME Sport Auto -- $230
Sako Finnbear -- $220 (upgrade to $310)

And finally, a list (don't know how arrived) of gunshops in states -- in Daytona, Florida, Buck's Gun Shop is still going -- that's where most of my granddad and dad's stuff came from. Let me know a city, and I'll try to post up.

Min wage was about $1.65 (IIRC).
And Ray Connif was playing on the radio.

quote:

Interestingly, to me, discussion of Wesson's relationship with BRNO.

Thanks, I didn't know about that either.

Very cool!

quote:

Originally posted by Holger Danske:
Discussion of the latest Dan Wesson revolver (with pic of Dan Wesson). Interestingly, to me, discussion of Wesson's relationship with BRNO. I've wondered why CZ marketed and distributed Dan Wesson pistols and revolvers -- I didn't realize that the connection went back that far.

Very interesting. I wonder what their relationship was at the time.

quote:

S&W Combat Masterpiece .38 -- $89
Browning Hi-Power -- $108
Colt Gov't Model .45 & .38 Super -- $115 (blued); 133 (nickled)
Colt Trooper Mk III -- $135
S&W Airweight -- $79
S&W 357 Combat Magnum -- 4132

I was under the impression that the BHP priced itself out of popular use, but that doesn't appear to be the case. Why was the original wonder nine not more universally adopted?

Daisy caseless information from Wiki

The Daisy V/L was the first production rifle for caseless ammunition. It was released in 1968 by Daisy Outdoor Products.

In 1961 Case Hough, the president of Daisy Heddon division of Victor Comptometer, purchased the design of a new firearm system. The new system was developed by a Belgian Chemist named Jules Van Langenhover. The new gun would be known as the Daisy V/L rifle. [1]

The V/L ammunition consisted of a .22 caliber bullet with a small cylinder of propellant on the back, and no primer.[2] The rifle resembled a typical spring-air rifle, but the 2000° hot, high pressure air served not only to propel the projectile but also to ignite the propellant on the back of the V/L cartridge. The rifle uses a small, unique and well designed part called an Obturator (obturator/ignitor) to compress the air as it is pushed through a tiny hole. This air is heated as it is pushed through the small hole enough to ignite the powder of the caseless round. [3]

The V/L guns and ammunition were discontinued in 1969 after the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ruled that they constituted a firearm, and Daisy, which was not licensed to manufacture firearms, decided to discontinue manufacture rather than become a firearms manufacturer. About 23,000 of the rifles were made before production ceased.

quote:

Originally posted by Voshterkoff:

Very interesting. I wonder what their relationship was at the time.


I was under the impression that the BHP priced itself out of popular use, but that doesn't appear to be the case. Why was the original wonder nine not more universally adopted?

I won't try to reproduce the whole section, but Wesson was bringing in BRNO shotguns and distributing them under his name: "Brno agreed to produce arms subject to Dan Wesson's approval, these aimed specifically at the American market so that our sportsmen would have an American-type firearm, but one crafted by old-world artisans."

According to the article, the first that came in were air rifles followed by two types of shotguns: the ZP49 12-gauge "sidelock" double and the ZH201 over/under.

As for the Hi-Power, I think it was in large part prejudice against the 9 mm. I know that my dad was very dismissive of the 9, even into the Eighties. He was a confirmed .38 and .30-06 guy.

Has anybody ever seen a Gun Digest that wasn't a "Deluxe Edition"?
I have about 20 years of them I accumulated here and there, and they're all Deluxe Editions, oddly enough.

Thanks for the interesting post. I was considering the purchase of a SIG P210 in 1970, but bought a S&W M39-2 instead. Still have it. In those days I was a fan of DA/SA pistols. Now I'm a SAO guy. I ought to sell the S&W.

quote:

Originally posted by BillyBonesNY:
Min wage was about $1.65 (IIRC).
And Ray Connif was playing on the radio.

You are correct, as I remember earning that in '71.
I was in high school and working part-time as a dishwasher.

Can't comment on Ray Conniff though, sry.

quote:

Originally posted by BillyBonesNY:
Min wage was about $1.65 (IIRC).
And Ray Connif was playing on the radio.

From first hand experience, the min wage (in Illinois) was $1.10 back then.

Those prices look good, but use your favorite inflation calculator to see that the prices are not much different today in inflation adjusted dollars.

We are blessed in that 9mm range ammo is the cheapest it's EVER been on an inflation adjusted basis.

That said, there was something magical about the guns of the 1970's.