Click here to download the catalog as a PDF file. To view this site you need Adobe Flash Player and your browser must allow javaScripts. Go here to get the latest Flash Player. mystery pistol Continued from page 39 Brunner, is by far the most comprehensive reference on these pistols ever published. Buried in the back of the book I found a listing of roll-marked pistols issued to police departments. Three different entries for Colts stamped with “LPD” were found. The summary of the findings from Brunner’s book are interesting, but still left me in the dark. They show that in 1910, Colt sent one .25 ACP and and 19 in .32 ACP to “LPD.” Then, in 1912, they sent another 100 in .380 ACP to the same agency. Unfortunately, which “LPD” isn’t known, and Brunner says the department that purchased these handguns isn’t known. Could these guns have been retirement gifts from a grateful department to retiring officers? Perhaps a retiring chief might be given a little .25 ACP while the men might receive a slightly more useful .32 or .380 ACP? There are two problems with this theory. First, the guns were roll-stamped, not engraved. A gun commemorating years of loyal service in a dangerous job would be engraved, especially to the chief. And how large would a department have to be to have 20 men retire between 1910 and 1912 so that new guns would have to be ordered? Hardly seems feasible. A closer look at the left side of the hard rubber grip shows three shiny spots were the diamond pattern is worn down. The two lower spots almost match the shooting position of my middle and ring finger of my right hand. The highest spot matches a little callus just beyond the first joint of my right thumb. The checkering on the bottom of the right grip is worn smooth. The muzzle end shows the same slide wear found on holster-carried blued weapons. So, who carried it? Morning Journal and the Lorain Daily News. I searched them hoping to find a clue about how the Lorain police were armed in 1910. The price of eggs was readily available, as was the crime blotter, but nothing about the department’s duty weapon. Another dead end. I contacted the Lorain Police Department, the Lorain Sheriff’s Department and local FOP. One of these three organizations might have a historian, either official or unofficial, who could shed some light on these weapons. Except they didn’t. I asked if there were records I could search. Between moves from one building to another, flooded basements, fires and limited storage space, records from the early 1900s were simply not available. Dead end number three. Present Tense And The Answer? The Colt historian was very helpful. She confirmed the year of manufacturing and that “L.P.D. No. 77” was factory-stamped and not done after-market. She also provided another lead. The gun was shipped to the Iver Johnson Sporting Goods Company of Boston, Massachusetts. Unfortunately, Colt didn’t know its final destination. Iver Johnson Sporting Goods sold other firearms in addition to their line of revolvers. The company went out of business in 1999 and most references deal with their revolver line. The early records, if they still exist, are most likely hidden way in someone’s attic. A dead end. The Lorain Public Library has microfilmed back issues of the Lorain There was one question I could answer — how well does it shoot? I selected four brands of .380 ACP to test fire, Winchester 95 gr. BEB, UMC 95 gr. FMJ, American Eagle 95 gr. FMG and Blazer 95 gr. FMJ. I set targets at 21' and fired fiveround groups of each ammunition off a sand bag support. I know 7 yards isn’t far, but it’s an old timer and so are my eyes. Besides, I doubt you’d want to use these fine old guns much further than that anyway. Some groups were better than others. Winchester and American Eagle delivered about 1.8", the UMC beat it at 1.75" and the Blazer won the day at 1.5". Sub-2" groups are respectable in a self-defense handgun, and equally important, my fine old gun shot where it was aimed. I never experienced a jam, and the trigger breaks consistently at 5.75 pounds. Every time I pulled the trigger I got a bang. The M1908 pointed well and felt natural in my grip. I’ll be there are more modern guns out there that can’t deliver those goods. And if they do, it’s not done with the same level of panache. Increased stopping power was the root cause for producing this gun, the .380 being a step-up from the lowly .32, but in today’s world of better quality ammo, the difference is moot at best. As a primary weapon for law enforcement, at least in today’s thinking, the .380 ACP is ridiculous. But for the armed and cautious citizen, a .380 ACP may be sufficient. I don’t plan on carrying my L.P.D. No. 77 as my concealed weapon. But I wouldn’t criticize anyone who did. Editor’s note: If you can help Frank figure out some of his gun’s history, drop me a note at editor@americanhandgunner.com and I’ll make sure he gets the message. If it turns out it’s interesting, I’ll make sure to pass the info along in the Speak Out column. * 84 WWW.AMERICANHANDGUNNER.COM • MAY/JUNE 2009