Observations in response to suggestions by zuplex

[BN]

It was not until after WWII that America was interconnected by a modern highway system. President Eisenhower was so impressed with the German Autobahn that enabled quick troop movements through Germany that he pushed for a similar system that connected American cities from north to south and east to west. This was a tremendous thing for travel. But, it did make it easier for a law breaker to flee an area and put distance away from the scene of a crime.

Thta's interesting about the Interstate Highway System. I was driving before the Interstate was completed. If you were going any distance, you had to drive through the downtown of every city or small town. I remember my Dad had shortcuts that avoided downtown of most of the cities we had to regularly drive through. Route 40, which was replaced by I-70 was mostly 2 lanes. Sometimes there was a passing lane going up hills. I remember 1st or 2nd gear following trucks up hills.

[aimtrue]

Yes, and until mechanical brakes on cars were replaced with hydraulic brakes and the stick shift transmission replaced by automatics, driving down those same hills was both exciting and dangerous.

[crew]

Op did you ever have any other Baer or Brown 1911[s and how did you like them?

[aimtrue]

Yes I did and I really liked them. Those two brands worked with precision. Mechanically, they were both excellent and highly accurate.

Will post a few photos from my 1911 collection of a Brown Kobra and Baer Premier II.

Also, I had an early Kimber Ultra that was a good pistol to conceal and a very fine non 1911 CZ97B. The CZ was every bit of a quality sidearm that one could find at that time.

[zuplex]

Aimtrue, thanks for your insights and sharing some of your collection! I always enjoy learning about how things were "back in the day."

[JRB]

Aimtrue - thank you for sharing some of your experience and those pictures of your collection. You have a very impressive collection of some very high quality handguns!

I'm curious, though about your statement here:

Criminals have shot it out with law enforcement using high capacity weapons. These things did not happen before WWII.

In your opinion/experience, are all the stories and of the 'roaring twenties' full of mobsters shooting it out with Police using BAR's, Thompsons, and such simply not true, or greatly exaggerated?

I've read numerous accounts of such incidents, and others following WWII such as the Battle of Athens when contemporary military weapons were used in open gunfights with Police - but it seems that such incidents were not reported or viewed the same way as they are today.

I'm genuinely curious and interested to hear your take on that. Thank you in advance for sharing your experience!

[aimtrue]

The public’s fixation with the gangsters of the 20’s and 30’s was mostly motivated by the motion picture industry. That is not to say that there were not terrible firefights between criminals and law enforcement. However, for the most part, there was not the preponderance of high capacity weapons then or the high tech components that criminals now have at hand.

I remember movies and newsreels about firefights between criminals and criminals and criminals and LEO. But, it was not close and personal because they were records of events. Today, we see at the time of the event, television coverage that looks like scenes from an apocalyptic movie. The bodies and horror taking place is taking place before our eyes in real time.

I cannot recall a single instance of those yesteryears that compare to the scale and ferocity that occurred in North Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California, on February 28, 1997. Then, two robbers, armed with modified and fully automatic high capacity weapons such as AK-47 variants. Bushmaster AR type shooters plus Beretta and HK guns engaged in a battle with LAPD. Almost 2000 rounds were fired during the engagement.

The LAPD officers were armed with .38 caliber revolvers and a number with 9mm pistols. Most of the police cars had shotguns. It was late in the fight and only then that SWAT arrived on scene with high capacity weapons. To say the least, until then, the LEO’s were greatly under-armed and overmatched for this conflict.

It was reported the some AR-15 were commandeered from local gun shops in the area by police. Today, we all have easy access to high capacity weapons.

Allow me to reiterate, I am a supporter of the 2nd Amendment. I firmly believe that it is the irresponsible with a gun that is at fault, not the gun.

Whether it is a six shooter or a high capacity AR15, it is not the gun but the one pulling the trigger that is the problem.

Regarding your question about then and now . . .Then, there were isolated events with real badmen, gangsters or whatever you want to call career criminals. Today, there are frequent events that we see as they happen at the work place, in schools, airports or civic gatherings brought about by bad buys, terrorists, school children, deranged adults and the mentally disturbed.

I consider today to be much more dangerous from many more shooters or bomb throwers, or truck and car mowers of people, then what we saw before WWII .

[aimtrue]

Every time I think I have posted my final comments on this thread I receive another question. The latest by PM is, have I ever owned any Walther guns and if so, what did I think about them?

Yes, I bought a 9mm Kurz Short .380 ACP PPK/S and a .40 S&W P99QA.

I used them alternately for EDC depending on my clothing.


The PPk/S had a very sharp recoil. The P99QA was almost as accurate as a fine 1911.

both were well crafted and made with precision.

[That Guy]

Thta's interesting about the Interstate Highway System. I was driving before the Interstate was completed. If you were going any distance, you had to drive through the downtown of every city or small town.

That sounds remarkably like some of the "major" roads we have over here, especially once you get a bit of distance away from major cities. (And on a smaller scale, a lot of the public dirt roads we have go through people's yards. My typical range trip takes me through two farmhouse front yards, each way. One farmer has even put up "cattle crossing" traffic signs that are hilarious - they're just like pedestrian crossing signs in cities, except a cow instead of a person in the sign. )

[Stephanie B]

It was not until after WWII that America was interconnected by a modern highway system. President Eisenhower was so impressed with the German Autobahn that enabled quick troop movements through Germany that he pushed for a similar system that connected American cities from north to south and east to west. This was a tremendous thing for travel. questions.

Eisenhower was an officer in a coast-to-coast truck convoy just after WW1. It took them a month to make the trip. I think he wrote about it in his book At Ease: Stories I Tell My Friends.