Check out my collection of vintage small pocket pistols also know as mouse guns. Typically I collect .22 and 32 caliber pistols from all over the world.
The Colt you showed is the Astra Cub design. It is marked Colt and sold by Colt. The design is the Astra design. Colt imported the little pistol from Astra until the malevolent GCA 68 hit; which forbade the importation. So Colt kept up the contract with Astra for parts and the receivers were made by Colt, to the Astra specs. Comparing that example to a Colt 1908 is blinding obvious. Love the story regarding James Bond, Ian Fleming and Geoffrey Boothroyd. What I find funny is Boothroyd called the .25 a 'lady's gun' and then suggested the Walther PPk - in .32 ACP. Also called a lady's gun by most shooters in the United States. The movies screwed up and used a Beretta (got the name right, anyway) Model 1934 or 1935 when Bond surrenders his Beretta (which by description is indeed the year1919 product, 418. As it happens, the 1934 Beretta is a .380 ACP pistol (another almost useful pistol caliber). So M actually ordered Bond to down grade. Most movie watchers didn't know better. I had one of the S&W Escorts. The spring above the barrel system was first used on the 1899-1900 Fabrique Nationale pistol, the first pistol designed by the late John Browning. The main problem I found with the Escort was the manual safety, just out of reach of my thumb and requiring two hands to operate. As I recall, I sold it to someone I didn't like. The Astra engraved pistol was made by Astra. It has the same internal design (different size, of course) as the famous or infamous "Ruby" pistols of the First World War era. The workmanship was pretty good, if not a bit crude in the finish, and the metallurgy was a bit spotty. This example is not marked 'Spain" as it most likely brought back from Europe privately. Only commercially imported 'items' (including guns) have to be marked. (Unless the rules have been changed again.) I collect both .25 ACP or .32 ACP pistols designed prior to WW2. Nothing new.
I thought someone told me that the Astra Cub was a Colt design, but they asked Astra to manufacture them, because Astra knew how to manufacture firearms very cost efficiently. It's also amazing how many designs and mechanisms were invented by Browning, that became copied so many times they became the standard for decades and even into modern guns today. Just like with the Baby Browning, that was copied by well over 200 different companies around the world... and that's not counting the one's that just look similar, but the one's that are about the same size, function the same and disassemble the same. There were also others that functioned the same, but disassembled differently. I really like the way the Bernardelli VP guns disassemble. I wish more of them did that. Have seen a couple so far that do, but not many.
@@deucedeuce1572 Someone may well have told you what you share. They are wrong. The Astra Cub is a child (grand child?) of The famous (or infamous) Ruby of the First World War. Astra was (sadly) a company generated by WW1. (The history is quite interesting, but it's too long for here. Look it up.) The Astra Cub was one variant developed as a pocket (watch pocket perhaps) gun for those who felt the need. The Cub was initially made by Astra in .22 Short; the size was conducive to making the weapon in .25 ACP. However, a casual field striping will show the similarities with older Astra designs. Not to mention a total dissimilarity with Colt designs. One notes the disconnecter is a stamping mounted on the port side of the arm. All the Colt pistols (semi-autos) were designed by John Browning until the Colt 2000 was presented (and failed). In the past Colt made the 1908 Vest Pocket pistol, chambered only in .25 ACP. It was discontinued around the beginning of WW2 for various reasons. At a point after WW2, Colt decided to start up a Vest Pocket kind of pistol again. Based on economic reasons, Colt contracted with Astra to make the Cub in .25 ACP and leave brand stampings off, making it for Colt. This was ended by GCA '68. (I'm skipping more details.) The Cub started being made in 1954. Shortly thereafter, the Colt variant was introduced. Yes, the Cub functions the same in that it is a magazine feed, blow back action of roughly the same size and shape. It is however, not a Browning design. Not even a poor copy. Perhaps intended as a look alike, it doesn't quite do that, either.
A 'sad' mouse-gun story - Many decades ago, my great aunt & uncle owned a tavern & rooming-house in rural PA. One of her customers needed a place to stay, but instead of funds, all he had was a nice WWII bring-back Walther P38, which my aunt accepted. It was her self-defence pistol for many years, 'til sometime in the '80s, when family came to visit, and a nephew asked to borrow the gun. Somehow, the nephew managed to 'lose' it, and 'considerately', replaced it with a Raven! I visited my, now widowed, great-aunt in the early '90s. She showed me the Raven and told me the story. I asked to have a closer look, removed the magazine, and made sure the chamber was empty. Then I handed the pistol back to her, while asking her to rack the slide. She couldn't! I asked her "What will you do with that if someone breaks in? Throw it at 'em?" By my next visit, she had replaced it with a 38 special revolver! 🙂
Awesome collection. I love pocket guns... and you have some of my favorites. The two I would mention that I really love are the Bernardelli (in .22long/short and also in .25acp, which are different models)... and also the Walther Model 9. That Astra is unusual. I would hold on to that. I've never seen another gun like that. It looks like the Firecat, but I don't believe the firecat was produced until 1920. They sold many engraved Astra pocket guns... but I don't recall ever seeing any of them being both engraved and blued at the same time. The engraving is also not like any other Astra engraving I've ever seen. The Bernardelli always claimed to be the smallest .22 and .25 handguns ever produced and they are noticeably smaller than Baby Brownings and most other copies... but the Walther model 9 is still noticeably smaller than the Bernardelli models. So far it is the smallest firearm that I know exists.
If you didn't know, the S&W Model 61 Escort was the pistol Robert DeNiro was standing in front of the mirror saying "you talking to me" in the movie Taxi Driver...out of the approximately 35,000 that S&W made only 6,600 were nickel plated...definitely a collectors gun...I own a S&W Model 61-3...an extremely well made firearm.
That astra looks like the early astra 200. They made them without the grip safety at first and with the addition of the grip safety they remarketed it as the 200 firecat
I live in Florida and my daily concealed carry is a RUGER LCPII with a DeSantis pocket holster. In tee shirts and shorts country, it works. The LCP II has an excellent trigger. It takes practice to control even a .380 recoil in such a small weapon, and I don't really enjoy firing it at the range because of the snap. That said, I've found it to be the best alternative for concealed carry in the minimal clothing that hot climes dictate.
I live in florida and daily a standard lcp and I love it I don't have to dress around it. It seems like no one messes with the standard lcp too much I don't thing the recoil is bad at all on it and it shoots shockingly good for being so small.
Those and the Ravens have a little bit of collectibility, given the "Saturday Night Special" rep and they're pretty much copies (I think made by the same factory) as the Ravens. I bought a Lorcin 100% as an impulse purchase for 50 bucks in the 90's. Went up to the counter with a Savage Camper 410 (single shot) in a little holster, saw it in the case and said "F it, I'll take one of those too"...plastic trigger n all..Wish I still had it.
Have a raven changed firing pin to steel and new mags and cleaned lube they will work good and fmj ammo . They all were family members or employees of Raven at one time that why they have similar looks like his son started Jennings and daughter Davis and sons friend lorcin etc whats left is phoenix arms.
Nice little pistol. As it happens I do have some information on the maker. I believe this is a Spanish pistol that in some instances was marked "FABRIQUE D'ARMES de GUERRE DE GRANDE PRECISION on one line and "PRINCIPE" PATENT on the second line with Cal 6.35 on a third line. Also known as Principe VP (Vest Pocket). For obvious reasons it seems like the manufacturer did not mark this particular pistol this way to allow for the scroll work. A recent example I saw was factory nickel plated with gold plated controls (trigger, safety and heal mag release) mother of pearl grips and no scrollwork. Other than these cosmetic differences the pistol design features are identical to yours. The manufacture date is probably marked on the frame under the grip with a two digit number indicating year (i.e. 29 for 1929). These little Spanish pistols are not as highly sought after as a Colt or FN model would be and a lower price usually reflects that. That being said, I like them for the fact that they are more affordable for a more budget conscious collector. If you ever consider selling it, let me know!
Nice collection, The last one looks like a Unique model 10 , They were made in France / Spain . I have one made in France that has the word Pistolet Automatique "EBAC" on the slide. mine is in very rough shape. yours is really nice.
Beautiful gun (nickel baby browning). I never knew they made them with the nickel finish. It's amazing how well they hold up. When I first saw it I thought someone god a blued one and then removed the bluing and polished it. It probably wouldn't look so nice if someone did that though (because it would want to rust over time).
"HandgunsOfTheWorld" has an "Astra 1911" on their website, but it's larger, kinda like the one you have, but with the slide/barrel and grip extended. It's not blued or engraved either though.
I own a raven it’s reliable enough changed firing pin to steel one and new magazines from phoenix arms what people don’t know is his family members like son started Jennings and daughter Davis and sons friend lorcin etc and some are not reliable but the raven you can read most are reliable what’s left of his family today own phoenix arms think last company that still makes a 25 acp and ammo no worse that the price of my 357 mag ammo
They are quite reliable changed firing pin to steel one and new mags what people don’t know is that his family members started companies that did not do well like Jennings Jimenez Davis lorcin etc til all that is left is phoenix arms .
Nice guns, but the Browning is not original finish-nor is the Colt. Nickeled Brownings are almost always aftermarket plating, and yours shows much evidence. Colt never made the .25 with a matte finish. The magazine safety has also been removed.
The Colt you showed is the Astra Cub design. It is marked Colt and sold by Colt. The design is the Astra design.
Colt imported the little pistol from Astra until the malevolent GCA 68 hit; which forbade the importation. So Colt kept up the contract with Astra for parts and the receivers were made by Colt, to the Astra specs.
Comparing that example to a Colt 1908 is blinding obvious.
Love the story regarding James Bond, Ian Fleming and Geoffrey Boothroyd. What I find funny is Boothroyd called the .25 a 'lady's gun' and then suggested the Walther PPk - in .32 ACP. Also called a lady's gun by most shooters in the United States. The movies screwed up and used a Beretta (got the name right, anyway) Model 1934 or 1935 when Bond surrenders his Beretta (which by description is indeed the year1919 product, 418. As it happens, the 1934 Beretta is a .380 ACP pistol (another almost useful pistol caliber). So M actually ordered Bond to down grade.
Most movie watchers didn't know better.
I had one of the S&W Escorts. The spring above the barrel system was first used on the 1899-1900 Fabrique Nationale pistol, the first pistol designed by the late John Browning. The main problem I found with the Escort was the manual safety, just out of reach of my thumb and requiring two hands to operate. As I recall, I sold it to someone I didn't like.
The Astra engraved pistol was made by Astra. It has the same internal design (different size, of course) as the famous or infamous "Ruby" pistols of the First World War era. The workmanship was pretty good, if not a bit crude in the finish, and the metallurgy was a bit spotty. This example is not marked 'Spain" as it most likely brought back from Europe privately. Only commercially imported 'items' (including guns) have to be marked. (Unless the rules have been changed again.)
I collect both .25 ACP or .32 ACP pistols designed prior to WW2. Nothing new.
I thought someone told me that the Astra Cub was a Colt design, but they asked Astra to manufacture them, because Astra knew how to manufacture firearms very cost efficiently. It's also amazing how many designs and mechanisms were invented by Browning, that became copied so many times they became the standard for decades and even into modern guns today. Just like with the Baby Browning, that was copied by well over 200 different companies around the world... and that's not counting the one's that just look similar, but the one's that are about the same size, function the same and disassemble the same. There were also others that functioned the same, but disassembled differently. I really like the way the Bernardelli VP guns disassemble. I wish more of them did that. Have seen a couple so far that do, but not many.
@@deucedeuce1572 Someone may well have told you what you share. They are wrong. The Astra Cub is a child (grand child?) of The famous (or infamous) Ruby of the First World War.
Astra was (sadly) a company generated by WW1. (The history is quite interesting, but it's too long for here. Look it up.) The Astra Cub was one variant developed as a pocket (watch pocket perhaps) gun for those who felt the need. The Cub was initially made by Astra in .22 Short; the size was conducive to making the weapon in .25 ACP. However, a casual field striping will show the similarities with older Astra designs. Not to mention a total dissimilarity with Colt designs. One notes the disconnecter is a stamping mounted on the port side of the arm. All the Colt pistols (semi-autos) were designed by John Browning until the Colt 2000 was presented (and failed).
In the past Colt made the 1908 Vest Pocket pistol, chambered only in .25 ACP. It was discontinued around the beginning of WW2 for various reasons. At a point after WW2, Colt decided to start up a Vest Pocket kind of pistol again. Based on economic reasons, Colt contracted with Astra to make the Cub in .25 ACP and leave brand stampings off, making it for Colt. This was ended by GCA '68. (I'm skipping more details.)
The Cub started being made in 1954. Shortly thereafter, the Colt variant was introduced.
Yes, the Cub functions the same in that it is a magazine feed, blow back action of roughly the same size and shape. It is however, not a Browning design. Not even a poor copy. Perhaps intended as a look alike, it doesn't quite do that, either.
You should add a Bauer to your collection. Neat little gun
As soon as you showed the last pistol, I said Astra. I have a similar pistol.
Nice guns. I Love mouse guns. I have a galesi in 25 acp
I also love my Galesi. Mine is in .25 ACP and nickel plated. I found it in a used Jeep I bought lol.
A 'sad' mouse-gun story -
Many decades ago, my great aunt & uncle owned a tavern & rooming-house in rural PA. One of her customers needed a place to stay, but instead of funds, all he had was a nice WWII bring-back Walther P38, which my aunt accepted. It was her self-defence pistol for many years, 'til sometime in the '80s, when family came to visit, and a nephew asked to borrow the gun. Somehow, the nephew managed to 'lose' it, and 'considerately', replaced it with a Raven!
I visited my, now widowed, great-aunt in the early '90s. She showed me the Raven and told me the story. I asked to have a closer look, removed the magazine, and made sure the chamber was empty. Then I handed the pistol back to her, while asking her to rack the slide. She couldn't!
I asked her "What will you do with that if someone breaks in? Throw it at 'em?"
By my next visit, she had replaced it with a 38 special revolver! 🙂
JUst subscribed I went down this Rabbit hole of Mouse guns loVe the Video
Really enjoyed your collection thank you sharing
I love mouse guns.
Great collection!
Very nice collection, thank you for sharing!
Great collection....great video!
Always enjoy your videos. This was no exception. Thanks. Hope all is well.
Thanks, you too!
Awesome collection. I love pocket guns... and you have some of my favorites. The two I would mention that I really love are the Bernardelli (in .22long/short and also in .25acp, which are different models)... and also the Walther Model 9. That Astra is unusual. I would hold on to that. I've never seen another gun like that. It looks like the Firecat, but I don't believe the firecat was produced until 1920. They sold many engraved Astra pocket guns... but I don't recall ever seeing any of them being both engraved and blued at the same time. The engraving is also not like any other Astra engraving I've ever seen. The Bernardelli always claimed to be the smallest .22 and .25 handguns ever produced and they are noticeably smaller than Baby Brownings and most other copies... but the Walther model 9 is still noticeably smaller than the Bernardelli models. So far it is the smallest firearm that I know exists.
Thank you. Really like mouse guns.
Bought some .25 caliber ammo the other month and was 35 dollars for a 50 round box !!
If you didn't know, the S&W Model 61 Escort was the pistol Robert DeNiro was standing in front of the mirror saying "you talking to me" in the movie Taxi Driver...out of the approximately 35,000 that S&W made only 6,600 were nickel plated...definitely a collectors gun...I own a S&W Model 61-3...an extremely well made firearm.
The Berettas are beautiful.
That astra looks like the early astra 200. They made them without the grip safety at first and with the addition of the grip safety they remarketed it as the 200 firecat
I always have my mouse gun in hand when I’m checking traps. 🐭
I live in Florida and my daily concealed carry is a RUGER LCPII with a DeSantis pocket holster. In tee shirts and shorts country, it works. The LCP II has an excellent trigger. It takes practice to control even a .380 recoil in such a small weapon, and I don't really enjoy firing it at the range because of the snap. That said, I've found it to be the best alternative for concealed carry in the minimal clothing that hot climes dictate.
I live in florida and daily a standard lcp and I love it I don't have to dress around it. It seems like no one messes with the standard lcp too much I don't thing the recoil is bad at all on it and it shoots shockingly good for being so small.
Cool collection All I have small is My Mom's Lorcin 25 I agree seems Best to go the last day.
Those and the Ravens have a little bit of collectibility, given the "Saturday Night Special" rep and they're pretty much copies (I think made by the same factory) as the Ravens. I bought a Lorcin 100% as an impulse purchase for 50 bucks in the 90's. Went up to the counter with a Savage Camper 410 (single shot) in a little holster, saw it in the case and said "F it, I'll take one of those too"...plastic trigger n all..Wish I still had it.
Have a raven changed firing pin to steel and new mags and cleaned lube they will work good and fmj ammo . They all were family members or employees of Raven at one time that why they have similar looks like his son started Jennings and daughter Davis and sons friend lorcin etc whats left is phoenix arms.
Some other designs are
- Seecamp LWS .32 acp
- NAA Guardian .32 acp
- Keltec P-32 .32 acp
- Bauer .25 acp
cool to get hard to find.
Nice little pistol. As it happens I do have some information on the maker. I believe this is a Spanish pistol that in some instances was marked "FABRIQUE D'ARMES de GUERRE DE GRANDE PRECISION on one line and "PRINCIPE" PATENT on the second line with Cal 6.35 on a third line. Also known as Principe VP (Vest Pocket). For obvious reasons it seems like the manufacturer did not mark this particular pistol this way to allow for the scroll work. A recent example I saw was factory nickel plated with gold plated controls (trigger, safety and heal mag release) mother of pearl grips and no scrollwork. Other than these cosmetic differences the pistol design features are identical to yours. The manufacture date is probably marked on the frame under the grip with a two digit number indicating year (i.e. 29 for 1929).
These little Spanish pistols are not as highly sought after as a Colt or FN model would be and a lower price usually reflects that. That being said, I like them for the fact that they are more affordable for a more budget conscious collector. If you ever consider selling it, let me know!
Nice collection, The last one looks like a Unique model 10 , They were made in France / Spain . I have one made in France that has the word Pistolet Automatique "EBAC" on the slide. mine is in very rough shape. yours is really nice.
Fun!
Beautiful gun (nickel baby browning). I never knew they made them with the nickel finish. It's amazing how well they hold up. When I first saw it I thought someone god a blued one and then removed the bluing and polished it. It probably wouldn't look so nice if someone did that though (because it would want to rust over time).
"HandgunsOfTheWorld" has an "Astra 1911" on their website, but it's larger, kinda like the one you have, but with the slide/barrel and grip extended. It's not blued or engraved either though.
You should get a Bond Derringer, they are super cute
I own a raven it’s reliable enough changed firing pin to steel one and new magazines from phoenix arms what people don’t know is his family members like son started Jennings and daughter Davis and sons friend lorcin etc and some are not reliable but the raven you can read most are reliable what’s left of his family today own phoenix arms think last company that still makes a 25 acp and ammo no worse that the price of my 357 mag ammo
Not 1 Raven 25 in the bunch, so disappointed lol ❤️
They are quite reliable changed firing pin to steel one and new mags what people don’t know is that his family members started companies that did not do well like Jennings Jimenez Davis lorcin etc til all that is left is phoenix arms .
I'm surprised you don't have a walther pp, ppk, ppks, tph, or a tp. Is there a reason why you don't?
Nice guns, but the Browning is not original finish-nor is the Colt. Nickeled Brownings are almost always aftermarket plating, and yours shows much evidence. Colt never made the .25 with a matte finish. The magazine safety has also been removed.
We live on a farm, we need a good gun
Its a French unique?
FYI,Your EDC is a LCP Gen 2 not Lcp2