A HERD OF FIALA .22rfs

[mauser]

My past posts regarding the Fiala Model 1920 have rarely said much about the carbine configuration of this pistol. This is a very neat looking, vintage .22 when it's dressed up in its detachable walnut buttstock, and trim little 20" barrel with its graceful wooden forestock.

In the past few days I've dug 'em all out and asembled them for a family portrait. I have a few more, other than these from the cased 3-bbl sets. One is pictured at bottom, a "Special Order" 12 1/2" barrel with one of the buttstocks attached.

I'm always hoping more collectors will get interested in searching for these unique little guns. I'll be happy to answer any questions and help any new collectors to this rather limited field.

 

[tiriaq]

A remarkable display. I don't think I have ever seen one of these in Canada.

 

[mauser]

A Few Survivors In Canada

Thanks, tiriaq. Though only a guesstimated 8,000 were produced from 1921 to 1926, with up to four or more different brands on their flanks, there's a good chance some made it into the hands of the hunter/trapper/trader group in Canada.

I hope some owners will come forward with info on their guns. We're trying to compile a listing of survivors with notes on their variations in order to better establish some of the production data. Unfortunately there are no known surviving factory records to help us out.

Below is a photo of a complete cased set, and a line drawing of same found in a catalog put out by Columbia Arms, one of the several owners of the company. These cased sets sold for the exorbitant price of $35 in the '20s.

Best regards, ---mauser

 

[CanAm]

They look much like Colt Woodsmans. Are they designed the same?

 

[SDC]

They look a lot like a Woodsman, but they were designed as manual repeaters, so you'd cycle the slide by hand after each shot. A very nice collection, Mauser, and there are more than a few collectors in the US that would love to have one half as nice; 45 Broomhandle in this thread might be able to get you in touch with a few more Fiala collectors who are looking for info: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=247450

 

[mauser]

Various Screen Names

Hi SDC. Yes, 45Broomhandle is my screen name on the THR forum. On some other forums it may be FloridaFialaFan, Shansei96, or whatever. When I first started posting to forums I thought it a good idea to use different screen names on each. Now I'm beginning to wonder if I shouldn't have kept it same on all.

The Fiala is NOT related to the Colt family. However, it IS RELATED to the High Standard line. The Hartford single-shot .22rf (NO magazine) was designed by the same man who designed the Fiala. Hartford Arms then came up with their semi-auto Mdl. 1925 .22rf and they were bought by High Standard. Therefore, on one of our major High Standard forums, the Hartford and Fiala are both discussed quite often.

My interest is in the vintage .22rf single-shots that look like semi-autos. Below is photo of a Model 10 Stevens tip-up .22rf I obtained a couple of weeks ago at one of the online auctions.

Best regards, ---mauser

 

[mauser]

MORE SINGLE-SHOT .22s

Here are a couple more little .22rf SINGLE-SHOTS that appear similar to a semi-auto.

TOP is the WAMO Powermaster. It's recently been established that WAMO and Wham-O of Hula Hoop fame, are actually one and the same. Wham-O marketed some dueling swords, the Powermaster, some crossbows, etc. under the WAMO name from a different location in California. They have disavowed any connection with the Powermaster for MANY years. This is same frame Daisy used on their Model 100, which design was actually purchased from ANOTHER short-lived air gun manufacturer.

BOTTOM is the Sheridan Knocabout. YES, this is the famous air gun company. This was their ONLY foray into the firearms market. Another short-lived endeavor. BY THE WAY, that is the proper spelling for Knocabout. ONLY ONE K. That's how it's printed on the box lid and inside the lid on the Instructions, AND in their vintage ads.

Each of these little "tacklebox" guns sold for less than $20 in their heyday. I think they are neat and make a nice addition to my .22rf single-shot pistol collection, even though these are from the '50s and '60s.

Best regards, ---mauser

 

[mauser]

Another Oddball Addition

Recently acquired a 1953 S-M Sporter single-shot .22rf for the collection. This gun was a total failure, less than 600 produced. The S-M stands for the originator's initials: Sydney Manson, who was president of the company and got help in its design from WHB Smith who was a well-known all-around "gun guy" back in that era.

The gun originally advertised in the American Rifleman at $19.95. I found this one up for auction where the owner of an old, established nationwide gun auction had no idea what the gun was. The person consigning it for sale guessed it came from the 1930's (with PLASTIC grips???).

Someone besides me certainly recognized it because the final hammer price was almost $500! I've searched for one for years. This one is in near new condition.

Best regards ~ ~ ~ mauser

 

[Snow Dog]

I just happened across one of those Fiala cased sets on a US site - they're asking nearly $1600 for it!
h ttp://www.ktpguns.com/interior.php/pid/28/gid/101516

 

[mauser]

I just happened across one of those Fiala cased sets on a US site - they're asking nearly $1600 for it!
h ttp://www.ktpguns.com/interior.php/pid/28/gid/101516

That seller, KTP Guns, has had it for a LONG time. Another Fiala collector drove quite a ways to check it out. He came back with a rather disparaging report about its condition. However, it DOES have all matching numbers, AND a case. One outfit down here wanted over $1,000 just to refurbish one of my original, fitted cases! So, what does that make a case by itself worth???

There's one coming up on the 9th for auction. Am trying to get more info from the auction house. And, I've got a rare variation on its way to me, I'll probably report it on CGN at some time in the future once it's in hand. This is one most of we collectors have only HEARD of, never seen or owned.

Best regards ~ ~ ~ mauser

 

[mauser]

An Unsual Accessory

CanAm asked, "They look much like Colt Woodsmans. Are they designed the same?"

Here's an interesting bit of info about that similarity. Back in 1925 a California company produced a heavy-duty, leather-on-steel stock/holster for the Colt Woodsman. Due to the odd little quirks of the powers that be, the Government's ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms) Bureau magnanimously deigned it to be legal. MOST such rigs for handguns made the outfit illegal, about the same class as a machine-gun!

However, it's ONLY legal when used on the Colt Woodsman. When I obtained this one I learned it would fit ONLY one other gun in my collection: Fialas. Of the several handguns I have in the collection with similarly shaped butts, the Fiala was the only one to fit in the rig!

Below is a pic of the rig on the CORRECT Colt Woodsman. If you should run across one up there, remember they're worth around $900 down here!

Best regards ~ ~ ~ mauser

A LARGE metal loop on the back allows it to be hung solidly over a belt or pants waistband.