“Old School” Gun
Alterations & Attitudes

Starting around the 1920s, anyone carrying a badge for local, state or federal law enforcement who was serious about surviving armed confrontations used any tactic it took—whether in the book or not—to win. Defensive tactics were in their infancy, including altering firearms to provide badge carriers with any tactical advantage over the criminals they pursued.

Gangsters of the day didn’t worry about violating laws. It was in their very nature. After committing a crime, criminals do whatever is necessary to ensure their getaway. Facing career criminals with this type of mindset is dangerous work. Law enforcement agents did everything they could to gain the upper hand over their adversaries, including the alteration of their guns.

The “Fitz Special”

First on the list is probably the most recognized “altered” handgun ever customized for law enforcement and military personnel — the “Fitz Special.”

The most obvious trait of the “Fitz” is the removal of the front half of the trigger guard. As its namesake John Henry Fitzgerald, explained, “Perhaps some would like to ask why I cut up a good revolver and here is the answer: The trigger guard is cut away to allow more finger room and for use when gloves are worn … The hammer spur is cut away to allow drawing from the pocket or from under the coat without catching or snagging in the cloth and eliminates the use of the thumb over hammer when drawing.”

Other touches included a slight rounding of the revolver’s butt, along with checkering of what was left of the hammer, should one want to shoot single action at long range. This was accomplished by starting the trigger squeeze and catching the hammer with the thumb, bringing it to full cock.

Besides these alterations, further customized work involved reducing the size and weight of the revolver to make it faster and easier to draw. This was accomplished by cutting the barrel to 2 inches and gently round-butting the grip for smoother, easier drawing from a concealed trouser or coat pocket.

The 1911

Some say the 1911 is John Moses Browning’s greatest creation! Indeed, it is a dandy. It’s “cult-like” following says a lot. The design is over 100 years old and will easily go another 100 years strong.

The 1911 has both a latch-style thumb safety and grip safety to accommodate carrying it “cocked and locked.” The grip safety is engaged when griping the gun, while the thumb safety requires a cognitive flip of the latch with your thumb. But what happens when you can’t activate both safeties? Let me tell you a story …

Texas Hold ’Em

The Texas Rangers had a habit of lashing their 1911 grip safety with rawhide lacing. It wasn’t done to be cool. It served a purpose stemming from an encounter involving famed Texas Ranger Charlie Miller, who was one of the first Rangers to carry a 1911 for duty use.

Miller was ambushed by a knife-wielding attacker from the rear. While being stabbed, the Ranger drew his 1911 and tried shooting the desperado off his back. However, the awkward angle of the 1911 pointed to his rear at his attacker wouldn’t allow his grip to activate the grip safety. Needless to say, the armed piggybacker met his demise, and Miller lived another day to tell about it.

After the encounter, Miller started tying off the grip safety with rawhide lacing so it would never happen again. Word spread of the encounter and Rangers across the state mimicked the technique. Some even went so far as to have their grip safeties pinned in place for a more permanent solution.

I know Skeeter Skelton, who incidentally aspired to be a Texas Ranger, had a custom-engraved 1911 with this alteration performed. The gun also had an S&W adjustable rear sight milled into the slide. He carried the gun for years during his law enforcement duties. I was fortunate enough to handle it when his son Bart showed it to me.

Design Flaw?

While John Browning’s 1911 design is a good one, Browning never considered the scenario of trying to shoot a miscreant off his back when he designed its grip safety. Good men solve problems after assessing the situation and circumstances and coming up with solutions. These solutions can be easy, temporary fixes, like a rawhide lace, or more permanent, like pinning the grip safety in place.

“Fitzed” Autos?

Some Rangers even had their 1911s partially “Fitzed” by having either a gunsmith remove the front half of the trigger guard or doing the job themselves. Famous Texas Ranger Manuel “Lone Wolf” Gonzaulles did so with his daily carry 1911. This ensured easier access to the trigger when wearing gloves.

Not For Everyone?

While these alterations may not be for everyone, they can certainly be of use to people with the right mindset during armed confrontations. Even Fitzgerald stated that people carrying the conversion bearing his name should practice with an empty gun before carrying it fully loaded.

A true gunfighter is well-practiced, always anticipating the worst-case scenario and having multiple choices when things go bad. They are always looking for better options, scenarios or tools to accomplish their job so they can safely return home after their shift. This is accomplished with continued training and constructive critiquing of events to learn what to do and sometimes what not to do.

We’ve learned from the past. With continued training, law enforcement, along with private citizenry, have come out ahead while facing armed confrontations. Like technology, good fighting tactics are constantly evolving from exposure to various criminal shenanigans. These early gun alterations were just the first step towards defensive tactics and training. It would serve everyone to stay on top of new tactics open mindedly. As one Ranger stated when asked about the guns, “If they weren’t dangerous, they would be useless.”

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