Sidearms & Scatterguns Old "Air Marshal" handgun with " snipe sights"

[OldBrokenCop]

About15-20 years ago an old timer working at a local gun store (I'm almost one of them now myself! Lol) showed me his carry gun which was a "special design for Air Marshals" that had a one piece sight on top that started wide at the back and narrowed to a point towards the muzzle (think of drawing a road on paper that disappears into the horizon). He referred to it as a "snipe sight". The whole point being a super rapid sight picture in super close quarters.

Haven't seen or heard of one since. Google just laughs when I launch it anymore [emoji6] , figured maybe I'd get lucky here...

Thanks all...

 

[sinister]

ASP Gutter Snipe based on the Smith and Wesson 39.

 

[OldBrokenCop]

That's them! Thanks a TON!!! Been making me nuts the last couple weeks. Anyone ever shoot with them?

 

[Victory]

Sinister, you knowledge never ceases to amaze me. I googled it for a while trying to figure out what it would be, but came up with nothing.

So what is the story behind these sights? Are they just for quick target acquisition in confined spaces? Is there a reason they never really caught on? What type of sight picture are you trying to achieve with them?

 

[Victory]

NVM, I now had something to google, so I was able to answer my questions.

 

[OldBrokenCop]

From what I understand they were designed to be used at "point shooting" distances, but if you trained with a certain technique that was a little counterintuitive to a conventional setup, you could effect a head shot just as fast as a point and shoot center mass. It was coupled with a Glaser type round to effect single shot "immediate" shut down of terrorist types with no collateral damage. That's the tale I was told, it just may buy you coffee with a couple bucks too lol.

 

[OldBrokenCop]

Lest my manners slip, thanks Sinister (and everyone else that's helped with my random ass questions). You guys are all great in this forum! (feel more like a lurker most times because everything I need had been asked and answered! LOL) Thanks again...J~

 

[FN in MT]

I forget WHO came up with the gutter snipe sight system, possibly the same guy who did the ASP series of M-39's and IIRC at least a few BHP's and M-59's too. Agaiin...POSSIBLY.

DEVEL was possibly involved?

I just did search on the S&W Forum...no joy. I know I saw a great post with many pictures of an original ASP Smith 39 recently. Possibly on the SIG Forum?

Handled an ASP many years back at Rays Sport Shop, N. Plainfield NJ. The guy carrying it was some sort of Fed, NOT FBI...possibly CIA or NSA.
This shop was a huge LE Dealer and major S&W distributor in the east coast. LOTS of cool stuff in and out of Rays.

It had clear grips allowing the user to visibly note how many 9mm rds remained in the magazine. It had a dull silver finish, similar to Armalloy. Probably WAS Armalloy. I'll try to find the post...it was very informative; told the story of the ASP system.

 

[FN in MT]

ASP vs DEVEL which do you like?

One of the posts...still trying to fiind the most recent.

ASP pistol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[charvey9]

Have never seen one of those before, but that is pretty cool.

 

[Mike_Honcho]

Detonics made a few of their diminutive rigs with a similar guttersnipe sight as well.


I pulled both the front and rear sights off a blaster and shot it that way for a few weeks a couple winters ago as a means to confirm that I was making the quality of hits that I was by index alone. The guttersnipe is merely a stepping stone toward pure index shooting and it works well throughout practical distances.

 

[OldBrokenCop]

When we were in the LEO Academy they had a couple duty guns (Glock 17's) that had no sights to show that from 0-7 yards, most shooting is done via "instict" or indexing. A real eye opener for some guys and gals that had never touched a gun and were struggling with punching holes in paper.

 

[dragoon]

Paris Theodore designed the ASP , and the 'guttersnipe' sights . He founded Seventrees Ltd. , that made specialized holsters . It was purchased by Ken Null , and he is still in business . He does really fine work ...
Paris Theodore - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[RollingThunder51]

Paris Theodore designed the ASP , and the 'guttersnipe' sights . He founded Seventrees Ltd. , that made specialized holsters . It was purchased by Ken Null , and he is still in business . He does really fine work ...
Paris Theodore - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The ASP had serious frame alloy issues.
Guttersnipe as a close range sighting system vanished upon introduction.
Fascinating character that one would best never share his toothpaste with.

 

[OldBrokenCop]

Thanks for all the info guys, all of it has been great, the pros and cons of what came out of the design!

 

[dragoon]

The ASPs were highly customized Smith & Wesson Model 39s ... The Colt's Special Agent .45 is available with a groove milled down the top of the slide , reminiscent of the ASP's guttersnipe sights ...