FitzGerald Special
Encyclopedia
The FitzGerald Special, "Fitz Special", or "Fitz Colt" is a snubnosed revolver
modified for concealed carry
. The concept was pioneered by John Henry Fitzgerald (also known as J.H. Fitzgerald, J. Henry Fitzgerald, and "Fitz") an employee of Colt
Firearms from 1918 to 1944. Fitzgerald was a well known and respected competition pistol shooter of the 1920's and 30's and a theorist and innovator of combat pistol shooting tactics. He wrote a book entitled,Shooting in 1930, on the topics of pistol shooting techniques and tactics. There are "authentic" Fitz Specials modified by Fitzgerald himself, though the term can more generally refer to any revolver with similar modifications.
, shortening the barrel to two inches, rounding the butt, and removing the front half of the trigger guard. Reshaping the hammer and the butt allows the gun to be drawn quickly with little risk of the weapon snagging on clothing. The halved trigger guard facilitates quick trigger acquisition, even for shooters with large fingers or gloves.
Fitzgerald first came up with his concept sometime before 1926 when he modified a Colt Police Positive
, whose shortest available barrel length was four inches. He later modified two Colt New Service
s in the same manner.
, in the television series Blue Bloods
, carries a Fitz Special revolver that was given to him by his father, Henry Reagan, NYPD Police Commissioner, retired, who also carried it "on the job" and had it given to him by his late father who was also a career NYPD officer.
Reference is to Ray Riling
, Guns and Shooting, a Bibliography, New York: Greenberg, 1951.
Snubnosed revolver
A snubnosed revolver has a barrel length of less than three inches. It was a popular type of firearm with undercover police officers due to its compact size and ease of handling...
modified for concealed carry
Concealed carry
Concealed carry, or CCW , refers to the practice of carrying a handgun or other weapon in public in a concealed manner, either on one's person or in proximity.-In Canada:...
. The concept was pioneered by John Henry Fitzgerald (also known as J.H. Fitzgerald, J. Henry Fitzgerald, and "Fitz") an employee of Colt
Colt's Manufacturing Company
Colt's Manufacturing Company is a United States firearms manufacturer, whose first predecessor corporation was founded in 1836 by Sam Colt. Colt is best known for the engineering, production, and marketing of firearms over the later half of the 19th and the 20th century...
Firearms from 1918 to 1944. Fitzgerald was a well known and respected competition pistol shooter of the 1920's and 30's and a theorist and innovator of combat pistol shooting tactics. He wrote a book entitled,Shooting in 1930, on the topics of pistol shooting techniques and tactics. There are "authentic" Fitz Specials modified by Fitzgerald himself, though the term can more generally refer to any revolver with similar modifications.
Concept
Fitz Special revolvers are made by bobbing the hammer spurHammerless
A hammerless firearm is a firearm that lacks an exposed hammer or hammer spur.In rifles, using a firing-pin rather than a hammer is a substantial improvement because the time from trigger pull to firing can be less...
, shortening the barrel to two inches, rounding the butt, and removing the front half of the trigger guard. Reshaping the hammer and the butt allows the gun to be drawn quickly with little risk of the weapon snagging on clothing. The halved trigger guard facilitates quick trigger acquisition, even for shooters with large fingers or gloves.
Fitzgerald first came up with his concept sometime before 1926 when he modified a Colt Police Positive
Colt Police Positive
The Colt Police Positive is a small frame double-action revolver featuring a six-round cylinder, chambered for either .32 or .38 caliber cartridges...
, whose shortest available barrel length was four inches. He later modified two Colt New Service
Colt New Service
The Colt New Service was a double-action revolver made by Colt from 1898 until c.1940. It was adopted by the U.S. Armed Forces in .45 Colt as the Model 1909 U.S. Army, Marine Corps Model 1909, Model 1909 U.S. Navy and in .45 ACP as the Model 1917 U.S. Army...
s in the same manner.
Use in Popular Culture
The character of NYPD Police Commissioner Frank Reagan, portrayed by the actor Tom SelleckTom Selleck
Thomas William "Tom" Selleck is an American actor, and film producer. He is best known for his starring role as Hawaii-based private investigator Thomas Magnum on the 1980s television show Magnum, P.I.. He also plays Police Chief Jesse Stone in a series of made-for-TV movies based on the Robert B....
, in the television series Blue Bloods
Blue Bloods
The Blue Bloods was the name of the professional wrestling stable in World Championship Wrestling that consisted of "Lord" Steven Regal, "Earl" Robert Eaton, and "Squire" David Taylor, along with their butler Jeeves, that operated in the middle to late 1990s....
, carries a Fitz Special revolver that was given to him by his father, Henry Reagan, NYPD Police Commissioner, retired, who also carried it "on the job" and had it given to him by his late father who was also a career NYPD officer.
Book by J.H. FitzGerald
- Shooting, Hartford, CT: G.F. Book Co., 1930. [Riling 2081]
Reference is to Ray Riling
Ray Riling
Raymond "Ray" Riling , a Philadelphia builder and arms collector, was an important arms book collector, dealer, author and publisher from the 1940s into the 1970s....
, Guns and Shooting, a Bibliography, New York: Greenberg, 1951.