Prizefighter and gunfighter

John Henry Fitzgerald used to make his living as a bare-knuckle boxer. He developed an interest in firearms at an early age and became a champion pistol shot. His favorite pistol was the Colt New Service, and he became known for his ability to take pistols apart, optimize their actions, and put them back together again (see Figure 1).

gunsmith
Fig. 1 Fitz was an accomplished gunsmith and worked on his own pistols. Photo: American Handgunner

Fitz was so skilled and well-known that Colt hired him as a salesman in 1918. He also became a New York State Police Trooper, firearms specialist, and trainer. Fitz became known as a fast gunfighter. He carried two matched pistols, probably on the premise that the fastest reload is to drop one gun and use the other. He introduced the use of silhouette targets instead of bull’s-eyes. He introduced the two-handed grip. He liked heavy-caliber pistols like the 1911 in .45 ACP and the New Service in .45 Colt or .44-40. Before the gangster wars that were just around the corner, there were no magnum cartridges. The large calibers had the best stopping power.

The problem with those pistols is they’re big and heavy sidearms. Fitz wanted something smaller, that he could slip into a coat pocket. The jacket pocket of a suit, or a winter coat. The cartridge had to generate enough energy to punch the round through the coat and have enough left at a range of, say, seven yards to penetrate winter clothing and put down an adversary.

Fitz’s solution was to modify the .45-caliber New Service and make his own snub-nosed revolver. It’s come to be known as the Fitz Special, and was the forerunner of the snubbies that Colt and S&W developed later (see Figure 2).

.45 Colt
Fig. 2 Two New Service pistols in .45 Colt. Original (right) and Fitz Special (left). Photo: Gunsmagazine.com

The modifications Fitz made were straightforward.

  1. Fitz cut down the barrel to two inches.
  2. He moved the sight back. Arguably you don’t need a sight at very close range. Fitz was a target shooter too, and wanted the front sight, so he reattached it.
  3. In some cases, the ejector rod was shortened and the knurled tip removed.
  4. The hammer spur could catch on clothing, so Fitz bobbed it. This effectively converted the SA/DA into a DA only. Some people checker the top of the bobbed hammer. This can allow friction from thumb pressure to cock the pistol. The risk of negligent discharge is so high this is not recommended.
  5. The most controversial modification Fitz made was to the trigger guard. He cut off the front of the guard so the bottom ended just below the trigger. The purpose was to make it easier to get the shooter’s finger onto the trigger while wearing gloves. Nowadays, this feature is considered unacceptable due to the risk of an ND. Fitz and other advocates counted on their experience and heavy DA triggers for safety. Shooters are conscious of trigger finger placement. The big risk seems to be catching the trigger on a belt, the lip of a pocket, or holster in the act of holstering – with catastrophic consequences.

This video provides an excellent history of the Fitz Special, and takes the viewer through the process of making one.

Video: The Fitz Special. Short history and modifications

Clyde Barrow’s Fitz Special
Fig. 3 A piece of history: Clyde Barrow’s Fitz Special from a 1924 Colt Army. He stole it from a policeman he shot. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company

Fitz made one of his Specials from a full-sized .38 Colt Police Positive Special. That served as the prototype for Colt’s Detective Special that was introduced in 1927. Today, Fitz Specials are more collectibles than weapons someone would actually carry. It’s much easier to buy a snubby. But the pistol has an interesting history. Charles Lindbergh bought one, Clyde Barrow stole one (it was found in his pocket when he was killed, see Figure 3), and Fitz gifted one to Colonel Rex Applegate.

 

About the Author

Cameron Curtis author
Cameron Curtis

You may reach Cameron at: cameron.curtis545@gmail.com

Cameron Curtis has spent thirty years in the financial markets as a trader and risk manager. He was on the trade floor when Saddam’s tanks rolled into Kuwait, when the air wars opened over Baghdad and Belgrade, and when the financial crisis swallowed the world. He’s studied military affairs and warfare all his adult life. His popular Breed series of military adventure thrillers are admired for combining deep expertise with propulsive action. The premises are realistic, the stories adrenaline-fueled and emotionally engaging.

Check out the books here: Cameron Curtis’s Amazon Page

For a limited time, the first four books are available at a special price:

breed-thrillers