I posted the above photo of my 1980’s Cobray Pocket Pal on TTAG’s Facebook page. The caption read, “Do I load my EDC with 3 rounds of .380 or 5 rounds of .22? Decisions, decisions.” I was, of course, kidding. This paperweight of a gun doesn’t even get fired, let alone carried. But as we all know, sarcasm can be hard to convey via the intertubes and most seemed to take the post seriously.
Which resulted in my snarky reply to Dennis’ perfectly reasonable suggestion. But this (and people regularly referring to CZs as hipster guns) got me thinking…what guns would a “gun hipster” carry or own? Other than my totes on fleek bae, the Cobray Pocket Pal, that is.
After due consideration, here’s my list of the top six (because no hipster would create something as banal or normative as a top five or top 10 list) hipster-pleasing firearms:
Locally Crafted Artisanal AK-47
Nothing says “hipster” quite like a locally-sourced, hand-crafted AK-47 that looks like it was made in a garage yurt in Mongolia, but costs three times what you’d pay for a Century Arms import. Jon Wayne Taylor kept things Texas locavore by building his own AK back in the day. Don’t look now, but he’s probably a gun hipster.
Colt Model 1908 Vest Pocket Pistol
Chambered in .25 ACP, a caliber perfect for the modern, effete free ranging hipster male who eschews toxic masculinity, the Colt Vest Pocket is perfect for carrying, well, in your vest (just be sure to stow your beard comb elsewhere). It’s also pleasingly retro in a waxed mustache, prohibition-era-themed “speakeasy” mixologist kind of way. It was a concealable semi-auto before concealable semi-autos were cool.
Remington R51
The shelter pet of modern concealed carry pistols, Remington’s R51 is ready for you to rescue her so you can feel good about yourself and virtue signal to your friends. As a stylish modern take on an old-fashioned gun made of real steel by real men from the end of WWI to the Great Depression, it appeals to the hipster’s sense of history…so long as it’s cleaned up and made less icky for the 21st century.
The fact that it employs an obscure type of locking action that never went mainstream is just icing on the organic, ethically-sourced, raw, vegan cake.
Heckler & Koch P7
As much clock as it is glock (small “g,” the generic term for any handgun), HK’s P7 is no longer in production. That fact automatically gives it 14 gun hipster points. Its squeeze-cocking mechanism is at least as rare and obscure as the R51’s Pedersen action, and the gun set more “firsts” (first 3-dot sights, for example) than you can count on a throwback flip phone.
The P7 nailed the insanely low bore axis, striker-fired, combat sights thing way before any of that was cool. Plus it’s expensive, very high-quality, intricate, fancy-yet-austere, and elegant in a well-groomed metrosexual man kind of a way. But it’s functional, too.
Webley Mk IV Revolver
Let’s not get too hung up on the Webley, per se. As far as hipster cognoscenti are concerned, this could really be almost any Wild West to WWII revolver, from an old Colt Rainmaker to a Smith & Wesson Victory. Naturally, it should be chambered in an obscure caliber that has faded from general use.
You aren’t necessarily a gun hipster for collecting these guns, mind you, but you damn sure are for carrying one. Especially since you tote it in a hand-tooled, naturally tanned shoulder holster made by a local leather artisan from the hide of Chad, a bison he raised himself.
Bonus gun hipster points for making your antique revolver of choice look even more steampunk.
Hudson H9
If you’re looking to buck the mainstream, ignore societal convention, and find that indie-rock band of a gun before it’s officially cool, then you’re a gun hipster and you’re already late to the Hudson H9 party. The H9 isn’t afraid to look unique, and is perfectly comfortable being a little bit GLOCK and a little 1911.
There are more than two guns — caliber is a construct — and the H9 looks dang good in its skinny grips. Like tweaking a Jazz Age cocktail for the modern era, Hudson raised a middle finger to tradition and created their own unique vision of today’s 1911, which is unlikely to be in the hands of the guy next to you at the range. At least not yet. Gun hipsters, rejoice while the rejoicing is good.
Hilarious.
Savage 1907s fit well, as does anything in .45 Auto Rim or .45 GAP although the former may be redundant due to the revolver line item.
What do you all think about Nambu Pistols?
The design prototype for the Ruger Standard .22.
First, these are the most interesting articles. That first thing. No thanks. The AK? Every day and twice on Sunday. A 1908 is a small suprise, but it’s those little ones that get you. Besides I really like weapons from that era. The Remington. Pass. The H&K? If it’s a P7M8, how many do you have for sale? The Webley is ugly, the trigger sucks but it did come on at least one effective caliber. That Hudson thing is so ugly, I don’t care how great a pistol it is, I wouldn’t wear it to my ex-wife’s funeral.
Knew an old farmer that carried a Webley for defense. Mostly I knew him because I sold it to him. :p
Also, did Remington ever actually fix all o those defective R51s? Last I heard the still had lots of issues
I think if I had a Webley I’d have to carry it sometimes.
They are a lot of fun in a retro sort of way. And shouldn’t guns also be fun?
The Makarov should be on this list, and maybe a Colt Police Positive (preferably in .32). If you are too poor for the Colt,.an H&R revolver in .32 would also be alright. Even a Beretta Tomcat in .32 would work.
“The Makarov should be on this list,…”
It would be a fit for a Leftist Scum ™ with a ‘Comrade Che’ t-shirt…
I had a Mak until the lockdown came and I gave it to a person that needed a gun.
I’m not leftist scum.
“I’m not leftist scum.”
I never implied you were, since I *highly* doubt you would have allowed a Leftist Scum ™ ‘Comrade Che’ t-shirt in your closet… 🙂
A Police Positive in .32 is a good one or the H&R, an Iver would also fit the bill.
Back when I lived in Mississippi I could occasionally carry this Nagant revolver back then. Just for the fun of it.
I guess that kind of makes a big of a gun-hipster too.
Ron:
I do have a Webley (Mk. IV .38), and I think is absolutely snazzy. But it’s not for EDC; it’s for the range occasionally. My Webley is now 78 years old, having been manufactured in 1944 at the height of the war in Europe, and parts for it are made out of unobtainium. You should see the big smile I get, when I let someone shoot it at the range.
Speaking about break-top revolvers, how about the S&W Lemon Squeezer?
Part of me wants a break action revolver, just because it was such a great innovation. The rest of me realizes it would just sit next to my ten year old, unfired cap and ball revolver.
Don’t forget to clean your hipster gun with non fossil derived oil. Like farm raised, organic, fair trade, free range, imported, extra virgin olive oil.
Also be sure to use only green, organic ammo in your gun.
Or whale oil. +10 for whale or seal oil
baby harp seal oil is exquisite.
By any chance did you mean freshly-clubbed baby harp seal oil ™? 🙂
the club trauma taints the oil. you have to drain them alive.
” you have to drain them alive.”
*snicker*…
Baby Harp Seal oil can be difficult to acquire but I’ve seen Liberal Tears Weapons Lubricant on display damn near everywhere lately. Cost is minimal as well, can damn near be had for the asking in most respectable establishments and venues. Probably the less respectable ones as well…
I know you guys are being facetious, but the truth is, among old gunsmiths, Sperm Whale Oil was known as some of the best gun lube there ever was. Brownells used to sell it in half-pint cans in the 1960’s. Wonderful stuff.
Yes, that and nearly the entire early industrial world ran on lubricants derived from whale oil. No wonder populations were decimated. Nasty business to be sure.
Ain’t that what the green tip on them longer skinny ones signifies, fair trade only ammo?
And don’t you dare put it in a leather holster. Only woven from hemp and conditioned with Burt’s Bees wax (as long as the wax is ethically harvested). Carbon fiber is an alternate choice because it sounds “sciencey”.
That really was a delightful read.
I remember the Hudson and the R51. Never thought of them as hipster, but then again I live in South Carolina. We’re not too hipsterish here. Maybe an article about the weapons rednecks carry?
Wouldn’t that encompass all weapons excluding five of these six? I’ve always thought it can be read both ways; “bring enough gun” and “bring enough guns”, or gunm n gunms if possums looking.
LGS had a barely-legal sawed-off side-by-side 12 gauge a couple years back. About as redneck of a gun as you could ask for.
Jeremy – I have an 07 FFL question for you –
But first, that color-case-hardened P7 leaves me weak in the knees whenever I see it.
2 questions –
Number 1 – In the 300+ page BATF paper, they state that only one part (usually the ‘tube’) will be the registered part with a stamp.
Will that now mean for a suppressor like that Cadiz ‘Econo-Can’ that the registered owner will now be able to replace the shot-out filter without returning it to an 07 FFL?
Number 2 – Will that also mean for a ‘wipe’ can, the registered user is free to replace their own rubber ‘wipes’? The question isn’t academic, on the YouTube channel ‘NFA Channel’, the spokesperson claims as it is now, an owner of a ‘wipe’ can can currently replace the wipe on a one-for-one basis, as long as they cut the worn-out one physically in half.
I have a GSL ‘Pill Box’ wipe suppressor in NFA jail currently. It’s a copy of the old Gemtech Pill Bottle, and the designer of the pill box came from Gemtech, Greg Latka…
So why not a Walther PPK? In a shoulder holster?
While drinking vodka martinis and wearing a tux in everyday social situations?
Someone has to think that would be hip, right?
Speaking of morning martinis, shaken, stirred or otherwise, has Sam been around recently? Don’t recall seeing him comment for awhile, hope he’s well.
he only owns a neos so not able to comment.
Ha! Yeah, I wanted to rib him about that in one of our prolonged discussions (I was on Single Malt) (again) but he’s just too nice 😁.
Sam was here a few days ago.
Tom in Oregon is the TTAG’er MIA in the comment section for quite sometime now… 🙁
For sure Geoff. I asked JWT awhile ago but he had no news.
They wouldn’t carry a Mosin Nagant, you know, ironically? Complete with the the original sling, mag pouches, and little bottle of oil.
I think they would like the Mosin if they could handle the recoil.
The Nagant revolver on the other hand had hipster written all over it.
That was a fun article for sure. Am I nuts or is that HK mag loaded backwards? Doesn’t the Webley come with a leash so no one steals it?
You’re not nuts. Old HK joke that never gets old.
For what it’s worth (not much), Indiana Jones carried a Webley Green in The Last Crusade, which should earn or lose it a few points depending on where you stand.
You just wanted another excuse to show off your (admittedly stunning) P7.
Overall, I think your list is pretty good but, I would replace th ’08 with an ’03. I know, the ’08 is uber concealable but, even hipsters know that .25 ACP just can’t get it done and .32 is just odd enough to fit the bill and still be a somewhat effective cartridge. You can amp up the hipster points just by calling it 7.65 Browning.
The clothing styles of that time allowed larger pistols to be carried discretely. I had an ’03 Browning decades ago and liked it.
I have an ’03 Colt today and like it (1916 vintage). I have said often that if someone would make a 1903 in 9mm, that is what I would carry. Some have come close but, not quite hit it on the nose.
They would like a Tokarev and 7.62×25 will get it done.
I was fortunate enough to fondle one some time ago, being up here in the queens colonies. My ’54 Tula Tokarev reminds me of it in an Eastern block kind of way and is an impressive little pistola/caliber when you get to know them.
I had a TT33 in the early 70’s. In those days the iron curtain was still firmly up and once I returned to the states ammo was hard to find and pricey.
I swapped it for a nib Dicks special.
Ha! Am unfamiliar with the nib Dicks Special way up here and I think I’ll keep it that way. 7.62×25 is prob the least expensive ammo up here and it seems to do pretty well. Only knock against the Tok is those ridiculous grip panels. I put a section of 21″ Harley inner tube proudly shipped in from Mexico or China around the grip when no one’s looking.
New In Box Colt Detectives special. .38 special was 3-4 bucks a box in the states and when I could find ammo for the Tok it was 15+ a box. In those days my allowance from my rich Uncle Sam was only about 400 a month.
Yeah, that’s what I figured the Dicks special might be. Just sounds… unpleasant somehow. Tok ammo (Russian made) up here over the last few years runs around $12rubles for a 70rnd kontainer, so fairly cheap. Those are Canadian rubles though, so about three bucks american.
Any volunteers to call Taylor a hipster? Anybody?
the cz52 armorers set gave it away.
I figured a pair of NAA revolvers in 22 short would make the list. No holsters needed, just insert them in those big hipster earlobe piercings and carry them muzzle-out and up a-la Yosemite Sam. Or a single one could be carried in a man-bun or hipster beard.
Yeah, my buddy answered his door once sporting a man bun just to yank my chain. Damn near kneecapped him in his own home 😉.
Little bit surprised the NAA Mini 22 didn’t make the list.
Leno’s garage of the gun world.
The Remington R51 always looked to me like it would be used by the idiots trying to hold up the local KwikEmart.
Every time I think about the Hudson, for some reason I always think about Bruce Willis. Possibly in the 80’s.
CZ 75 didn’t make the list? C’mon man!
Or CZ 82/83
I carry my CZ75 hiking sometimes, but only ironically, I promise.
Any of the old Grendel pistols by George Kelgren of Kel-Tec.
Kel-Tec P32
VZ 61 Scorpion for submachine gun
Radom P83
VZ52 rifle and VZ52 pistol
COP SS‐1 4 barrel .357 Derringer with rotating striker, or an ASP with clear lexan grip panels and guttersnipe sights. A Luger or Broomhande Mausr is too commercial, so hipsters would use a Borchardt C-93.
You need a Manhurin MR73 to go with the P7.
BC born n bred here, eh. I’m thinking the Manhurin is too long on quality and too short on oddly exotic for yer typical hipster. He/she/it might be as much potg as hipster if they’re sporting a Manhurin on their skinny jean wearing hipster’s hip. Cheers from the Queens Colonies. The idiot manchild in Ottawa says hi as well and wants to know if you still owe him any taxes or left any guns buried up here? He says he has cash…
Artisan rifles? That rules out Century.
I can see a hipster ironically carrying a Raven .25*** for the same reasons that PBR was the hipster beer of choice a while back.
***Chromed, of course.
BTW, not gonna lie. Would love to have a Webley. Top-break revolvers are just plain cool.
I was thinking Darrick would make the list
Colt Model 1908 Vest Pocket Pistol – Chambered in .25 ACP, a caliber perfect for the modern, effete free ranging hipster male who eschews toxic masculinity. Extra for weaving it into the manbun.
Not a gun I’d carry, but a super cool gun nonetheless. The first widespread striker fired pistol in the US, right about the same time as the striker fired P-08 Luger became popular on the other side of the pond. Now, if it was in .380ACP or 9x18Mak, I’d be tempted.
VZ 58, it looks like an AK, but isn’t really an AK. Bonus if it has the weird looking stocks still on it.
Prob wouldn’t qualify without the beaver barf furniture. My buddy has one, excellent firearm. But those stocks tho…
you have saved me the trouble of typing those words; conspicuously missing from that image- and the plastic mag is all wrong. bakelight for the hipster win.
Good point. Said buddy rocks all metal mags in his. Because manly. And real beards. We don’t do that skinny jean shit up here. Well, him n I don’t…
No Berettas?
I’ve carried my Aimco manufactured Luger on occasion. I’ve thought about carrying it more often but I’ve just got so many more practical options even though nothing is quite as stylish.
I would never waste money on one, but I have always thought the new R51 is a sleek, almost “sexy” pistol. But I don’t need a sexy paperweight.
Heh
I’d think a hipster would enjoy something like a Luger P08 or maybe something in black powder. Classic, discontinued, cool. I have a small old flintlock pocket pistol circa 1780 in .44 Caliber ball that would be a hoot to carry in a vest.
The “Pocket Model of 1849” was a huge commercial success. In terms of the percentage of the civilian population owning one, it’s one of the most successful revolvers of all time. I have one, mine made in 1850. It still shoots just fine.
I still want a Colt Vest Pocket. The collector in me thinks having a 1903 pocket hammerless, 1908 vest pocket, 1908 pocket hammerless, and 1911 would be a great collector series.
Sort of surprised that the Chiappa Rhino or Bond Derringers aren’t listed here.
rhino superhip man.
Can’t help but think of Yankee Marshall when it comes to a Rhino, I mean I’d be intrigued to give it a shot but having owned one of their M4 22 Uppers I really don’t know that I’d want to trust my life to it.
a four barrel seecamp and the oddbird boberg certainly qualify.
more surprised i’m the first to mention them than that they’re not in the list.
why do we not have more modern mouse guns? the lcp max seems to be the only recent offering…
COP 4 barrel derringer.
The only gun a true hipster would carry is a Firestar M43. Classic, heavy and very concealable.
What no mauser 1914 or frommer stop? come on, use the classics!
The original Remington Model 51 was a reliable and successful pistol. The R51 is what happens when you take a successful firearm design and subject it to modern MBA cost reduction agendas.
The Colt 1908 Model “N” pistol was quite successful in its day. It was produced for about 40 years, and they sold over 400,000 of them.
I recall looking forward to the new R51 (if barrel length was deemed suitably long enough for the Canadian peasantry to have and to hold, for our own safety of course). Shame they messed it up so bad. Always liked the early Colt (Browning) designs, didn’t realize they sold nearly half a million of just that one model. Impressive.
Bauer .25 ACP well made clone of the Colt Model 1908 Vest Pocket Pistol also the High Standard Derringer is a unique looking pistol
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