The ASP is a custom-made pistol designed and built by Paris Theodore (owner of Seventrees, Ltd., a custom gun leather shop in New York City) from the early 1970s to 1987. The ASP was based on the Smith & Wesson Model 39 pistol. The ASP featured clear Lexan grips allowing the shooter to see how much ammunition is left, a rounded hammer, hooked trigger guard, and no front sight. The ASP was responsible for later innovations made in the development of concealable handguns.
Design
left|thumb|The "Guttersnipe" sights unique to the ASP. The sights become narrower from back to front, painted in bright yellow for faster target acquisition.The ASP was a reworked Smith & Wesson Model 39 or 39-2, employing a shortened slide, a fixed bushing (in lieu of the Smith & Wesson designed collet bushing); the unique Guttersnipe sight system, clear Lexan grip-panels, a fully ramped and throated shortened barrel, and a smoothed and radiused profile to ensure no risk of snagging on the draw.
The fixed bushing was tightly fitted to the shortened barrel and dry-lubricated by durable Teflon-S, which was applied to all components of the pistol, except for the clear Lexan grip panels. The unique sighting system, referred to as the "Guttersnipe", was a narrowing U-channel with fluorescent yellow panels that would form three triangles, all pointed at the target when the sight was properly aligned.
Production of holsters and magazine carriers for the ASP were contracted out to Ken Null, who still produces those designs. Theodore ceased production of the ASP in 1987.
Devel pistol
In 1976, a gunsmith from Cleveland, Ohio named Charles Kelsey ordered an ASP pistol, but never received one. His experience led him to develop an improved version of the ASP. Working with firearms instructor Ken Hackathorn, he developed the Devel pistol.