The Galand Velo-Dog is an unusually short pocket pistol that originated in France in the 1890’s. Though somewhat rare, these little guns are inexpensive to add to your collection.

History:

During the final decades of the 19th century, bicycling was becoming a popular past-time in France, particularly for wealthy gentlemen. As such, gun maker Charles Francois Galand saw a gun market amongst this bicycling crowd.

He designed a very small pocket revolver intended for personal protection against feral dogs that might attack a cyclist. In fact, the name "velo-dog"comes from the combination of velocipede (a bicycle is one type of velocipede) and dog.

The Galand Velo-Dog had a few characteristics that made it ideal for a bicyclist. The most obvious, of course, was the revolver’s small size. The entire gun was less about five inches long and the barrel came in at a tiny inch and a half. For the cyclist’s safety, the hammer of the gun was covered to prevent it from catching on clothing. Some models even had a trigger that could be folded away.

After Galand's Velo-Dog attained popularity, other gun makers jumped on the bandwagon and there were soon many similar guns on the market that were—at least colloquially—known as velo-dogs. The true Galand Velo-Dogs were produced through 1940 and were exclusively chambered for the proprietary 5.75mm Velo-Dog cartridge.

Ammunition:

Again, the original Galand Velo-Dogs were chambered for their own cartridge, a 5.75mm centerfire.

Subsequent models produced by other gun makers were also chambered for .22 caliber ammunition. Italian ammunition manufacturer, Fiocchi, still produced the velo-dog cartridges as late as the first few years of the 21st century. They have since discontinued it. As a result, velo-dog cartridges are more common in the collector’s market.

Collectibility:

These little guns are fun showpieces but aren’t on the radars of many collectors. This may be, in part, because the Velo-Dog doesn't have a very macho image; after all, it was designed to defend bicyclists against dogs. In addition, these weapons weren’t of the highest quality to begin with, leaving little appeal for some collectors. All of that being said, they are older guns--antiques or curios and relics, depending upon the year manufactured--and they are unique in their style and size.

Availability:

In spite of the gun's long production run, you won’t stumble upon a Galand Velo-Dog revolver in every gun show or shop you enter. But if you do a little bit of searching on the Internet, you can usually find these little guns for sale. Classifieds and estate sales are other possible places to look as these pistols sometimes turn up in Grandma’s attic.

Price:

The good news is, if you want to own a Velo-Dog, it is not going to break the bank. Depending upon the gun’s condition, a typical Galand Velo-Dog will run you somewhere between $100 and $200. Even a "factory-new" model can be had for $300 or less.

Special Notes:

As noted above, many Velo-Dog knock-offs are commonly referred to as velo-dogs. As such, if you are in the market for one made by Galand, be sure to examine the gun carefully to look for the Galand markings. If purchasing the gun over the Internet, be sure to ask for close-up photos that clearly show the gun-maker’s mark. In the gun collecting world, the rule regarding a Velo-Dog’s authenticity is: if the gun isn’t chambered for the proprietary 5.75 Velo-Dog ammo, then it isn’t a true Velo-Dog.