does anybody know this revolver

[DeadEyeSam]

i have a revolver with no markings. i'm trying to id it but have nothing to go on. the only mark it has is a star with no.38 stamped on it. it looks nickel plated but the barrel is rusted, the frame is scratched. under the scratches it's a tan brown color. the rod that holds the cylinder in has 810 stamped on it. it has 5 holes in the cylinder. if anybody has any idea please post something i got nothing after 1wk of searching. thanks

[missionary5155]

Good morning
You have a Real Honest Suicide Special !!! Look under the grips or remove the cylinder and somewhere it may say Belguim.. If not then it is even under the standards of the Belguim Proof houses which were rather good. These little pocket revolvers were bought by the thousands by new immegrats getting out of Europe = cheap== and more thousands were imported to our U. S. for sale to unsuspecting non shooters looking for a little CC protection in a dangerous time in history past== sort of like TODAY.
BUt if the cylinder advances correctly and is in time... well you have a real nice little paper weight. If it was mine I would consider some Black Powder loads. BUT it is yours and you have to decide on that.

[Bret4207]

Yup, an 1880-1920 period hardware store special, maybe even a mail order gun. Probably cost $1.25 back then. It may be perfectly safe to use or it may not. If it's a rim fire 38 then you're out of luck pretty much. If a center fire you could try to determine what cartridge and use it. Black powder might not be a bad idea.

[DeadEyeSam]

i've got no plans to fire it. the cylinder pawl is worn out so you can turn it by hand. we found it in an old relatives trunk, i thought i might clean it up and use it for wall hanger. i just wanted to be sure it wasn't anything of value before i messed with it. thanks alot

[DeadEyeSam]

it is a rimfire. its a five shot cylinder. the frame appears to be brass, but the barrel is steel. the barrel frame grips and cylinder pin are all marked 310. im guessing this is not worth much. anybody know?

[DeadEyeSam]

ive gotten uch closer to finding out what it is. i found alot of pictures that are very similiar. everything from a remington new model no.4 to a smith and wesson model 1 3rd issue and even an hopkins and allen 38 revolver. its a pain trying to id an old firearm, but i learned more than i wanted to know bout suicide specials. so i guess it evens out.

[Buckshot]

.............That brown under the nickle plating may simply be the patina of the steel (or wrought iron . If you go to the top of this page to the stickies and click on Info Source for IDing Those Vest Pocket Specials.... you may fine out more. A friend of mine was really into those small old revolvers, and has some very nice ones as it seems quite a few were put away and never shot.

.............Buckshot

[Bret4207]

I don't know that I would call it a suicide special. To me, those were the $1.95 22's and 32's of the 1930-50's era. Made of pot metal in Spain or Italy or Germany or some smaller country, made cheap, sold cheap, no pretense to quality at all. RG was a good example as most of their guns were pretty much junk. I've seen a few they accidentally made right, but they are few and far between.

What you have is a poormans defense weapon. It might have been all he could afford and it would have been a help in the day when police were fewer and father between than now, when who you were mattered a great deal more than now, when crime was much more prevalent than now.

[MtGun44]

Ever hear the old saying "Hotter than a $2 pistol!"

I think this is what they were talking about. Like Bret said, even poor folks needed
self defense, and given the neighborhoods they lived in, maybe even MORE than most
folks. A poor gun is far better than no gun if the situation turns sour.

Interesting bit of history. A good candidate for a shadow box and a short museum-like
card underneath explaining the significance.

Bill

[LewR]

Looks like my Hopkins & Allen model 2 1/2 which is in 32 rimfire - mine is like new and is not like a saturday night special - but it seems to be the style of the period (end of the 1800's, early 1900's) Mine was made before the company changed thier name (making it leagally an antique) - Geez, now I am going to have to dig it out - LOL

[Dennis Eugene]

MTGun44, I always thought the old saying "hotter than a two dollar pistol" refered to a stolen pistol being for sale at the price of two dollars. Hence the words "hotter than", but then once again I don't know everything. Dennis

[scrapcan]

You will prbably find that the cylinder pin latch will be one of the identifying features to get the manufacturer.

If you notice all the pictures in this thread, yoursis different than the other three which are also different form one another.

[Oyeboten]

Might be a 'Whitney'.

[Char-Gar]

My Grandfather used to refer to those as "a little five shooter, you could poke down a mans throat, shoot all day for 25 cents and not do much damage." I never took the comment literal, but it did show his distain for this type of pistol.

[smith52]

From the pictures I say it's a Star Model No. 38, .38 rimfire, manufactured by the Prescott Firearms Co. between 1873 & 1875. I have pictures of mine on handloads.com, just do a search for ".38 rimfire" "all forums". Sorry, not sure how to post a picture here.

[smith52]

Well did a little reading and I think I can get a couple of pictures of posted.
Sorry, tried twice, no luck, check out my photo album, smith52 pic's.