Help identify old pistol

[lovedogs]

Recently, a friend brought me an old revolver to identify. It's a 3 inch nickel plated break-top, like the old S&W's or H&R's. It looks like a copy of the old Smith. On top of the rib on the bbl. it's marked MERIDEN FIREARMS CO., Meriden, Conn. USA. It has no other markings other than a serial number on the bottom of its curved butt. It's a .32 cal. A .32 S&W round fits perfectly in the 5-shot cylinder. Anyone know anything about this cutie? I thought about looking for a mould to cast bullets for it but thought I should find out what it is first. It's in pretty good shape. Nice looking bbl.

[Bret4207]

I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure the Meridian guns were a more or less an economy brand similar to maybe H+R today. If your gun is in good mechanical shape it may be OK to use with factory equivilant loads. You might try a google search on the company name. I'm also pretty sure the gun would be made between say 1890 and 1930. You might check the old Gun Digests if you have access to them or Numrich Gun Parts. It seems to me one of them had a listing of the "house brands" and who made them.

[StarMetal]

The Meridan company made guns in about that time fram Tpr Bret mention, except I believe they quit earlier the 1930. They made guns specifically for Sears Roebuck Co. Some of Meridan's guns were made in Belgium. They made shotguns too.

All Numrich has is I believe some parts for shotguns and not many.

Joe

[floodgate]

lovedogs:

They were in the third rank of American makers of break-open, self-ejecting revolvers - a cut below the Hopkins & Allen */ Iver Johnson / Harrington & Richardson family, but a notch above the un-branded "Suicide Specials". If really tight and smooth working, probably OK for a few shots of factory .32 S&W - but wear shooting glasses!

floodgate

*Surprisingly, around 1900, H & A was the biggest firearms maker in the world in terms of quantity output. They got suckered by J. P. Morgan and friends into a big contract to build 1889 Mausers for Belgium at the start of WW I, went broke when Belgium was overrun, and got sucked up into the Marlin-Rockwell conglomerate for WW I production.

[Bret4207]

Joe- I meant that there was a listing of who made what in the catalog, not that parts would be available.

[StarMetal]

Tpr Bret,

....and I meant that I've looked what Numrich has and for one not to waste their time there looking for parts for a Meridan revolver.

Joe

[lovedogs]

Thanks for the input, fellas. It's kind of a neat looking little gun. I'm sure it'd cost more to get the equipment together and load for it than it'd be worth so think I'll just advise cleaning it up and keeping it as a keepsake... you know, one of those family treasures that has no real value. Appreciate your help!

[carpetman]

lovedogs---Best I can tell,John Wayne never used a Meriden in a movie and Jesse James never owned one.

[NVcurmudgeon]

lovedogs---Best I can tell,John Wayne never used a Meriden in a movie and Jesse James never owned one.


Ray, Last week at a gun show I saw an 1896 Model Krag Carbine with a fancy price tag which went on to read, "possible use by first US Volunteers (Rough Riders.)" It just happens that I have a French 1936 MAS possibly used by Charles de Gaulle, a Nagant revolver perhaps Joe Stalin's personal pistol, etc. I am considering ordering an M1 Garand with the expectation that I will get the one that could have been used in combat by Audie Murphy. Future plans include a small museum in my back yard using the name, "Bill's Couldabeen Historical Arms Museum."

[9.3X62AL]

This fits in nicely with the several "Jack London-owned Genuine Yukon River Canoe Paddles", a variant of Winchester 1894's chambered in 25-35 WCF--and priced accordingly.