Who made this revolver?

[Texas by God]

BIL in Arizona sent these pics of a handgun he's going to purchase. He said that it's a Remington- but I don't think so....
Any help will be appreciated!

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[Moleman-]

Looks like a S&W 1 1/2 bottom break http://www.harryviezensfineguns.com/...m-fire-pistol/ But you'd have to read all of the stamps to tell for sure.

[Texas by God]

Thanks! I've dove into the web and I'm thinking that it may be a .22 Short from the 7 shot cylinder. The seller is claiming that it's serial #1 - I told BIL no way on that haha. Model 1 probably.....

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[Moleman-]

It does look like it's a #1 . My uncle said he had an old S&W 22 short revolver and wanted to shoot it but the cylinder pin was "funny". Actually got my hands on it and it was a 1870's-1880's Norwich Falls 22 in rough shape with broken cylinder pin made from a nail. Made him a replacement cylinder pin with grooves v/s the original knurling so it wouldn't be mistaken as original and told him to never shoot it as the rather thin cylinder walls had deep pits.

[cwtebay]

It may be a Model 1. The 1 1/2.and 2 were 32 RF.
The only 7 shot that I know of is like you said TBG - 22 short.
Apologies, my 1 1/2 is on loan at the moment.
The 7 is obviously a 22 Short, the 5 is 32 RF.

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[Thumbcocker]

I shot one once. We used cb caps in the interest of safety.

[Forrest r]

A 1896 Peter's Metallic Cartridge add for their rimfire ammo that was loaded with "Special smokeless powder". The 1890's was a transformation period with the 22cal rimfire ammo being converted over to smokeless powder with the 22lr loaded with smokeless powder by Stevens arms co in 1887.
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1986 and $.10 a round for shorts and 4 1/2 cents for a B B cap roundball cartridge.

Nice looking revolvers, always liked the 22 short pocket pistols.

[Tokarev]

Out of curiosity: how do you know that it is not one of the clones made by H&R or F&W?

[rintinglen]

Although many patent infringements were made, H&R and F&W didn't make 'em.

Pond, Manhattan Arms, Merwin and Bray, National Firearms, and about a half dozen others are known to have made copies, some so good that S&W simply took them and stamped their patent date on and then sold them (There was a Civil War going on.)

One of the older annual Gun Publications had a very well researched article on the legal trials and tribulations That Rollin White (the Patent holder for the bored through cylinder) had to go through to earn his 25¢ a gun. His contract with S&W stipulated that he would defend the patent at HIS cost against infringements. Lawyers got wealthy, but Rollin White ended up spending about a 4th of his income in law suits. He tried repeatedly to squeeze more income out of his patent, but ultimately, his attempts came to naught when President Grant, on the advice of the U.S. Army Chief of Ordnance, vetoed a bill which would have extended it.

What is interesting is that while White claimed novelty on his invention, one could make a pretty fair case that HE was infringing a prior patent granted to Casimir Le Faucheux, which covered his pinfire revolvers. One wonders at what backroom shenanigans went on to uphold the White Patent.

[Texas by God]

It wears the number 88800 for a serial number. Smith and Wesson Springfield Mass and patent dates on top of the barrel. He passed on buying it because the seller insisted it was the "first one" and wanted $900 for it....

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[cwtebay]

It wears the number 88800 for a serial number. Smith and Wesson Springfield Mass and patent dates on top of the barrel. He passed on buying it because the seller insisted it was the "first one" and wanted $900 for it....

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Boy howdy, that's enough!
Tell him I can almost half that serial and will barely ask him double the money!!!!

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[rintinglen]

FWIW, the gun in the OP's pics is a S&W Model 1, 3rd Issue, made between 1868 and 1881.

[pietro]

It wears the number 88800 for a serial number.

Smith and Wesson Springfield Mass and patent dates on top of the barrel.

He passed on buying it because the seller insisted it was the "first one" and wanted $900 for it....

Cain't argue with "stupid"

.

[cwtebay]

FWIW, the gun in the OP's pics is a S&W Model 1, 3rd Issue, made between 1868 and 1881.

That's a good piece of information - where is a good source on the evolution of these revolvers? I have always been taken with early S&W's. Maybe because it was a different look than the SAA's that everyone carries in the movies I watched growing up.

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[rintinglen]

The Standard Catalog of Smith And Wesson, 4th Edition by Supica and Nahas is the best source for general information such as descriptions, range of manufacture, serial numbers. For specifics on an individual pistol or revolver, you have to write to Roy Jinks, the S&W official historian. I do not know the current price they charge for an official letter.

[Texas by God]

Thank you all for the replies!

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[Green Frog]

You might also want to check in with the S&W Forum < http://smith-wessonforum.com/forum.php > and look at their Antiques pages. There are lots of enthusiasts there with a ton of information. One of the regulars just published a nice little book on the variations of the Model Ones. I have more than a passing interest in them as I inherited a Second Issue that was sold sometime near the end of the Civil War. It's been in the family since about the turn of the last century.

Froggie