I’ve got a couple .38’s and a .32. They are actually well made guns. The .38’s are pretty small yet as potent as a .380 acp and would be a decent carry gun if nothing better was available.
I’ve wanted a larger one for years but have never pulled the trigger on one.
I carry a .45, if it was good enough for a backup piece to my M24, in the army it's good enough for a carry gun now !
dt, you have a bunch of sweethearts right there. A fine collection. I love these little, (and big) top-breaks, and have a couple myself. And I use them.
Yours are primarily single action, and older than mine. You've gotta wonder what stories they could tell. jd
It seems that people who do almost nothing, often complain loudly when it's time to do it.
The .38 S&W was a fairly good defensive round compared to what else was available at the time. Not much if anything else available in such a small revolver with that bore size and boolit weight.
Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.
Nice collection.
NRA Benefactor Member NRA Golden Eagle
I wonder about who carried them in their day. Who knows, the old army #2s could have been carried in the war between the states. The baby Russian could also have some stories to tell.
I have more double actions but they duplicate what is displayed. There is just more noticeable variation in the single action guns.
Most of these guns were not working properly, were missing parts or had damage when I got them. Everything in the picture functions properly (except the baby Russian, the ejector still needs work) and has been fired by me. The workbench still holds a few that need more loving care.
Tim
Words are weapons sharper than knives - INXS
The pen is mightier than the sword - Edward Bulwer-Lytton
The tongue is mightier than the blade - Euripides
Words are weapons sharper than knives - INXS
The pen is mightier than the sword - Edward Bulwer-Lytton
The tongue is mightier than the blade - Euripides
Kudos Sir!
Great collection.
Best part is:
“Most of these guns were not working properly, were missing parts or had damage when I got them. Everything in the picture functions properly (except the baby Russian, the ejector still needs work) and has been fired by me. The workbench still holds a few that need more loving care.”
That’s what I call making the world a better place.
Using your abilities to bring an old gun back to life is a worthy effort.
I sincerely hope you and someone after you enjoy the fruits of your labor.
"Time and money don't do you a bit of good until you spend them." - My Dad
Wow, that’s a nice collection of an era past. Are they as expensive to collect as it is to collect other older guns? That is a very nice group. The larger ones are expensive?
Thanks for sharing.
U.S.A. " RIDE FOR THE BRAND OR LEAVE!"
Only piece I have from the 1800’s is this First Model 32 Safety Hammerless aka New Departure.
It carries a 3-digit serial number.
The old Smiths have a certain appeal. Even though I see them as frail compared to my Rugers, and awkward compared to my K-Frames, they get respect for leading the way to the wonderful revolvers we today.
"Time and money don't do you a bit of good until you spend them." - My Dad
All the .38, .32, and .22's were less than $200 but like I said most of them did not function properly. The two .44's were in excess of $500. Everything would sell for more than I paid but my labor is extensive and can't be counted in the cost as that is just love. I have hundreds of dollars more spent on parts guns that will never be whole (sad) sometimes it takes three guns to make one that works.
Tim
Words are weapons sharper than knives - INXS
The pen is mightier than the sword - Edward Bulwer-Lytton
The tongue is mightier than the blade - Euripides
Nice, I have stayed away from the DA only guns. Focused more on older models. Yes, more fragile than Rugers but not more awkward than swing out revolvers. Topbreaks are actually more easily functioned and reloaded than swing out revolvers. Though they did not use moon clips or fast chargers if they did with their auto ejection, they would be faster to reload. The Schofield (I don't own one) you can eject with just one hand, pushing the barrel against whatever and reload with the other, quite simple.
TEK
Words are weapons sharper than knives - INXS
The pen is mightier than the sword - Edward Bulwer-Lytton
The tongue is mightier than the blade - Euripides
I looked at an original Schofield last night that had been refinished at some point. It looked like a professional job - all the lettering and numbers were plainly visible. How much does the refinish detract from the value?
Beautiful gun.
I don't know how much to add or deduct for a refinish. If a gun had much finish, I would not refinish, I think that would be a deduction, certainly would not cover the cost of refinish. A poor refinish is a crime. I have asked myself if maybe I would want to refinish any of my old guns and the answer is always, nah. I would buy a refinished gun if the job as good and the price was right but one refinished to like new would seem phony. A high condition original finish, I could not tell, have never seen one to know the difference between original and refinished.
Tim
Words are weapons sharper than knives - INXS
The pen is mightier than the sword - Edward Bulwer-Lytton
The tongue is mightier than the blade - Euripides
The main thing to remember when thinking about refinishing an old or neglected gun is that you only get 1 first chance to get it right. After that, if it goes south, the disappointment is worse than blue wear or nickel freckling. Nothing looks more terrible that the edges buffed rounded and logos and lettering buffed out.
IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us!
My local FFL is a retired cop. He was telling me that when it was brandy sippin time at the hunting camp, they would sit in lawn chairs and shoot an old .38 spl. BA smith at a tin can or something.
"If everyone is thinking the same thing it means someone is not thinking"
"A rat became the unit of currency"
Charlie, what is a BA smith?
IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us!
I think he meant DA, double action.
Tim
Words are weapons sharper than knives - INXS
The pen is mightier than the sword - Edward Bulwer-Lytton
The tongue is mightier than the blade - Euripides
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |