Author Topic: Another "old" S&W  (Read 4555 times)

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Offline Greasemonkey

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Another "old" S&W
« on: October 09, 2016, 11:15:10 PM »
Well... another found me, picked it up just after I left work today :) Another old, but pretty nice condition S&W top break. This one is about 6 or 7 years older than the S&W Safety Hammerless or Lemon Squeezer I got back earlier this summer. This is a Double Action Model 2 2nd version, it dates to 1880/81 time frame with a fairly low 5 digit serial(considering over half a million were made), the Safety Hammerless dates to 1887. And it has a clean bill of health, locks up tight, no cylinder timing issues, not bad for a 136 year old hand gun. These were made in .38 S&W and .32 S&W, and were in their original loadings, black powder. It came with a spare barrel, both are usable and pretty close in serial, the actual matching barrel is still fixed to the frame. Sadly, the original nickel finish was stripped, as I understand, it was rough as a cob and the previous owner had it and the extra barrel renickeled, but surprisingly it still has the original grips present.









This is a .38S&W(left) 9mm Luger(right), first developed in 1877, it's not a commonly seen round today, most recent production is typically a 145 gr bullet, either FMJ or lead round nose can be found depending on the manufacture. The S&W round is actually a hair larger than .38 Special, .38spl fires a .357 dia bullet, .38S&W fires a .361 diameter bullet, trying to fire a .38spl in a .38 S&W is dangerous and a .38S&W should not chamber in a .38spl. I'd guess on a ballistic chart, it would fit just around in the .38spl to .380acp range.

I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse......

Leave the gun, take the cannoli.

I said I was an addict........I didn't say I had a problem

Offline Phosphorus32

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Re: Another "old" S&W
« Reply #1 on: October 09, 2016, 11:50:41 PM »
I know next to nothing about old revolvers but that is a cool antique S&W  8)  thumb1  Those grips are gorgeous!

Offline carls sks

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Re: Another "old" S&W
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2016, 08:44:03 AM »
nice, thanks for sharing.  thumb1
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Offline montigre

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Re: Another "old" S&W
« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2016, 10:39:58 AM »
Beautiful revolver--thanks for sharing!!  I'm amazed by the advancements made between my 1864 model 1 and your 1880 model 2.  I wonder if S&W was using some form of dedicated R&D team during that time frame.
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Offline Greasemonkey

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Re: Another "old" S&W
« Reply #4 on: October 10, 2016, 06:07:15 PM »
Beautiful revolver--thanks for sharing!!  I'm amazed by the advancements made between my 1864 model 1 and your 1880 model 2.  I wonder if S&W was using some form of dedicated R&D team during that time frame.
Model 1 is a .22short, Model 1 1/2 is .32 rimfire, so I'd guess the Model 2 would be the first centerfire revolver, rimfire and centerfire were both in their infancy, as caliber size grew, the frames and other enhancements became necessary

Lot's of R&D was done back then, stuff that seems high tech today was developed in this time..Glocks fancy trigger safety was the norm way back then on the Iver Johnson top-break pocket pistol, same with the transfer bar safety, hammerless revolvers etc......remember this is in the 1870-1890 time frame..

Here is a neat article that shows and tells some of these early features dessigned back then, your likely to see today.. http://americanhandgunner.com/grandpas-top-breaks/
I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse......

Leave the gun, take the cannoli.

I said I was an addict........I didn't say I had a problem

Offline montigre

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Re: Another "old" S&W
« Reply #5 on: October 10, 2016, 06:31:58 PM »
Very interesting article--thanks!  I had the false idea that they were piecemealing these early guns together back in the barn and hoping for the best results instead of taking such a scientific approach.  Learned something new!!
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both."  ~Benjamin Franklin

Offline Greasemonkey

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Re: Another "old" S&W
« Reply #6 on: October 10, 2016, 06:55:59 PM »
Honestly, I had my doubts when I got the first one, it was out of my usual comfort zone, knowing next to nothing about them. I have handled many that were.. well paper weights, just uncared for, totally worn beyond repair. I kind of thought about them being piece milled like you said. But, after thinking, they really aren't "cheap" per say handguns, like what some would equate to an 'ol no name Saturday night special. To have survived a 137 years and be fully functional and usable with modern made smokeless ammo, even the manufacture to still be around producing weapons says something in my opinion.
I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse......

Leave the gun, take the cannoli.

I said I was an addict........I didn't say I had a problem

Offline rwhite135

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Re: Another "old" S&W
« Reply #7 on: October 15, 2016, 05:04:34 AM »
By no means were these cheaply made firearms and they were popular among gentlemen and gamblers because they were easily concealed in a shoulder rig.  Doc Holiday was known for carrying either a Model 2, like GM's, or a Colt Lightning in such a shoulder rig.  Both of those would be in .38 S&W.  Even if he was carrying his preferred Colt Thunderer  in .45 Colt on his hip, he still carried one of the other 2 in the shoulder rig.