I inherited a handful of handguns from my father and two are Smith & Wessons. One is a complete unknown and I just know one of y'all is going to be able to help. I
know exactly zero about it, don' t know the model number, nada. I found the serial #'s and they match, that's all I've got......plus the attached photo's.
You have a 1st model .32 safety hammerless revolver. it's known as either a "Lemon Squeezer" or "The New Departure".
It'll date somewhere between 1888 and 1902. It shoots a .32 S&W caliber cartridge and your's appears to be ni fair condition. Considering the condition of this revolver I would relegate it to a paperweight or put it in a display case for the fun of having it. They're always good conversation pieces.
Before you attempt to shoot it please have a qualified gunsmith go thru it completely to be sure it's in good working condition. If he gives it a green light be absolutely certain that you get ammo specifically loaded for a black powder era handgun using new smokeless powder. If you shoot it using a standard modern powder cartridge, you run a strong risk of blowing the pistol up in your hands. That's not a pleasant thought just to shoot a 100 year old gun.
The value up here would be somewhere around $200 or so. Values vary widely depending on the region of the country the buyer would be in, so this is not much more than a wild guess.
Enjoy your new acquisition. Please tell us more about the other S&W you have too.
Thank you, very impressive you guys identified this oddity so quickly!! I stand corrected on the other S&W, it's actually a lovely Spanish TAC S&W version and very
unexciting.
Here are a couple that y'all may like, although not S&W's.......Two Walther's from the war. God Bless.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Smith And Wesson Forums
1.3M posts
46.2K members
Since 2009
A forum community dedicated to Smith & Wesson firearm owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, gunsmithing, troubleshooting, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!