I just purchased a Model 40-1 ("lemon squeezer") J-frame from another forum member here. I LOVE it and am currently carrying it OWB in a Safariland retention holster (plus am trying out a Milt Sparks Summer Special IWB holster).

The grip safety doesn't bother me (in fact I like that it's there, especially when holstering).

Just wondered if anyone else here CCWs a Lemon Squeezer ever.

My own Model 40 has a nickel finish and I purchased it un-fired -- well, I fired it as soon as I could and now I'm carrying it. I feel a LITTLE guilty using such a nice revolver as CCW but heck you only live once. I loved the look of the white grips but I am replacing them with Secret Service grips for better recoil management.

I have not even seen one for decades - you are lucky to have one. They were MEANT to be carried, and I also regularly carry a J frame - a 636 - 3 Airweight.



I have also occasionally carried an OLD Lemon Squeezer from the 1920's in .38 S&W...



I have a pair of them, and they show wear and age, but they still work just fine...

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Liberals made the USA

I had a 40-1 that I liked, but when my eyes got too bad to see the sights clearly I traded it away. I thought the serrations on the grip safety were a bit sharp. They didn't bother me with standard pressure ammo, but +P was uncomfortable. I think my favorite snubby for carry was my model 49, now sadly gone for the same reason as the 40-1

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Ban lunatics and criminals

Have a 32 nickel with era pocket holster for sale works fine some flaking on nickel. For Sale any reasonable offer.

I can't get closer than my 642!

A friend of mine carries one and he disabled the grip safety, pinning it in place. Is that unwise?

I wanted one for the longest time and thought the grip safety a plus. I found one at my dealers and was wanting to buy but also wanted to check it out and the trigger before buying. Good thing I did too as I found my large hands couldn't hold in the grip safety and pull the trigger at the same time. Something to consider for those with large hands. I didn't buy it as figured I could pin the grip safety but why?

I seem to remember reading that a noted pistolero (Charlie Askins if I recall correctly) carried one for a long time while working for the government in Mexico. He was happy with it, until he actually had to use it. Turned out the round was grossly inadequate for serious self-defense work. That .38 S&W cartridge isn't much of a hitter. Remember, the idea isn't to kill the other guy, the idea is to keep him from killing you.

My 40-1 is chambered for .38 Special +P.

I've heard similar reviews from others, too. I guess I am lucky with fit -- I've never had any issue engaging (or disengaging) the grip safety -- it works completely naturally, as it should, for me.

I also have x-large hands and when I tried to dry fire a lemon squeezer it was a no go.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

Very common practice.

The factory pre-drilled the gun for the pin.

M-40 (Centenial) and Lemon Squeezer are, at least to my mind, two different critters. I notice two completely sets of photographs here. The weapon at the top of this thread is, I believe, the J-frame weapon with a solid frame chambered for the .38s special round. The "Lemon Squeezer" I think about is a top-break revolver and is significantly older. I should have made clear the first time around that I thought we were talking about apples and oranges here. My bad.

I may be using the term incorrectly. I guess I really wanted to know if anyone else carried a revolver with a grip safety. I understand that old model is the "true"/original "lemon squeezer". But I do carry a modern revolver with a grip safety ( the 40-1) and its chambered for 38 sp +p!

Beanbird,

You are correct the 40 and 42 are lemon squeezers. The grip safety (squeezer) is functional.

I bought one (a 42) while they were still in production (it was my first air weight) and while it as dream to carry IWB or in a pocket, the shine kind of wore off when I took it to the range to qualify - that grip safety took a lot of skin off by the end of the course. I ended up pinning it, using my steel frame Js for qualification and carried the 42 as an extra, only shooting it to occasionally make sure it was fully functional.

I carry a 49 (no dash) everyday and once in a while carry my 1896 38 (S&W) Safety Hammerless. The Modern ammo is loaded down for these old revolvers,making it kind of anemic. Ivan

Actually, I think you are thinking of Col. Rex Applegate, rather than Charles Askins:

Rex Applegate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As I recall, Applegate had a special shoulder holster made for his Model 40, and he carried and used that combination quite extensively while in Mexico.

Regards,

Dave

I occasionally carry my 42-2 with grip safety, I think it's a classic design. It sometimes is carried as a New York reload to my 442.

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- Change it back -

The only thing I can contribute is that I just learned what a 'lemon squeezer' is. This is the first time I have heard that term or seen a pistol like this. Learned something new.

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Semper Fi

I would say so.

I can see it now. "Your honor, the accused has no regard for safety, he disabled the safety on his revolver to make it more likely to discharge accidentally."

nevermind that he's massing up a beautiful antique revolver when he could have just bought a regular hammerless revolver.

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Just the opinion of a kid

Kid,

it comes from the factory with the frame drilled and a pin stored under the grip panel for this purpose.

A shooter still has to overcome the double action only trigger pull.

Another point, in these litigious times, why would S&W produce the modern incarnation of the Centennial with out a grip safety, if one was needed for "safety"?

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Tony

Why do you think that disabling a grip safety on a DA revolver makes the gun anymore unsafe than any other DA revolver?

Great! Thanks Dog... now that I've seen these I have to hunt for one on the auction sites! Been thinking of a tip-up, now I need one for sure

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John

Pinning the grip safety basically just turns it into a Centennial......

I think it's a neat design, kind of redundant because a J-frame with stock springs has a pretty heavy DA pull to begin with. Historically what happened with the original Squeezers, didn't Daniel B. Wesson design them after a kid shot himself with a DA breaktop?

I have two model 40s, one is blue, one nickle, and a 42. all are dash-nothing. In fact the nickle one is actually a "Centennial". They are terrific jacket pocket/ankle/ pocket holster/ Mexican carry guns. I tote one of them, usually the 42, every day. The 40s are loaded with the short barrel Gold Dots, the 42 with Fiocci wadcutters.

The first Centennials came out in the early 50s and had grip safeties. I have been carrying one with a 4 digit # since 1965. Larry

I don't carry my Model 40-1 much, I prefer my 640-1. The 40-1 is a little too nice to subject to packing about.



I did pin out the grip safety.

AR BLACK

I also have a pair of .32 Lemon Squeezers...



and a few other .38 and .32 top breaks...I like them a lot.



I think there are a few more around here somewhere, too...

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Liberals made the USA

My grandfather bought this .32 Safety Hammerless "Bicycle" model at a hardware store in Memphis in the early 1930's. He carried it in his front pocket daily until just before he passed away in 1969, wearing away most of the finish. After that, my grandmother carried it in her purse until she moved into a retirement community a few years ago. As the oldest grandson, she gave it to me.

It still works just fine but I have regulated it to heirloom status.

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- Change it back -

Here is my model 40-1. Has never been carried but most certainly could be. Bob