Shot my 123 year old S&W today

mm6mm6 · #1 01-12-2009, 08:28 PM

My .38 Double Action breaktop was shipped on March 13th, 1886 so it's almost 123 years old.

I took it to the range today and put 100 rounds through it. Everyone wanted to shoot it, just so they could say they shot a 123 year old gun!

I bought it last year for $129 at a local gun shop. The nickel finish is flaking, but the grips and bore and in great shape and the gun is tight.

Everyone was amazed at how accurate it was at 7 yards. Single action, it would group under 1". Double action, it would cluster ten rounds under 2" fired pretty fast.

What a wonderful and fun old revolver!

Here's a pic of it from last year:

-Steve

Papaw · #2 01-12-2009, 09:06 PM

Thats great. Had I been there, I would have asked to shoot it too.

Pisgah · #3 01-12-2009, 09:14 PM

Now THAT had to have been fun! You know -- I realize the design is obsolete and the cartridge wimpy, but it would be pretty hard to argue that you couldn't defend yourself with that combo.

HKSmith · #4 01-12-2009, 09:44 PM

That's great! I love to see people shooting these old guns. I sometimes shoot my Baby Russian, made in 1877. Excellent accuracy at 50 feet for a pocket revolver. You should try yours at 50 feet - see if you can shoot 100 on a 25 yard Timed and Rapid fire target at 50 feet. I get a lot of 95-99's and occasionally a 100.

I use reloads with .38 hollow base wadcutters seated about half way out of the stubby little .38 S&W case (OAL is 1.11"). Nice clean holes and the hollow base expands to fill the rifling.

Allen_jc · #5 01-12-2009, 10:31 PM

What is the ammo that you are using? I have one in the shop that is in very good condition and would like to shoot it, but not sure if it will handle the smokeless loads. It is a 38 double action second model.

klondike · #6 01-12-2009, 10:34 PM

Elmer Keith as a Montana NG member used his .38 DA to outshoot everyone in his company.

mulehide9 · #7 01-12-2009, 11:49 PM

I can't believe you boys are shooting those old "BLACK POWDER" pistols with smokeless powder. All I can say is "GOOD LUCK".

mm6mm6 · #8 01-13-2009, 06:12 AM

We were qualifying a new officer so I shot this S&W right along side him.

We shoot a 500 point, 50 round course. Instead of a holster, I used my front right pocket.

24 rounds at 21 feet (7 yards)
18 rounds at 45 feet (15 yards)
8 rounds at 75 feet (25 yards)

I qualified with a 422/500 and I could actually carry this old Smith & Wesson if I wanted to (passing is 350/500). That's not as good as my 480 with my duty gun, but I was pretty happy with it!

walnutred · #9 01-13-2009, 06:37 AM

MM6MM6, I'm sure that "back in the day" many police officers carried sidearms that were the twin to your old S&W.

Catshooter · #10 01-14-2009, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mm6mm6:
We were qualifying a new officer so I shot this S&W right along side him.

We shoot a 500 point, 50 round course. Instead of a holster, I used my front right pocket.

24 rounds at 21 feet (7 yards)
18 rounds at 45 feet (15 yards)
8 rounds at 75 feet (25 yards)

I qualified with a 422/500 and I could actually carry this old Smith & Wesson if I wanted to (passing is 350/500). That's not as good as my 480 with my duty gun, but I was pretty happy with it!

What was the new guy shooting?

Did you out shoot him?

Cat

j38 · #11 01-14-2009, 07:45 PM

Nice shooting! ... and a neat old gun. Thanks for the post.

Jerry

mm6mm6 · #12 01-15-2009, 02:15 PM

The new guy was shooting his duty Sig P220 Carry DAK .45 and, yes, I'm sorry to say, I shot the little old Smith & Wesson better. But, hey, he's new and a former Chicago PD cop. He switched to our department because he doesn't want to live in the Big City anymore. The Sig was what Chicago had him carrying.

I don't quite get a shorter barreled "carry" gun for on duty, nor do I carry much for the double action only trigger pull. It's still a nice gun, but I don't like the DAK even though it is a pretty light DAO.

Cocked & Locked · #13 01-15-2009, 02:41 PM

Quote:

MM6MM6, I'm sure that "back in the day" many police officers carried sidearms that were the twin to your old S&W.

Quote:

Instead of a holster, I used my front right pocket.

...I bet they <STRIKE>did</STRIKE> do.

Catshooter · #14 01-15-2009, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mm6mm6:
The new guy was shooting his duty Sig P220 Carry DAK .45 and, yes, I'm sorry to say, I shot the little old Smith & Wesson better. But, hey, he's new and a former Chicago PD cop. He switched to our department because he doesn't want to live in the Big City anymore. The Sig was what Chicago had him carrying.

.

Good for you (I had a feeling you did) and good for him on getting out.

Cat

pred · #15 01-17-2009, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mulehide9:
I can't believe you boys are shooting those old "BLACK POWDER" pistols with smokeless powder. All I can say is "GOOD LUCK".

WHY????
I was under the impression that the 38 S&W ammo is loaded down to equal Black powder.
AM I wrong?
I have shot my 1891 38 S&W with no ill effects and not much recoil at all.
PLease someone tell me more.
Peter.

mm6mm6 · #16 01-17-2009, 07:18 AM

Peter, I agree with you. I don't believe either the .32 S&W or the .38 S&W has ever been factory loaded with smokeless powder that causes pressures that exceed black powder levels. Otherwise you'd hear about breaktops blowing up all the time. There are millions of S&W, H&R, H&A, Iver Johnson, and other breaktops out there. The most common gun turned in to police departments nationwide are old breaktops. The most common ammo turned in is .32 and .38 S&W. It seems that when people pass away, their families find breaktops in sock drawers very often. The get shot with modern ammo but they're fine.

Frank V · #17 01-17-2009, 10:48 AM

Very nice! Thanks for sharing Frank

Mayor of Hobbs Knob · #18 01-17-2009, 12:09 PM

This is encouraging. I recently purchased two very fine Iver-Johnson breaktops in .32 S&W but have been reluctant to try them with some old factory loads I found. I want to shot them in cowboy action side matches in which we seldom shoot more than two shots. I will hand load for them as soon as I can find the .32 S&W dies.

rundownfid · #19 01-17-2009, 12:21 PM

Mayor of Hobs Knob;

Shoot away, that is what I use in the side matches here, an Iver Johnson in 38 S&W. I reload it but got the brass from Mag-Tech factory, which was a cheap way to get brass.

twaits · #20 05-29-2009, 09:42 AM

I don't believe you would see one of these old .32 or .38 S&Ws blow up on smokeless powder.
It is hard on the guns however. The pressure produced by black powder is different than that produced by smokeless even if the load is light. I don't think any of the old Iver Johnson topbreaks made before the 20s or 30s were adapted to fire smokeless powder. In fact if you see any old IJ topbreak in its original box it says in red letters on the outside "NOT ADAPTED FOR SMOKELESS POWDER" Personally I would fire black powder or a black powder substitute and try to preserve the gun. There are plenty of old colt and S&W solid frame swing out guns that are fine to shoot smokeless in and you can usually get these for under 200 bucks in really good shape.