Merwin Hulbert .38 (updated pictures)

Erik, I got your private message, same as above, and sent you a reply, but got a pop up that said it was an invalid PM???, so will repeat it here: Old catalog ads of the turn of the century era, show prints of M&H revolvers with two sideplate screws. I've nevr seen one with 3 screws, but many guns, of all makes, of that period show up with strange anomalies that do not seem to have a purpose. Maybe the worker that put in that 3rd srew was a Belt & Suspenders guy! Ed. ( PS:, The old tale of "Merwin or Hulbert being killed by Indians is false. It originally started when Fred Bray, of Merwin & Bray (before there was a Merwin & Hulbert) was alledged to have been burned at the stake by Indians out west. Also false. This story stared in 1947 in a couple of magazine articles which said "Frank or Fred Merwin, while traveling in the West, was capturedby Indians at burned at the stake near Ft.Leavenworth in 1865" Totally false. Merwin & Hulbert wasn't founded until 1868. Ed.

Thanks Ed,

I got your private message as well.

I really should pick up Art Phelps book. It seems like there are endless varieties of these guns. Just when you think you've seen every variation something different seems to pop up.

I'd love to get into the M&H forum and see if it's as vibrant as this forum and the Colt forum. I just cant seem to sign in though. I'm hoping Montanian comes around and helps me out.

Thanks again for your info.

That is a really interesting gun. I have never paid a lot of attention to the Merwin Hulberts, which is probably too bad on my part.
Now I can't stop looking at your father's gun.
You may have cost me some money Twaits.

moosedog said:

That is a really interesting gun. I have never paid a lot of attention to the Merwin Hulberts, which is probably too bad on my part.
Now I can't stop looking at your father's gun.
You may have cost me some money Twaits.

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I know, they are just so damn cool and well made! I have a little .32 M&H I was lucky enough to score for $50. But I really want the big boy, the .44-40 Pocket Army. But those are well into the 4 figures.

3 Screw Sideplate .32

opoefc said:

Old catalog ads of the turn of the century era, show prints of M&H revolvers with two sideplate screws. I've never seen one with 3 screws Ed.

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Ed;

Here's mine. All matching, box end label denoting second barrel as a set. 3 screw sideplate. The revolver and 5 1/2 inch barrel is an easy 98-99%, the spare 3 inch barrel has some wear on one side. Box is excellent overall, with some minor fraying. These were truly well made revolvers and I agree the tolerances were incredibly precise.




This set will probably be soon offered for sale since I have little or no interest in collecting M&H revolvers. It's been sitting in a safe for ages.
Enjoy!

Lefty
BELL CHARTER OAK CUSTOM HOLSTERS (607) 783-2483

Merwin Hulbert .38

The etching on the side of your M&H is the same as two that I have. The matching barrels always have matching numbers if it came with the gun. I have not noted any "no number" barrels as of yet and have been on the Merwin Hulbert trail since 1985.
My guess would be around 13 to 1500.00 on your fathers set.
As far as the M&H forum being active?!? Not so sure there are as many as what this site gets in one hour looking, as oposed to M&H forum traffic in a year.
When I headed up the M&H Association, Art Phelps asked me to, the membership was around 65 in three years with a 10.00 donation. I could not get members to send info to make a newsletter every three months.

Art and I were the only two that showed, all were asked, at the featured M&H Dallas Show in 1998 by TGCA.
I will gladly show the works of loading and barrel switching in a later post soon.

Old M&H Association President
Terry Wagner

Modelof1891 said:

The etching on the side of your M&H is the same as two that I have. The matching barrels always have matching numbers if it came with the gun. I have not noted any "no number" barrels as of yet and have been on the Merwin Hulbert trail since 1985.
My guess would be around 13 to 1500.00 on your fathers set.
As far as the M&H forum being active?!? Not so sure there are as many as what this site gets in one hour looking, as oposed to M&H forum traffic in a year.
When I headed up the M&H Association, Art Phelps asked me to, the membership was around 65 in three years with a 10.00 donation. I could not get members to send info to make a newsletter every three months.

Art and I were the only two that showed, all were asked, at the featured M&H Dallas Show in 1998 by TGCA.
I will gladly show the works of loading and barrel switching in a later post soon.

Old M&H Association President
Terry Wagner

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Terry,

Would you have a picture of one of your M&Hs with the etching?
I would love to see it.
Thanks very much for posting.

Oh and Lefty, that's a beauty. Thanks for posting the pic.

-Erik

M&h .38

Erik
I will gladly shoot some pics and post them as soon as I have time to dig them out.
Oldflatfoot
That is one beautiful set!!!

Great thread and great guns

Thanks Erik!

feralmerril said:

I met "Hammer" when I wrote folding trigger, but I imagine everyone knew what I meant. I had a close friend many years ago that had 3 or 4 of them. I marveled at the hammers back then. He had some beautys, one nickle .44 also had two barrels. It was pristine.
I read somewhere that either merwin or hulbert was killed by indians while outwest pushing his guns. Anybody else read that?

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It pops up in some accounts. The founder of Merwin Hulbert & Co., Joseph Merwin's nephew was killed in an Indian raid on his Butterfield Stage Station in Texas before the formation of MH&Co. (during it's earlier incarnation as Merwin & Bray.) Another nephew of Joe's was the Merwin Sales Manager for most of the company's run so it's confused a lot of folks.

n4zov said:

Could you post a photo or two showing how the revolver opens and closes for loading? I've read about the MH but have never had a chance to handle one.

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I forgot all about my little .32 when I first answered this. I bought this little gem for $50. Here's some detailed pictures of the workings of a Merwin Hulbert revolver:

Closed:



Ready for loading:



Open:



Note the shoulder that keeps the cartridge rims against the recoil sheild:



Apart:

oldflatfoot said:

Ed;

Here's mine. All matching, box end label denoting second barrel as a set. 3 screw sideplate. The revolver and 5 1/2 inch barrel is an easy 98-99%, the spare 3 inch barrel has some wear on one side. Box is excellent overall, with some minor fraying. These were truly well made revolvers and I agree the tolerances were incredibly precise.

This set will probably be soon offered for sale since I have little or no interest in collecting M&H revolvers. It's been sitting in a safe for ages. If anyone is interested you can pm me.

Enjoy!

Lefty
BELL CHARTER OAK CUSTOM HOLSTERS (607) 783-2483

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That's a beautiful set, most of the MH .32's one sees for sale aren't in this condition, frame, with ammo box, etc... You're welcome to post it at no charge on the Merwin Hulbert & Company Forum (as is anyone else selling original Merwins, parts, ammo, accessories, etc.) as we're trying to make life easier on collectors. I collect the .44's but you've got a very tempting set there. GunBroker'd be one way but O.C. Young Auctions is where I mostly see this nice of a set of Merwins and is probably going to get you your best price.

MH

You guy's are killing me with your collection's really awesume
thanks
james

twaits said:

Thanks Ed,

I got your private message as well.

I really should pick up Art Phelps book. It seems like there are endless varieties of these guns. Just when you think you've seen every variation something different seems to pop up.

I'd love to get into the M&H forum and see if it's as vibrant as this forum and the Colt forum. I just cant seem to sign in though. I'm hoping Montanian comes around and helps me out.

Thanks again for your info.

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Yup, we want you in the Merwin Hulbert Forum, send me what info you want and I'll manually enter you in with my vast and awesome "moderator" powers.

Art Phelps' book is excellent and still only taps part of it since the MH&Co. blurs into the many pistols made by their subsidiary Hopkins & Allen Mfg. which private labeled many more and eventually absorbed Forehand & Wadsworth, another major brand of the time now mostly forgotten. Art's book is long out of print (1993) and a small press run so it takes some hunting and paying a painful price. We'll be doing or helping put out more MH&Co hardcover histories, the website's history content section is a start at that, so it easier to find and follow this fragmented trail. Merwins sell in the same places in the 19th Century that adopted Smith & Wesson Russian or Schofield revolvers making the trail murkier yet. I suspect a lot of other folks are bored after 60 years of Colt SAA stories and specs.

Your father's Merwin set is excellent and if Terry Wagner says it looks like factory engraving (did to me too), that's an extremely reliable assessment by a long student of Merwins. I'd keep it in the family, maybe you could swap your dad something he'd use now for it like a big flat screen tv or great recliner (dads don't like to spend money on themselves.)

Thanks Montanian for setting me up. I urge anyone else here with an interest in Merwin Hulberts to go join the forum. Lets get some more activity over there and support these guys that are bringing back this amazing gun:

Merwin Hulbert & Co. Forum: Viewing list of forums

Montanian said:

That's a beautiful set, most of the MH .32's one sees for sale aren't in this condition, frame, with ammo box, etc... You're welcome to post it at no charge on the Merwin Hulbert & Company Forum (as is anyone else selling original Merwins, parts, ammo, accessories, etc.) as we're trying to make life easier on collectors. I collect the .44's but you've got a very tempting set there. GunBroker'd be one way but O.C. Young Auctions is where I mostly see this nice of a set of Merwins and is probably going to get you your best price.

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Thanks for the compliment. It really is an interesting revolver and it's unique engineering is what I found most alluring. It's the only M&H I've come to own, but I've glanced at the .44's a time or two I have to admit. I also appreciate the offer to put the photos up on the M&H Company Forum, thank you!

twaits;

Good informative post. Thanks for the info, I appreciate it.

Lefty
BELL CHARTER OAK CUSTOM HOLSTERS (607) 783-2483

Thanks twaits for posting those great photos! A most interesting design and one begging for updating and manufacturing.

Imagine how much fun a .22 cal version of that little .32 would be...

was watching an old re-run of bonanza the other day...the theme of this particular episode was a 44 cal MH that was to be sold to ben cartwright...interesting

kennyb said:

was watching an old re-run of bonanza the other day...the theme of this particular episode was a 44 cal MH that was to be sold to ben cartwright...interesting

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Did they actually mention the MH by name?