Old .32 pistol; no identifying marks

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srdh50

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I have a .32 cal 6 shot pistol with a 2" barrel with only the following markings. On top reads SAFETY HAMMER over top of DOUBLE ACTION. Etched into the hammer is "patented
April 6, 1807. The cylinder is removed by depressing a release in front of the cylinder and removing a 3" pin roughly 3/16" in diameter. Gun and stock in great shape save for a bit of pitting. The exterior of the barrel is hexagonal in shape. Can someone shed some light on this pistol fro me. It was my grandfather's and I failed to get any info on it before he passed.
 
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Until someone pipes in - take a look at What the Heck was this? and Help identify this revolver. If you are very serious about documenting your new puppy - you can Request a Factory Letter which will research the date of manufacture, first recorded shipment destination, etc.
 
To answer the OP's question....A good pic would really help but I'm guessing he has an H&R. Several of the old H&R revolvers had octagon barrels and they also advertised a spurless hammer option as a "Safety Hammer". I would suspect the OP misread the patent date, I would have to dig in the safe to find it but I believe the example I have shows an 1897 patent date.

A picture would help me be sure but the little info provided would lead me to believe that this is most likely what he has.
 
I think desi2238 nailed it. Seems to me that 'Safety Hammer' was something H&R used, and possibly patented.
 
Your revolver is most likely one of several brands manufactured by Harrington & Richardson which were generally of lesser quality, and price, that the guns sold ubder their own trademark. Naturally a S&W letter would do no good at all in learning anything about this gun. There is very little recorded information concerning serial numbers for H&R or Iver Johnson guns.

The barrel, as mentioned before, is octagonal, meaning 8-sided, rather than hexagonal, which means, specifically, 6-sided.
 
I don't know about H&Rs, but serial numbers of Iver Johnsons are recorded in W.E. Goforth's book "Iver Johnson, Arms & Cycle Works Firearms, 1871-1993". IJ serial numbers are found on various places, but the complete serial number, with letter prefix, is on the left side of the grip frame. You have to take off the left grip to get at it.

I think he also did a book on H&Rs, but I don't have a copy.
 
Cyrano said:
I don't know about H&Rs, but serial numbers of Iver Johnsons are recorded in W.E. Goforth's book "Iver Johnson, Arms & Cycle Works Firearms, 1871-1993". IJ serial numbers are found on various places, but the complete serial number, with letter prefix, is on the left side of the grip frame. You have to take off the left grip to get at it.

I think he also did a book on H&Rs, but I don't have a copy.
Click to expand...

Mr Goforth's Iver Johnson book is full of great info about their revolver's. Sadly he passed away before completing the H&R book. One of his friends was working on completing that book, it was supposed to be out by the end of last year but may have been delayed as I haven't been able to find it yet.

I have been collecting these off-brands for a while. They are fascinating, lot's of models and variations and still inexpensive. The early solid frame and topbreak revolvers were very popular in their day and I like having them with my S&W topbreaks as examples of the average gunowners choices from a long ago time.
 
I think the last few posters are on the right track. The original description makes it impossible for this to be a S&W, and it doesn't sound like any Colt I know either. So it is probably a product of one of America's other gun makers in the late 19th or early 20th century who have faded from the scene several decades ago.

Go to Google and type in SAFETY HAMMER DOUBLE ACTION H&R, then hit return. A few photos turn up on the first page of hits that closely resemble what you described.

Welcome to the forum.
 
I am almost sure it is either H&R or Iver Johnson. Both used the term "safety hammer". Also some of I.J.'s lower priced models were sold as "U.S. Revolvers" If the cyl. is unfluted it is most likely "U.S. Revolver co." made by I.J.
 
If it's a US Revolver Company arm, the top of the grip, where the owl's head is on an Iver Johnson, will have the letters US.
 
Welcome from Texas srdh50. Great forum for all things S&W, have fun, learn lots, share what you know.
 
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