These Are The Breaks...

.357magger · Jan 27, 2021

Top Breaks that is.

(or side breaks too)

Webley, Harrington & Richardson, Merwin Hulbert, Iver Johnson, and...dare I say it...Smith and Wesson too.

Before WW2, MANY makers ( and retailers) made and offered top break and side break revolvers until the power and pressure of cartridge development pushed the rounds beyond what the non solid frame systems could safely contain. Lots and lots of Americans carried and owned these early cartridge revolvers as they were sold by the hundreds of thousands.

Do you own any? Let's see them.

I've previously owned a Webley MK VI that was shaved from .455 to use 45acp, and an unaltered Webley MK V. Today I'm down to only one, a delightful 1932 Harrington and Richardson Model 199 Single Action. This trim little 9 shooter is an extremely well made and accurate revolver. One of the most accurate revolvers I've ever shot as a matter of fact.

Show us "the Breaks" you've managed to acquire.

Absalom · Jan 27, 2021

I do have a few of the British ones, but here are photos of three early Americans you mentioned, in chronological order:

A .38 Safety Hammerless from 1892, a .38 Iver Johnson from around 1901, and a .32 Safety Hammerless from 1906.

I also have a Hopkins & Allen and a Harrington & Richardson somewhere, but they haven‘t been out for so long that I have no photos handy.

Absalom · Jan 27, 2021

And here are the British:

A military-contract .455 Webley Mk III from 1899 (unfortunately shaved), an Enfield No 2 Mk I** from 1943, a WAR FINISH .38 Webley Mk IV from 1941, and a Canadian police .38 Webley Mk IV from 1951.

.357magger · Jan 28, 2021

Absalom said:
And here are the British:

A military-contract .455 Webley Mk III from 1899 (unfortunately shaved), an Enfield No 2 Mk I** from 1943, a WAR FINISH .38 Webley Mk IV from 1941, and a Canadian police .38 Webley Mk IV from 1951.

That Webley Mk III is pretty nice, shaved or not.

richardbrentm · Jan 28, 2021

I remember when we called these top breaks " Saturday Night Specials" you could buy them all day for $25. Boy, how times have changed. I will say most, most of the true SNS's we're in 22, 32 S&W and 38 S&W. S&W branded pistols didn't qualify as they and Colts always had a collectors interest. Webley's we're always a collectible brand due I think due to rarity in the US.

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Redcoat3340 · Jan 28, 2021

I got on a .38S&W kick a while back and picked up a couple of top breaks in that caliber. Fun to shoot, the H&R Defender was a WWII issue to security at defense plants, there 925 was a carry size (?), and the S&W Perfected was the firearms equivalent to wearing a belt and suspenders (it has both a regular HE cylinder release and a top break latch). Here's some pics.

gunsnrovers · Jan 29, 2021

I have these two.

A Webley MkII (1894~1898) that was shaved for .45ACP and moon clips. I have fired it with lightly loaded ammo a friend cooked up years ago, but it's been at least 15 years. Need to fix that.

The Enfield Mk2 No1 is a 1944 piece. If I can get some ammo for it, I would like to give it a whirl.

Absalom · Jan 29, 2021

gunsnrovers said:
...
The Enfield Mk2 No1 is an Australian stamped 1944 piece. If I can get some ammo for it, I would like to give it a whirl.

Where is the Australian stamp? It appears to have British post-war commercial proofs on the barrel.

You are probably aware that the large broad arrow on top makes the Mk II a Royal Navy issue. These are fairly desirable.

gunsnrovers · Jan 29, 2021

Good catch. I had 3 of the Mk2's at one point and traded a couple away. I know one was clearly D broad arrow marked. I had to go out to the safe and check. It's been a while. This is not that one. It is marked 44. It doesn't have the large Enfield and crown stamp, but the D over E stamp is all over it,.

I've heard different things about the Royal Navy markings. This MkII is not stamped N anywhere.

Absalom · Jan 29, 2021

gunsnrovers said:
I've heard different things about the Royal Navy markings. This MkII is not stamped N anywhere.

Interesting. I have not encountered a Mk II with the large broad arrow but without the corresponding N and number on the upper backstrap. Your top photo cuts that off; is there anything stamped on the backstrap?

My Army Contract Mk III has lots of little arrows on various parts, and a service date and unit marking on the backstrap, but nothing on top.

Rock185 · Jan 30, 2021

I have a couple, a 1918 Webley MK VI and J. Stevens "Tip-Up" in .22LR.

.357magger · Jan 30, 2021

Rock185 said:
I have a couple, a 1918 Webley MK VI and J. Stevens "Tip-Up" in .22LR.

Nice.

Is the Mk VI chopped for 45 acp?

Ivan the Butcher · Jan 30, 2021

I have 10 top break revolvers. Since most were Nickle Finish, I refer to them as my Pimp Gun Collection!

I have seen 6" barreled H&R Target 22 that shot as well as my Model 17 and better than my 34!

But I love my Uberti production Number 3 Russians! Care enough to give the very best, shoot it with a 44!

Ivan

Kurusu · Jan 30, 2021

American made top break have eluded me so far.

But I do have 3 British ones.

A .455 Webley Mark VI from 1915(it's a first year production gun).

A .38/200 Webley Mark IV from 1941(early war finish) and an .38/200 Enfield No 2 from 1934 marked R.A.F.

.357magger · Jan 30, 2021

That Mk VI is SWEEET.

Just my humble opinion.

Thanks for sharing them.

Kurusu · Jan 30, 2021

.357magger said:
That Mk VI is SWEEET.

Just my humble opinion.

Thanks for sharing them.

A sweet shooter too.

gunsnrovers · Jan 30, 2021

I'd love to pick up a VI as a shooter eventually.

I am curious about the AM2 markings on my Enfield. Have never been able to get that unraveled

The Webley MkII DOES appear to be a Royal Navy gun. Very faint N on the back strap I got to show up with a china marker. Not much else there. Just the faint N and the 8.

There is a 2nd N on the left side, but I don't know if it's part of that group of markings.

I do love how even the screws and springs are broad arrow marked.

bigmtnman · Jan 31, 2021

I only have the one. It's an H&R 926 picked up mucho el cheapo. I had some unfinished/uncheckered factory grips on hand that I could reshape and finish to my liking. It's a fine shooter/fun plinker. It does have some finish issues and a little pitting. It's sort of like an ugly but lovable "rescue dog".

mk70ss · Jan 31, 2021

Just one, I bought it yesterday at the Knoxville gun show. An H&R .22 9 shot.

Absalom · Jan 31, 2021

gunsnrovers said:
....
I am curious about the AM2 markings on my Enfield. Have never been able to get that unraveled
......

The Webley MkII DOES appear to be a Royal Navy gun. Very faint N on the back strap I got to show up with a china marker. Not much else there. Just the faint N and the 8.
.....

There is a 2nd N on the left side, but I don't know if it's part of that group of markings.
......

I do love how even the screws and springs are broad arrow marked.

I believe the letter/number stamping on the Enfield cylinder denotes the lot number of the steel.

The N on the backstrap nails it. I don’t have one of those, so I haven’t looked into that group of symbols on the frame, but I’ve noticed it on other Navy guns.

Yep, arrows everywhere!

These Are The Breaks...

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