The ugliest Smith I own, prepare yourselves..

[Smithhound]

I bought this for a song awhile back, it being what it is, an early Centennial S/N 78xx, it for some reason appealed to me.
The story I got was that this revolver spent it's life in the sliverware drawer of a guys Mother, and I believe it.
Mechanically it's very sound, believe it or not it's been fired very little, barely a mark on the recoil shield, not cutting on the topstrap, internals are good and it locks up tight and fires.
Cosmetically it's a three legged dog. It shows everybit of the neglect it was treated to ove the years.
This is my back pocket gun when weedeating or putzing around the yard. I figure not much else can possibly happen to it to make it look worse, so why worry?
Anyway, here is my little horror story, almost ashamed to post this as it truely is the sorriest looking gun in my collection.
WARNING: Hide the eyes of small children and easily depressed adults.
RD

 

[rhmc24]

Here's my ugliest gun. Maybe I should get it reblued?

 

[DCWilson]

My ugliest gun isn't ugly by neglect. It isn't even a Smith. It just has a naturally high WI (warthog index).

Thank heavens there was never a Smith & Webley partnership.

 

[4-Screw]

Here's my ugliest gun. Maybe I should get it reblued?

Is that a 6-screw?

 

[john traveler]

David,

I still shudder to think that you have the nerve to show THAT on a Smith & Wesson forum!

John

 

[DCWilson]

David,

I still shudder to think that you have the nerve to show THAT on a Smith & Wesson forum!

John

But you must admit it makes even a bad Smith look better!

 

[dinghysailer]

My ugliest gun isn't ugly by neglect. It isn't even a Smith. It just has a naturally high WI (warthog index).

Thank heavens there was never a Smith & Webley partnership.

OMG, it looks like something the smart pimply geek made in shop class. (even then there were smart pimply geeks, but by the time it went into production his face may have cleared up).

 

[KEN L]

I'm sure the low cost helps ease the pain!

 

[alaskavett]

So what I'm I missing here? These are serious working guns and they all have a story or two to tell. Smithhound, if your feeling embarrassed( I doubt that) I will take her off your hands. Yardgun, truck gun, whatever gun is ALWAYS better then then the one you left at home so as not to hurt one... If I only had a way to post photos of some of my junk...Er, I meant to say collectible sweethearts...Kyle

 

[hiram2005]

Here's my ugliest gun. Maybe I should get it reblued?

You should Duracoat it black and call it TACTICAL

 

[Sebago Son]

Got that beat by a mile...

This is my Cave Gun....

Found in Laos during the war....

Look! All Matching Numbers!

 

[twaits]

I bought this for a song awhile back, it being what it is, an early Centennial S/N 78xx, it for some reason appealed to me.
The story I got was that this revolver spent it's life in the sliverware drawer of a guys Mother, and I believe it.
Mechanically it's very sound, believe it or not it's been fired very little, barely a mark on the recoil shield, not cutting on the topstrap, internals are good and it locks up tight and fires.
Cosmetically it's a three legged dog. It shows everybit of the neglect it was treated to ove the years.
This is my back pocket gun when weedeating or putzing around the yard. I figure not much else can possibly happen to it to make it look worse, so why worry?
Anyway, here is my little horror story, almost ashamed to post this as it truely is the sorriest looking gun in my collection.
WARNING: Hide the eyes of small children and easily depressed adults.
RD

I'd take this "ugly" gun any day!

 

[DCWilson]

Drew, that cave gun gives me the creeps.

I suspect the manufacturer, whoever that was, never paid any design royalties to S&W. That's the mother of all trigger rebound spring studs. Is that frame cast iron? It and the cylinder look like pot metal to me. At any rate, I hope the spring broke before anyone had a chance to fire it.

Yep, ugly.

 

[Sebago Son]

Cave Gun...

David,

It really is an interesting gun... yes I think the frame is dull iron.. it will draw file very easily.

One has to wonder about the ingenuity and resourcefulness of those that made it and why they went to such lengths to camouflage it's place of origin.

Some have speculated that it was made in the Khyber, but with the side plate pulled the resemblance to copies made in Eibar are more obvious.

How it ended up in an arms cache 150 miles west of Vientiane and how long it had been there is anyone's guess...

Drew

 

[4-Screw]

Cave Gun wins.

 

[Maximumbob54]

Nothing a little Mothers and some cold blue couldn't fix right up...

 

[Onomea]

Drew, very intriguing. How'd did you come by it? Bet there's a story in there...

Arlo

 

[Texas Star]

Here's my ugliest gun. Maybe I should get it reblued?

Is that the Colt sometimes called the M-1872, originally made as a cartridge gun, not a Mason type conversion?

 

[Texas Star]

David,

It really is an interesting gun... yes I think the frame is dull iron.. it will draw file very easily.

One has to wonder about the ingenuity and resourcefulness of those that made it and why they went to such lengths to camouflage it's place of origin.

Some have speculated that it was made in the Khyber, but with the side plate pulled the resemblance to copies made in Eibar are more obvious.

How it ended up in an arms cache 150 miles west of Vientiane and how long it had been there is anyone's guess...

Drew

What caliber is it? If 8mm Lebel, it may well have been French service issue. They bought some Eibar copies of the M&P in that caliber. Those might logically have found their way to Indo China. (later, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia)

 

[rhmc24]

Is that the Colt sometimes called the M-1872, originally made as a cartridge gun, not a Mason type conversion?

Yes it's a 1872 "Open Top", one with Navy size grip of which few were made.