Recent content by John in AK

The long-standing traditional theory, probably apocryphal, is that if one posts the entire serial number publicly, some miscreant with ill intent immediately files a police report with that serial number showing it to be stolen, sends the police to your home, and they reclaim the miscreant's...

I'm seeing a revolver that looks like it has been through a fire, with fresh rust on the cylinder gas-check. The FIRST step, now that you have the grips off, is to soak this piece in a stew of ATF and acetone for a couple of weeks. Don't even TRY to disassemble it, as the rest of the gun is...

There isn't a lot more to say about your revolver; Everything points to it being an Argentine government order gun as I mentioned, contemporary to your relative's service. I do think that the gun has been refurbished, perhaps at a government arsenal long ago; The cylinder may also be a...

You are luckier than you think. At SN 2817, your great great grandfather's gun falls in the proper serial range for one of 2002 S&W NM3s sold to Argentina at the very beginning of production (between SN50 and 3400), circa 1881. They were sold to Argentina by New York City dealers Schuyler...

Your little H&A is probably a .32 Safety Double Action, built circa World War I. It's been polished and replated. I suspect it would not sell for much more than $100, if that. Unless this is a rimfire model, which I doubt, it was built after the era of black-powder ammunition, and is...

. . . and the mystery number is. . . ? If the number on the bottom of the latch ends in '17,' then it's a reasonable guess that it matches what was on the butt. However, if it does not do so, then it's anybody's guess what the real number once was, as the latch is an easily-replaced part. As...

. . . and that screw 'opoefc' mentioned actually belongs on the LEFT side; The hollow barrel joint pivot pin has been stuck in backwards.

You have a S&W New Model #3, probably an early one due to the length of the housing for the extractor. The guns were built between 1877 and 1898, with some sold after that date. There are several other serial number areas to check besides the bottom of the grip frame (this one was partially...

[Good afternoon to all of you, please help me... need a de-cocker smith and wesson 39-2. mine broke, where do I get another de-cocker smith and wesson 39-2?] Try this: Gun Parts & Firearm Accessories | Numrich Gun Parts Numrich Gun Parts Corporation 226 Williams Ln. Kingston, NY 12401 Phone...

Seriously, if you have an original Winchester 1873, you probably don't NEED a gunsmith, as the gun was designed to be repaired in the field by somebody with a knife blade and a precision rock. Find a proper YouTube video showing an ORIGINAL gun being disassembled, not a Uberti or other...

Shocked, SHOCKED I am to find that no one has yet to ask the obvious question/s: "What's in the box?! Can we see? Where's the photo with a scale of some sort? Just one cartridge, OK?"

I'm confused. . . why are you trying to shove .32 S&W Long cases into a barrel marked '.32 S&W'? They aren't the same. .32 S&W is a short little varmint, .61" case, with an 85gr bullet, designed for the 1 1/2 Single Action, .32 DA, and .32 New Departure. .32 S&W LONG has a .92" case, and a...

There is one other step you might consider before tapping and razor-blading, or even heating: Light solvent. After you have the grip screw removed, spray a light, mild lubricant/solvent such as WD40 or CLP in through the hole, and let it soak at least overnight. This will penetrate underneath...

Well, that certainly doesn't solve the mystery, does it? There were, of course, 'anomalies' in S&W serial numbering, but usually not this big; It may be that the gun was sent back to S&W with a bulged or damaged barrel, and a new-style barrel fitted with the original serial number stamped. Or...

That's gorgeous. Congratulations!