.32 Safety Hammerless Bicycle Gun—Refinished, or not?

[mrcvs]

Best to start a new thread from this original one.

M

Thread 'Genuine bicycle revolver or cut barrel?'

May 31, 2025

What does the jury think?

• mrcvs
• Replies: 41
• Forum: S&W Antiques

• 

This came from out of purgatory today. It sure doesn’t look refinished to me.

1. All blued and case coloured components, as original, remain as such.

2. All stampings crisp (barrel markings, logo, serial number, witness mark). Any “softness” is an optical illusion from the difficulty of photographing nickel and from incandescent light bulbs.

3. Grips not worn in contrast to condition of revolver, suggesting a refinish is less likely.

4. Rack number is the only wild card, but its numbers appear fairly crisp and not buffed.

5. All edges sharp, no evidence of buffing.

6. Side plate shows no evidence of buffed edges.

7. Serrated points to “lemon squeezer” component of revolver all pointed and not softened from buffing nor from nickel in crevasses.

Thoughts? Agree or disagree? And, then, how was the rack number handles with regards to finish after stamping?

 

[mrcvs]

And more photographs. Additional photographs available upon request.

 

[mrcvs]

And more photographs…

 

[mrcvs]

And I forgot to include photographs of the barrel address.

 

[A10]

Great detail on the photos. It looks legit and original finish to me, though more expert opinions will be along soon. Personally I'd letter that one.

 

[mrcvs]

Great detail on the photos. It looks legit and original finish to me, though more expert opinions will be along soon. Personally I'd letter that one.

It has already been lettered and I await its arrival.

 

[A10]

It has already been lettered and I await its arrival.

From our favorite auction site? I think I was watching that one.

 

[mrcvs]

From our favorite auction site? I think I was watching that one.

You mean Gunbroker? No, this didn’t originate from there.

 

[glowe]

Original finish. . . Thoughts? Agree or disagree?

You know the answer to that question. I have had more 100% 32 Safeties than any other model. Cheap and plentiful. I paid between $150 and $300 for each of them. Recently sold all for not much profit, but enjoyed owning them. Only difference noted is the finish wear. Only a very few out there exist without any marks on the finish. Closest I had was #217,963 (below). After-market stampings, unless rusted metal would look just like you show as well.

 

[mrcvs]

You know the answer to that question. I have had more 100% 32 Safeties than any other model. Cheap and plentiful. Only difference noted is the finish wear. Only a very few exist without any marks on the finish. Closest I had was #217,963 (below). After-market stampings, unless rusted metal would look just like you show as well.

View attachment 770262View attachment 770263

Well, I think I know the answer to the question and that this is original finish. I don’t see how it can be anything but that. But I wanted to see if others agree with these gun in hand photographs or am I missing something?

 

[mrcvs]

Here are more photographs of the logo in natural lighting. Your logo is definitely more deeply stamped than mine or you have a better photograph.

If this is a refinish, I suspect it’s factory despite the lack of a code under the left stock. Or, it’s the best non factory refinish I’ve ever seen. Hard to believe someone would go to such measures on such a common typically low value revolver.

 

[mrcvs]

And more photographs, back side of stocks, showing serial number, and frame under stocks showing a lack of a two digit month and year date code—for better or worse.

 

[glowe]

Yes, but three things can happen to change the appearance of the stampings, First, is that the stamp could be worn out, second is that the worker did not put enough pressure on the die to get it deeper in the metal, and third is the worker could have sanded a little too much on the metal in preparation for plating. I tend to think the last for your revolver. It is a rare occurrence when a gun that is refinished does not have drag marks on the stamps from the buffing wheel and I see none of that in your pictures. Back in the day, when a stamping die was worn or cracked, the company could not simply order another one online. I believe that all those dies had to be ordered and were the work of an engraver at the factory so two were exactly alike. Always wondered how long they really lasted?

 

[wlw-19958]

Hi There,

I have been amazed the die stampings on S&W's usually don't
show signs of die deterioration. I believe in the pre-1900 period,
dies were made in-house by the Factory engraving department.

I have studied Colt SAA markings and one can see how the dies
deteriorated. The early three line patent dates on their frames
shows how parts of the letters would break off (the bow of the
letter "P" will be missing, etc.). Colt would continue to use mark-
ing dies if the flaws were deemed not serious enough (or until
the new die was ready for use). And if a new die was used, it
usually had significant changes from the previous die.

The die changes I have noticed on S&W's top breaks (and there
aren't many) are minor and could be overlooked easily.

Cheers!
Webb

 

[mrcvs]

Please reference Posts #24 and #45 of this thread:

Thread 'Show off your Bicycle Guns'

Apr 16, 2021

This shipped April 1904. Has been re finished a LONG time ago.

• RGNewell
• Replies: 49
• Forum: S&W Antiques

• 

I was hung up on the colloquial name of these revolvers being Bicycle Guns and supposed one could rent a revolver to go with a rented bicycle, hence, the purpose of the rack number. However, apparently these snub nose revolvers were used by the railroad, and I would imagine that the rack number on mine was a unique identifier for the railroad.

The only huge problem with this theory is that a rack number is a unique identifier, and others should exist with similar rack numbers, but I simply cannot find another Bicycle Gun with a unique rack number, which, by its existence alone, would better support my theory.