5th Model Lemon Squeezer owned by GWC

[Baltimoreed11754]

My first top break Smith, found this at a local gun show today. As near as I can tell it's a cute 5th model #253347 [the cylinder is also #253347] in .38 S&W with its original blue finish. Unfortunately not it's original barrel length, been shortened to a bicycle gun. It sports a nice set of intact pearl grips with a GWC monogram carved where the medallion would go. The gun obviously belonged to George Washington Carver. My little bit of research says it dates from the late 1920s during Carvers life. OR just some unknown pimp with the same initials from the Roaring Twenties. Either way it's a neat little piece.

 

[first-model]

Very nice looking gun. Are you sure the barrel was shortened? The roll mark appears to be properly centered, which suggests that this is the factory length. But top breaks aren't my area of expertise, so I'll welcome more reliable information ....

Mike

 

[touchoneoff]

My first top break Smith, found this at a local gun show today. As near as I can tell it's a cute 5th model #253347 [the cylinder is also #253347] in .38 S&W with its original blue finish. Unfortunately not it's original barrel length, been shortened to a bicycle gun. It sports a nice set of intact pearl grips with a GWC monogram carved where the medallion would go. The gun obviously belonged to George Washington Carver. My little bit of research says it dates from the late 1920s during Carvers life. OR just some unknown pimp with the same initials from the Roaring Twenties. Either way it's a neat little piece.

Looks to be in very nice shape!

 

[mmaher94087]

The barrels of the Safety Hammerless can be cut to the 2" length leaving the ".38 S & W Ctg." and 'Smith & Wesson' centered on the sides of the barrel. However, the barrel rib S&W, address and patent dates will be removed and not be present anywhere. The giveaway.

 

[first-model]

The barrels of the Safety Hammerless can be cut to the 2" length leaving the ".38 S & W Ctg." and 'Smith & Wesson' centered on the sides of the barrel. However, the barrel rib S&W, address and patent dates will be removed and not be present anywhere. The giveaway.

Aah, I didn't know that. But it makes sense.

Mike

 

[les.b]

Original barrel length or not, that is a super cool Smith!!

Nice photo spas well.

Thanks for sharing with us. I love snub noses of all types.

Best Regards, Les

 

[S&WsRsweet]

Yea that is a nice piece .I can almost hear the music and taste the bourbon from your pic .

 

[glowe]

I am a real sucker for cut barrel pocket revolvers. I have a 3rd Model "push button" Safety that is great fun to shoot. I find that all these cut barrel guns shoot no where near the bullseye, but who cares?

The early models of the 38 Safety revolvers did not have barrel stamps, but the later ones all had the stamping centered over the extractor housing no matter what the barrel length. These guns were slow sellers after the introduction of the hand ejector models and remained in stock up to WWII. Your gun would have shipped most likely before the Great Depression, maybe mid-1920s. Does it have a MADE IN USA on the right side of the frame?

Like I say, these become a bad habit after awhile and you can find great pieces still available for $250 and sometimes way cheaper. Years ago, I picked up a well used 38 Safety and never stopped buying whenever I found an orphan that needed a new home. The first gun is at the top of the pic of my collection of Safeties and still shoots as well as any of them and there are more somewhere in the safe. My cut-barrel 1893 38 Safety was purchased for $150, so keep looking and you will find lots of bargains out there.

 

[mm93]

As neat as original guns might be, sometimes a modified gun is just cool as heck! That's a really neat cut down revolver!

 

[shouldazagged]

I would dearly love to own that little gun. Nice find.