Found an old, very rusty revolver

[danalex]

S&W ?

I don't know if it's an S&W but I have a nice paperweight!
Discovered while diving in Yugoslavia and neutralized in Altuglas.

Seems armed and loaded

 

[danalex]

S&W ?

 

[Mountain425]

Not sure of what it is but it would be better to clean it up and keep it safe

 

[gwpercle]

When something is that rusty ... I soak it in pan of Evapo-rust ...
no finish to worry about and Evapo-Rust is safe and the abosolute best thing to get the rust removed . a gallon a wally-mart is $20.00 and you will spend that much on products that don't remove the rust near as well .. Evaporust is the best for rust removal .
My kids (and wife) would leave my tools in the yard ...all winter ...when I find them they are just RUST caked and covered but soaking in evaporust will get them back usable again .

An old school soak is in Kerosine ... but takes longer (3-4 months) and evaporust does it faster and probably better .
Gary

 

[Buick]

Try setting it up in an electralysis (sp??) Bucket for a week or two; you will be most impressed with the results. My buddy is a civil war dug artifact collector and he has had amazing success with that method.

 

[glowe]

Based on the size of the cylinder, I am guessing this is/was a .32 Double Action . . .

It has to be a 38 if it is a S&W. 32 DA's had recurved trigger guards only with the early trigger configuration. The 4th Model changed design to an oval trigger guard and new style trigger.

This revolver has a recurve trigger guard and a new style trigger, meaning it would be a 4" 38 DA, 3rd, 4th, or 5th Model, made from 1884 to 1911. Of course, it could be a copy of a S&W, hard to tell.

 

[BigEfromLC]

The grips have the Smith & Wesson logo at their tops. PRetty sure that is the best clue as to the manufacturer.

 

[StakeOut]

"Under The Floorboards"
Why was it hidden there?
Who puts a gun under the floorboards or a body in a wall?
Was it used in a homicide?

 

[gmborkovic]

I keep all my guns under the floorboards to keep away from the bad guys.
Bodies, in a sealed bag. Keeps down the smell.

 

[Inusuit]

Your gun, your call. I'm the firearms curator for a local museum and hate it when the well-intentioned "clean up" or "restore" a historical artifact. So I'd leave it as is. Otherwise the story is lost. The revolver will never be completely functional. And I doubt the S&W museum would be interested.

 

[glowe]

The grips have the Smith & Wesson logo at their tops. PRetty sure that is the best clue as to the manufacturer.

We have seen lots of copies with S&W stocks. Spanish copies have shown up in the past on Gunbroker with S&W stocks and the sellers call them Smith & Wesson revolvers. When foreign copies were mads, those companies were very capable of making almost exact copies so the stocks will fit. Too bad there are no stampings still readable.

 

[DWalt]

I'll go with #26. If you ever decide to do anything with it, I'd recommend trying the electrolysis method. It converts rust back into iron. There are several "how to" videos on YouTube.

 

[vinn]

"Under The Floorboards"
Why was it hidden there?
Who puts a gun under the floorboards or a body in a wall?
Was it used in a homicide?

Who ? "a mad wife" thats who ! i like the "toylet water tank". have not heard that one. mine bured one in the garden and it took days for me to find it. the wife? "thank god and Greyhound shhe is gone." Vinn

 

[scott1970]

"Under The Floorboards"
Why was it hidden there?
Who puts a gun under the floorboards or a body in a wall?
Was it used in a homicide?

Years ago, one of dad's rental houses caught fire and revealed a boarded-up window which hadn't been visible from inside or out. Inside we located this old pistol.

 

[danalex]

In France in 1940 (WW2) owning a firearm was punishable by death.
many preferred to hide or bury them rather than return them to the occupier