Lemon Squeezer Dating

[durandal22]

Hello,

I have acquired a very nice nickel plated Lemon Squeezer from a pawn shop. The serial number is 254xxx. Would anyone have any idea how old it is? I kinda figured after 1900.

Thanks!

 

[opoefc]

Probably way after 1900, like maybe the mid to late1920s. Ed

 

[first-model]

Dating it would depend on knowing whether your gun is a .32 or .38. And the proper term is "Safety Hammerless," even though we all know what you're talking about.

Mike

 

[durandal22]

It's a .38. It's a very nice little revolver. I've been after one for awhile.

 

[gmborkovic]

So many questions. Grips match? Barrel length? Bore clean? Thanks

 

[first-model]

It's a .38. It's a very nice little revolver. I've been after one for awhile.

254XXX in a .38 Safety Hammerless would date to somewhere in the late teens or early 1920's. The serial numbers got a bit flaky that late in production, so it could have been a bit earlier or later than that.

Mike

 

[durandal22]

Grips are matching, 3.25 inch barrel, bore is pretty good, some pitting but that wouldn't deter me from using it. Lockup is very tight and it dry fires great.

 

[gmborkovic]

Sounds shootable. Give it a little lube and go shoot it.

 

[Dosgatos]

With the usual caveat about these not shipping in sequence, I have 250432 which shipped 7/25 and 254037 which shipped 11/25.

 

[durandal22]

Thanks for all the information. So am educated guess would probably be that my gun shipped in 1926. I'm acquiring some cartridges for it today. I also got an antique H. H. Heiser holster for it. Once the background check clears I will definitely go shoot it a bit!

 

[durandal22]

One last thing, can I put grips from a .32 Safety Hammerless on a .38?

 

[Narragansett]

We like pics if possible.

 

[BloodyThumb]

Being an old Led Zeppelin and blues fan, seeing the title "Lemon Squeezer Dating" made me just HAVE to look at this thread.

Not at all what first came to mind.

Carry on...

 

[Books]

One last thing, can I put grips from a .32 Safety Hammerless on a .38?

No.

(The 32s are a 1 1/2 size frame and 38s are a 2. Until you get to the I frame 32s which are the same as a 2: but that's another story.)

Books

 

[durandal22]

So I got the gun today, and the only fault I can find with it is the firing pin sticks through the frame all the time. I'm assuming this is because the firing pin rebound spring needs to be replaced? Am I correct? I've attached a picture.

 

[Brooks]

Being an old Led Zeppelin and blues fan, seeing the title "Lemon Squeezer Dating" made me just HAVE to look at this thread.

Not at all what first came to mind.

Carry on...

Ya, I know... I keep thinking about the lemon squeezer I dated in high school.....

 

[durandal22]

So I noticed something when I was partially disassembling it. She backing off the mainspring strain screw, the firing pin rebounds, but when tension is applied, it forces the hammer against the firing pin making it protrude into the frame. It is acting like the rebound spring is super weak.

 

[mmaher94087]

The firing pin rebound spring is a weak spring. Broken springs can be replaced using a few coils from a retractable ball point pen. The hammer should rebound from the firing pin based upon the geometry of the mainspring and stirrup. It should not rest on the firing pin.

Can you remove the side plate and post a photo of the mainspring, stirrup and hammer with the strain screw tightened?

 

[durandal22]

Here is the image as requested:

 

[mmaher94087]

Thanks for the photo. I'll venture that the stirrup is in backwards. The hammer and mainspring appear to be correct, i.e., no hanky-panky replacement. Remove the mainspring and hammer and turn the stirrup 180* and reinstall. The rebound depends on the mainspring pulling up on the stirrup while the tail of the stirrup interferes with the bottom of the slot in the hammer and cams the hammer off the firing pin. Please get back (working or not).