Lemon squeezer

[HansJ]

Fishing for compliments or constructive comments:
any and all comments about this small firearm are greatly appreciated... thanks for your interrest, Hans J

 

[glowe]

Fishing for compliments or constructive comments:
any and all comments about this small firearm are greatly appreciated... thanks for your interrest, Hans J

First comment, before less kind souls see your title, you do not have a Lemon Squeezer, you have a 32 Safety, 3rd Model. Some members take offense to the slang term you used. I once owned 224,XXX and it shipped in September, 1921.

This revolver was manufactured from 1888 to 1937, with almost a quarter-million made. You have one in very nice shape, but unfortunately, there are way too many in that condition to be valuable. I once had three in the same condition as yours and bought them for $300, thinking I had a good deal, but when I went to sell two of them a few years later, they did not bring the money that other models bring in that shape, sold at auction for $361 and $395. These were made in very large quantities and seem that most have survived. They were in an anemic caliber any were pretty much relegated to furniture drawers and in pockets and purses.

 

[gmborkovic]

Hello Hans, that is a beauty. In pic #5 of the open cylinder.
Is that grease or dirt in one of the charge holes? Mike

 

[HansJ]

"...you do not have a Lemon Squeezer, you have a 32 Safety..."
Thank you glowe for correcting me - this is exactly what I hoped to find in this Forum: to learn and become more knowledgeable about the topic at hand
I did not invent the expression I used in the title and it wasn't meant derogatory, I simply used a term I found others using when discussing a revolver looking like a 32 Safety - I stand corrected!

 

[HansJ]

Hello Hans, that is a beauty. In pic #5 of the open cylinder.
Is that grease or dirt in one of the charge holes? Mike

...it is probably a mixture of both - it's been around for ages with it's origin unknown by now... I will show it to my Swiss S&W expert and I am certain that he cannot resist cleaning it for me...

 

[raljr1]

Nice little Safety Hammerless....guns like this were what I started buying when I became an "Accumulator." They are inexpensive to buy and fun to shoot, if you have ammo for them. I have a couple still. If you can read the letter behind the one gun, It tells a little more about the model.

 

[Club Gun Fan]

Here are three of mine. They are all have serial number zero or start with zero.

 

[glowe]

Nice little Safety Hammerless....guns like this were what I started buying when I became an "Accumulator." They are inexpensive to buy and fun to shoot, if you have ammo for them. I have a couple still. If you can read the letter behind the one gun, It tells a little more about the model.

I see that old #115660 still looks great!

The ammo to look for in Europe is 32 Corto. I have bought some imported into this country and shoots fine in the little 32 Safeties.

In the US, the term Lemon-Squeezer seems to be used mostly for the cheaper copies of the S&W 32 Safety revolver. Companies like Iver Johnson, Harrington & Richardson, Forehand Wadsworth, Crescent Firearms, HD Folsom all made hammerless revolvers in the US and had no model name association, so all got stuck with the Lemon-Squeezer moniker. Many collectors feel that S&W made the finest quality small caliber handguns so did not want to be lumped in with the lesser brands, plus they had and published model names for all revolver they sold.

 

[BMur]

Historical Reference? ZERO!

Actually,
There is ZERO historical reference to the term "Lemon Squeezer". There is also ZERO historical reference to the term "Suicide special" nor is there a historical reference to the term "gunsmith's nightmare".

They all share one common denominator. A modern derogatory labeling of a specific type of firearm that is disliked by some bonehead!

Example: The term "gunsmith's nightmare" is associated with the Colt Lightning revolver. Nothing can be further from the truth. During the "period of use" or "factual reference"? This historical firearm was in use by the various Express companies for 50 YEARS almost 20 years after it was discontinued. Why? because at that time factory replacement parts were available so simple repairs could be made. That is a fact!

The term "suicide special" is probably the worst of all derogatory terms used by "NON COLLECTORS" based solely on a BS evaluation performed in 1947 post WWII of a specific type firearm that was discontinued over 60+ years earlier! How stupid is that? ZERO historical reference yet the term sticks. I'd like to know of any product that has a 60 year guarantee not to mal-function?

The lemon squeezer term was never used during the period of use for any of the early hammerless revolvers. It's also a modern derogatory term used by non collectors. I despise them all as totally inaccurate and ZERO historical reference.

Murph

 

[Inusuit]

What about Saturday Night Special? I think it is another derogatory term for inexpensive handguns.

 

[sigp220.45]

Very nice Lemon Squeezer, Hans!

 

[BMur]

Homer Simpson Rules!

Murph

 

[PALADIN85020]

These are sweet little revolvers, and hard to resist when found in such great condition. Mine is almost mint, manufactured in 1921.

John

 

[BMur]

Saturday night special

What about Saturday Night Special? I think it is another derogatory term for inexpensive handguns.

There is actually some historical reference to the term Saturday night Special It dates to the turn of the century when mass production and mail order hand guns like those found in Sears & Roebuck sold very cheap. Mainly long discontinued early full frame Bulldog type revolvers that sold in bulk for about a Buck!
Even those when new were nothing to laugh at. The real source of the term was a throw away gun to be used for unlawful activity due to the purchase price. Not the quality of said firearm. They made so many, they became surplus and they were dirt cheap!

Murph

 

[dingomann]

Really nice little .32 there, Hans! And it may be rare in Switzerland, if not here. I have one with 90% nickel which will put 5 rounds in a 3 inch group at 10 yards. It is a shame they aren't used more because they are sweet guns.

 

[duckhunter28432]

I agree, they are hard to pass up when the prices are so reasonable. I purchased this one in an auction for less than 300.00 shipped. They are neat revolvers.


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[AlHunt]

Very, very nice looking gun. This last winter I seem to have developed a hankering for one in blue and I've been on the lookout ever since. Dawdled on a nickel one and missed it. Seen a few offered at +$500 but nothing in a reasonable range.