S & W Top Break

[ALHenryJ]

We were cleaning out a great uncles house after he passed away. He had this pistol and a similar US Revolver in the same caliber. Neither pistol is mechanically able to fire.
S & W Top Break
Serial # 30261
.32 caliber
3" barrel
Fixed sights
Strain Screw

i would like to know if the date of manufacture if possible. I also would like to know if they have any value in the condition they are in.

Thank you.

 

[Aussie Collector]

Double Action?...would be 1883 - 1883
You would need to post pictures and more details on why it will not fire to get a value.

 

[SpazzyMcgee]

Can you upload pictures? That would be the fastest answer to a lot of questions.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass!

Video Tutorials on Posting Pictures

 

[ALHenryJ]

S & W TopBreak

Here are pictures of the S & W and the U.S Revolver. The cylinders on both rotate freely. They do not sync up with the barrel. They both are really rusty. All markings are still visible. Grips are chipped. I just want to get an idea of woth. Thinking of putting them in a shadow box to display.

 

[Exmilcop]

Personally, unless they have some sentimental value, I'd look into disassembling them for donor or parts guns. I'd love to find a baffed out unusable S&W DA to scavenge parts from. I don't know how scarce they are (or aren't) among my southern neighbours.

 

[opoefc]

The .32 DA S&W was made May 24, 1882. The U S Revolver is a low end brand name gun made by Iver Johnson, circa 1900 - 1940. If you can provide the complete serial number, I might be able to tell you a manufacture date. Ed

 

[ALHenryJ]

The serial number on the U.S Revolver is 1658. It is stamped under the grip as B1658. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[BMur]

U S Revolver

The U.S. Revolver trade name was manufactured by Iver Johnson for sale to major distributors and mail order during the very late 1890’s.
Your’s is a Model 2 Hammerless manufactured from 1896-1902.

The B suffix began in 1896 and continued until 1902. Yours is likely Pre-1898 since the serial number is low. There are some great references out there but I honestly believe their production numbers listed are grossly exaggerated.

In fact the earlier production numbers they post are often ridiculous due to the lack of electricity and general output of competitors during that period being what is was. Also serial numbers found support a continued production not a start over every year type production.

In my researched opinion the models continued in serial number until they were replaced with a newer model. Then the numbers started over again.

Murph

 

[desi2358]

Well, the info BMur provided would be correct it the revolver were an Iver Johnson Safety Hammerless but it's not. The US revolver line was introduced in 1910, originally to use up leftover second model parts since they had brought out the much improved third model design with a new all wire spring action.

It quickly became a popular model for mail order sales as it was cheaper than their better grade revolvers. There were a few changes from the second model as well. The US line did NOT have the transfer bar safety system IJ had used since 1894 introduction of their top break line. The hammerless version also dispensed with the trigger safety that had been a feature of the first and second model hammerless top breaks.

The Iver Johnson book by Mr. Goforth shows that a US revolver with serial number B1658 should be a 32 caliber manufactured in 1917. Iver Johnson produced a lot of revolvers, their normal serial number practice was to run numbers up to 5 digits (max) then start over with a letter prefix. While Colt and Smith & Wesson are normally seen as having the high end of the market IJ and H&R were cranking out vast numbers of inexpensive revolvers throughout the late 1800's and well into the middle of the 20'th century. I still see a lot of them out there, common sights at any gun show.

 

[BMur]

Hammerless

Well, the info BMur provided would be correct it the revolver were an Iver Johnson Safety Hammerless but it's not. The US revolver line was introduced in 1910, originally to use up leftover second model parts since they had brought out the much improved third model design with a new all wire spring action.

It quickly became a popular model for mail order sales as it was cheaper than their better grade revolvers. There were a few changes from the second model as well. The US line did NOT have the transfer bar safety system IJ had used since 1894 introduction of their top break line. The hammerless version also dispensed with the trigger safety that had been a feature of the first and second model hammerless top breaks.

The Iver Johnson book by Mr. Goforth shows that a US revolver with serial number B1658 should be a 32 caliber manufactured in 1917. Iver Johnson produced a lot of revolvers, their normal serial number practice was to run numbers up to 5 digits (max) then start over with a letter prefix. While Colt and Smith & Wesson are normally seen as having the high end of the market IJ and H&R were cranking out vast numbers of inexpensive revolvers throughout the late 1800's and well into the middle of the 20'th century. I still see a lot of them out there, common sights at any gun show.

Excellent post. I should have re-read my post to be more explicit regarding this Iver Johnson.

This is NOT a US Revolver. It is as I posted a 2nd model hammerless that someone put US grips on. How do we know this? Because the barrel lacks caliber stamping. By about 1904 Iver Johnson stamped all barrels with caliber stamps.

If the OP looks on top of the barrel they would see patent dates. The U.S. Revolver series had US Revolver stamped on the barrel top. This gun is an antique from what I am seeing with the wrong grips.

This could also be a put together.

Murph

 

[BMur]

US Revolver

I think desi2358 is on the money on this one.
The barrel may be antique but was used at a later date. All the OP needs to do is look on top of the barrel for the U S Revolver stamp and check assembly numbers.

Murph

 

[desi2358]

Excellent post. I should have re-read my post to be more explicit regarding this Iver Johnson.

This is NOT a US Revolver. It is as I posted a 2nd model hammerless that someone put US grips on. How do we know this? Because the barrel lacks caliber stamping. By about 1904 Iver Johnson stamped all barrels with caliber stamps.

If the OP looks on top of the barrel they would see patent dates. The U.S. Revolver series had US Revolver stamped on the barrel top. This gun is an antique from what I am seeing with the wrong grips.

This could also be a put together.

Murph

Well, it could be a put together but one thing in the posted picture says it is most likely a US brand revolver and not an IJ with US grips. That item is the trigger. An IJ first or second model hammerless would have a lever safety in the trigger. When the US line went into production this feature was discontinued (as it also was on the third model IJ safety hammerless revolvers). The revolver in the picture does not have the lever safety in the trigger. So, I'm going to go with it being a US version.

I would add that I have owned a number of IJ and US revolvers and, to the best of my memory, the majority of US branded guns didn't have the caliber marked on them. I suspect this was simply a cost cutting measure on guns that were sold as an economy line.

 

[ALHenryJ]

U.S. Revolver

The U.S. Revolver has the following stamped on the top of the barrel:

U S REVOLVER CO
MADE IN U.S.A

The serial number is stamped "1658" on the bottom of the trigger guard.

It is stamped "B1658" on the frame under the left grip.

 

[Bullseye Smith]

I have a single action 32S&W Revolver, anyone knows where I can get a set of stocks for it?