What do I have here?

[vhenle1]

My grandfather had this in his tool box when we cleaned out his house and my mom knew I liked guns so I inherited it!! It is a .32 cal with 3.5" barrel the cyl is 3/4" I think (my ruler is hard to read as you can see). The serial # is 185379. I have included some pictures as well. Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

Chad

 

[vhenle1]

My grandfather had this in his tool box when we cleaned out his house and my mom knew I liked guns so I inherited it!! It is a .32 cal with 3.5" barrel the cyl is 3/4" I think (my ruler is hard to read as you can see). The serial # is 185379. I have included some pictures as well. Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

Chad

 

[Pistol Toter]

Pictures didn't make it.

 

[vhenle1]

Sorry about the image problem hope this works.

Chad

http://www.imagestation.com/8680533/3895696033
http://www.imagestation.com/8680533/3895696025

 

[Pistol Toter]

Looks like a ".32 Double Action 4th model" chambered for the .32 S&W, produced circa 1883 to 1909 using serial numbers 43406 - 282999

 

[vhenle1]

Thanks Pistol Toter, not that I'm selling it but is it worth anything?

Chad

 

[Pistol Toter]

Not much in its condition; I would say no more than $150 and most likely less than that. If I may be so bold; take it to a good gunsmith and have it cleaned, lubricated for storage and put it under glass as a rememberance or your grandfather. I fyou decide to do that yourself consider that any amoniated cleaner ie Hoppes #9 will continue to degrade the nickel and that type of cleaner erodes the copper based substrate. It's a nice old example of a bygone time. P.T.

The stocks "maybe" worth more than the gun.

 

[cgt4570]

If the bore isn't completely rotten inside (as many of these are from lack of cleaning combined with the corrosive ammo of yesteryear) then it's probably quite shootable. Have a competent gunsmith give you a thumbs-up first though. As long as it's relatively tight, in time, and the bore has a little bit of rifling left, then I would take it out and shoot it at least once. I have about a dozen various pre-1899 Smith topbreaks, and I shoot them all. The current .32 S&W (short, not long) ammo made by Remington and Winchester is very low powered and safe to shoot in one of these. It only travels at about 600 feet per second. It's a little pricy (usually near $30 per box) but for something you will shoot strictly as an heirloom, it's well worth it.
Chris