Wow! My S&W is 114 Years Old per Letter from Roy!

[mm6mm6]

I own six S&W revolvers. I sent for historical letters on three awhile ago. Then I sent for letters on the other three and received them today.

My .32 Safety Hammerless First Model was made in 1893! That's old! When I received the gun (for free), it was in terrible shape. The nickel was not only almost all gone, but it was very rusty too. Very little collector value and the grips were shattered. I almost refused the gun, but then I decided that since the bore and action were pretty good, I'd bring it back. I lucked onto a pair of original S&W medallion mother-of-pearl handles so I decided to make the gun fit the grips! I sent it off to Michael Gouse for 75% American Scroll engraving.

It was fun to get the letter from Roy Jinks stating that the little Smith was shipped on December 6, 1893 to New York City!

I get lots of compliments when I wear the tiny breaktop in my suspender holster during Cowboy Action Shoots!

The letter:

The gun after refinishing and engraving:

1893 Lemonsqueezer in use:

 

[mm6mm6]

I own six S&W revolvers. I sent for historical letters on three awhile ago. Then I sent for letters on the other three and received them today.

My .32 Safety Hammerless First Model was made in 1893! That's old! When I received the gun (for free), it was in terrible shape. The nickel was not only almost all gone, but it was very rusty too. Very little collector value and the grips were shattered. I almost refused the gun, but then I decided that since the bore and action were pretty good, I'd bring it back. I lucked onto a pair of original S&W medallion mother-of-pearl handles so I decided to make the gun fit the grips! I sent it off to Michael Gouse for 75% American Scroll engraving.

It was fun to get the letter from Roy Jinks stating that the little Smith was shipped on December 6, 1893 to New York City!

I get lots of compliments when I wear the tiny breaktop in my suspender holster during Cowboy Action Shoots!

The letter:

The gun after refinishing and engraving:

1893 Lemonsqueezer in use:

 

[pace40]

Now this is cool.

Thanks for the story and the photos. Pretty nice holster too.

 

[gunbarrel]

Pard, you did a fantastic job dressing up the ol' gal. She looks great! Back when I used to shoot cowboy I also wore my pocket pistol like you, but I stopped after I saw a fellow get DQ'd when his pea shooter (which was being worn in a similar fashion) went flying out of the holster and hit the dirt. I'm sure yours is secured a lot better than ours were 10-12 years ago, though.

GUNBARREL

 

[BruceHMX]

I agree with Pace that holster is way too cool. Gun is beautiful too!! But please tell us about the maker of that rig.

 

[gig-a-hertz]

Excellent !!!! Do you have a 'before' pic?

 

[cgt4570]

Beautiful eye candy! I have it's exact twin (as it left the factory) in about 98% in the 86,000 serial range.
Who did your restore work? I just picked up a New Model #3 Russian from about 1881 that I'm thinking about having restored. It's great mechanically with a decent bore, but it's got absolutely no finish left, the barrel was lopped off at 4 3/4, and it's got a lanyard ring added. I got it for a song, so I'd love to make it into a cowboy action gun.

I'm hoping to find time to start shooting some of the local events again, except this time, I'll be able to shoot only original guns!
Chris

 

[opoefc]

In the interest of restoration accuracy, I have to tell you that medallon pearl grips are not correct for your gun. They were not offered for several years after your gun was shipped. 99% of the peiple who admire your gun won't know that, so carry on!

 

[mm6mm6]

Thanks everyone!

The suspender holster holds the little S&W Hammerless quite snugly. I've shot many matches without it even thinking about falling out. www.wwmerc.com carries them for $60.

Let me clarify that I didn't have this gun "restored." I knew the pearl handles weren't correct but they fit perfectly, looked great and felt wonderful!

Michael Gouse over at www.mtart.com had the gun stripped, he personally engraved it with 75% coverage American Scroll, and then I asked him to re-blue it but not so that it looked "brand new." I wanted it to have an older looking kind of blue.

I think it turned out excellent but I wish I had a "before" picture to show because you wouldn't imagine it was the same gun!

The total cost to strip the gun, engrave it and then re-blue it was $350. Not bad since I had nothing in the gun or grips!

Here's a few more pics:

And here's all three Breaktops together (Schofield 2001, .38 Pocket Hammerless 1917, .32 Pocket Hammerless 1893):

 

[JayCeeNC]

Originally posted by mm6mm6:
The total cost to strip the gun, engrave it and then re-blue it was $350.

I'd say that's a heckuva deal!! What a gorgeous lil gun.

 

[PALADIN85020]

Love those little .32 lemon squeezers - they are jewels. My third model letters to 1921, sent to a Belknap Hardware that year. It's a nickeled 3-inch barrel, practically as new. I cannot tell that it's ever been fired; probably kept in a dresser drawer, as many were. Here's a pic.