How Old is your Oldest Revolver?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Tallball said:
It's not a revolver, but I bought one of these newfangled inventions when I was in China a long time ago. I didn't think they would ever become popular.

View media item 2571
Click to expand...

Can it be mounted on a stick?? any chance of another photo to get some kind of size prespective??

And heck you wire 6 of these together and you have some kind of revolver. :)
 
A S&W M1917 that I sadly had to have refinished. The previous owner had about destroyed it. I also have a snub nose of essentially a model 10 that was made in 1929 which had been sent back to S&W for repairs and looks pristine.
 
Dave Markowitz said:
141 years old. I just got this Smith & Wesson 1 1/2 Single Action in .32 S&W. It was shipped from the factory in April 1878.

View attachment 857359

There's a little crud or pitting in the bore, but it's otherwise mechanically sound and locks up tightly. I am planning to shoot it with black powder loads.
Click to expand...

That is a piece of art..

May I ask how are you going to get ammo for that??
 
My oldest is a model 1917 Colt (dated to 1917). It was an issue gun for the Border Patrol. It was originally parkerized; someone later made a go at bluing the gun - did a poor job. Sat on a closet shelf for 50+ years gathering dust and a little rust, I bought it from the original owner's granddaughter. Was gonna have it reblued, but our local gunsmith talked me into letting him strip it down and reparkerize it. He did a great job. I've fired both .45 acp loads (using moon clips) and .45 auto rim through the gun, both shoot well out to 25 yards. Don't shoot it all that often, but I really like it a lot!!

1917a.jpg
 
@indy1919a4 I will either handload them myself or buy BP .32 S&W ammo from Buffalo Arms. The BP loads aren't cheap but it's not like I'm going to shoot it a lot.

In the meantime, yesterday I ordered 4 boxes of smokeless Remington .32 S&W from Midway, who had them on sale for $18/box. I'll shoot them in my Ruger Single Six Vaquero .32 H&R mag and save the brass.
 
Dave Markowitz said:
@indy1919a4 I will either handload them myself or buy BP .32 S&W ammo from Buffalo Arms. The BP loads aren't cheap but it's not like I'm going to shoot it a lot.

In the meantime, yesterday I ordered 4 boxes of smokeless Remington .32 S&W from Midway, who had them on sale for $18/box. I'll shoot them in my Ruger Single Six Vaquero .32 H&R mag and save the brass.
Click to expand...

Stupid me I did not ask is this pistol Rimfire or or center fire???
 
Old enough I don't know how old it is or how old most any others are. Who keeps track of this kind of stuff and what does it matter?
 
Dave Markowitz said:
In the meantime, yesterday I ordered 4 boxes of smokeless Remington .32 S&W from Midway, who had them on sale for $18/box. I'll shoot them in my Ruger Single Six Vaquero .32 H&R mag and save the brass.
Click to expand...

Howdy

Despite what you may have heard, do not shoot that old S&W Top Break with modern Smokeless ammo.

I load cartridges with Black Powder all the time, it is not a big deal. Just fill up the case so that the bullet compresses the powder slightly when seated.

You will need bullets lubed with soft BP compatible lube if you use real Black Powder.

If you use APP you can use modern bullets with modern lube.

Stay away from Pyrodex.
 
@Driftwood Johnson

Rest assured I have zero intention of firing smokeless ammo in my revolver. As I said, I'll shoot the new Remington ammo in my Ruger Single Six and reload the brass with BP. I load BP in .44-40 so I'm familiar with loading ammo with the real stuff.

@indy1919a4

Pyrodex residue is actually more corrosive than BP. I have a good supply of the real stuff so I won't be touching Pyrodex.
 
Howdy Again

A relatively recent addition, a Remington Model 1875 chambered for 44-40. Difficult to determine when it was made, they started making them in 1875 and ended in 1889. The serial number is only two digits, so perhaps it is an early one, but I have read that serial numbers for this model don't always accurately reflect when they were made. So 1889 at the newest.

Remington%20Model%201875%2001_zpsnmvog9fv.jpg




It required a little bit of TLC before I could shoot it, but that done I took it to the range. Accuracy was terrible with this model because they all had oversized chamber throats. Much too big for 44-40. But at least the bullets were going through the targets pointy end first. Black Powder only of course.

Remington%20and%20Targets_zpstyvzmixu.jpg




I took it to a CAS match a few weeks ago and had a ball shooting it.

I will not be shooting it all that often, maybe once a year or so.

By the way, Like Robert Duval said in Open Range, "Always liked me a sidearm with some heft".

The model 1875 weighs a hefty three pounds. A 2nd Gen 45 Colt SAA with the same 7 1/2" barrel length weighs 2 pounds 11 ounces.

Remington%20Model%201875%20and%20Colt%20SAA_zps15qf1bjo.jpg
 
Driftwood Johnson said:
Howdy Again

A relatively recent addition, a Remington Model 1875 chambered for 44-40. Difficult to determine when it was made, they started making them in 1875 and ended in 1889. The serial number is only two digits, so perhaps it is an early one, but I have read that serial numbers for this model don't always accurately reflect when they were made. So 1889 at the newest.
Click to expand...

Come one who the heck are you trying to fool, a double digit serial is definity sooner then later :) .. and that Sir is a Beauty.
 
Driftwood
First to mention thank you again for sharing your passion, expertise with us as well many other posters on this thread and regarding your Remington Model 1875 it has for me an inexplicable attraction.
There are many interesting firearms in this thread and others in the past, but the Remington keep asking me for more attention. Would you share some history about them.
If so, thank in advance.

Henry, FL
 
DJ: What was the original finish of the Remington if you know? Has it lost it's blued finish, or was it nickel plated?

Either way, beautiful gun.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Driftwood Johnson
  • Locked
A Photo Essay about Merwin and Hulbert Revolvers
2
Replies
37
Views
5K
mravery
M
BobWright
  • Locked
Merwin Hulbert revolvers....
Replies
3
Views
839
Jim K
J
O
  • Locked
NEVER use smokeless powder in any Merwin & Hulbert revolver!
2
Replies
48
Views
9K
45 Dragoon
45 Dragoon
BobWright
  • Locked
A little tale about a Merwin Hulbert revolver....
Replies
1
Views
634
Driftwood Johnson
Driftwood Johnson
S
  • Locked
Were Marlin and Harrington Richardson revolvers really that bad?
2
Replies
39
Views
2K
BLACKHAWKNJ
B
Back
Top