1894 S&W Lemon Squeezer .32 s&w

[Speedo66]

Especially in a bygone day without antibiotics.

Yeah, a gut wound was often a slow painful death.

 

[Blackpowderwarrior]

1896 hand ejector 6 shots. 4 touching 8 yards off hand.

The accuracy on these old girls boggles the mind

 

[Blackpowderwarrior]

Pic 1896 hand ejector

This old girl may very well be the most accurate pistola I own

 

[carbine85]

What ammo are you guys using in the old black power revolvers? I can't find any source for black powder loads for 32 or 38 S&W

 

[Johnm1]

What ammo are you guys using in the old black power revolvers? I can't find any source for black powder loads for 32 or 38 S&W

I have the dies for both 32 and 38 S&W. So I load them with black powder. For 32 S&W the 0.312 diameter bullets I have work just fine. So far for 38 S&W I have just pulled the bullets from factory smokeless cartridges and replace the smokeless with black and re-seat the bullet. So far the smokeless Lube on the factory bullets has not caused a problem. But I do clean them often. At some point I'll have to invest in the correct diameter 0.361 bullets.

 

[carbine85]

I have the dies for both 32 and 38 S&W. So I load them with black powder. For 32 S&W the 0.312 diameter bullets I have work just fine. So far for 38 S&W I have just pulled the bullets from factory smokeless cartridges and replace the smokeless with black and re-seat the bullet. So far the smokeless Lube on the factory bullets has not caused a problem. But I do clean them often. At some point I'll have to invest in the correct diameter 0.361 bullets.

Thanks for the reply. I'll move over to the reloading forum.

 

[Johnm1]

Thanks for the reply. I'll move over to the reloading forum.

Not much to reloading black powder cartridges. Fill the case with as much BP as will fit in the case and still seat the bullet and crimp. The case has to be full.

If you want a reduced load some of the BP has to be replaced with some type of filler. Either cream of wheat or the like or a wad of some sort. A full case of BP in either 32 or 38 S&W isn't very hot. So I've never seen the need for a reduced load. '

 

[RevolvingGarbage]

My .32S&W “lemon squeezer” is the same earlier latch style as the O.P.

It’s not nearly in such nice shape, but function is perfect and the bore is decent, at least. I think I scored this one for only $70 on gunbroker just a few years ago. The firing pin needed a new return spring which was a nice, simple repair.

I also got about 50 rounds of ancient .32S&W. Rem-UMC marked smokeless loads, and some really old Peters which are loaded with blackpowder. Both have balloon head cases which I hope to try reloading at some point if they can actually use modern primers.

 

[Johnm1]

My .32S&W “lemon squeezer” is the same earlier latch style as the O.P

I'm not sure that the first model latch that is pushed down is as durable as the later latch but I think the first model latch latch is so much more 'elegant' than the later latch that has to be pulled up.

 

[Johnm1]

@RevolvingGarbage if you haven't cleaned that safety hammerless, I've found that balled up aluminum foil does well to remove the loose corrosion. It won't scratch the nickel as the aluminium has a hardness of 2.75 while the nickel has a hardness of 6.0. It,will actually leave a film of aluminum on the dark spots but it wipes off easily and the dark spots do return, sans the corrosion. You have to rub hard/fast to generate some heat, but it leaves the nickel alone.

 

[TTv2]

Go figure the most love for a top break .32 S&W "short" revolver thread would come from the blackpowder section.

I wonder if old H&R's would get the same treatment given they are a better top break than the S&W lemon squeezers were.

 

[woodnbow]

Go figure the most love for a top break .32 S&W "short" revolver thread would come from the blackpowder section.

I wonder if old H&R's would get the same treatment given they are a better top break than the S&W lemon squeezers were.

What makes them better? In your opinion?

 

[hawg]

Go figure the most love for a top break .32 S&W "short" revolver thread would come from the blackpowder section.

I wonder if old H&R's would get the same treatment given they are a better top break than the S&W lemon squeezers were.

I have no love for the lemon squeezer because it has no hammer. I shoot everything in SA mode so a hammerless gun is useless to me. The H&R top breaks were decent quality but to say they were better than S&W is laughable.

 

[TTv2]

What makes them better? In your opinion?

No safety on the back of the grip that requires activation to fire and there's more room in the trigger guard.

 

[hawg]

Yeah there's a little more room in an H&R but not that much. As long as you have wiggle room for your finger how much more do you need?

 

[RevolvingGarbage]

No safety on the back of the grip that requires activation to fire and there's more room in the trigger guard.

I never would have thought someone could look at the trigger and trigger guard of the .32 “Lemon squeezer” and decide that it’s too small somehow. It’s huge in proportion to the frame/cylinder/barrel. I wear size XL gloves and I find it a very comfortable grip. The safety is deactivated by an extremely light touch and it’s almost impossible to grip the gun without disengaging it.

Additionally as far as the other posters point about being a double action only, fair enough I suppose. I would point out that the trigger system of this gun gives a very obvious and repeatable “wall” in the pull that comes directly after the cylinder has locked into place for the shot. It’s like you get a nice single action trigger built into the double action pull.

 

[woodnbow]

I never would have thought someone could look at the trigger and trigger guard of the .32 “Lemon squeezer” and decide that it’s too small somehow. It’s huge in proportion to the frame/cylinder/barrel. I wear size XL gloves and I find it a very comfortable grip. The safety is deactivated by an extremely light touch and it’s almost impossible to grip the gun without disengaging it.

Additionally as far as the other posters point about being a double action only, fair enough I suppose. I would point out that the trigger system of this gun gives a very obvious and repeatable “wall” in the pull that comes directly after the cylinder has locked into place for the shot. It’s like you get a nice single action trigger built into the double action pull.

Smith and Wesson learned pretty early on how to do DA well. My wife’s favorite pistol is an older Model 65 .357 with a 3” heavy barrel, round butt and a bobbed the hammer for DA only use. A fellow down in Colorado Springs tuned it and it is so smooth with a really crisp break.

 

[woodnbow]

I never would have thought someone could look at the trigger and trigger guard of the .32 “Lemon squeezer” and decide that it’s too small somehow. It’s huge in proportion to the frame/cylinder/barrel. I wear size XL gloves and I find it a very comfortable grip. The safety is deactivated by an extremely light touch and it’s almost impossible to grip the gun without disengaging it.

Additionally as far as the other posters point about being a double action only, fair enough I suppose. I would point out that the trigger system of this gun gives a very obvious and repeatable “wall” in the pull that comes directly after the cylinder has locked into place for the shot. It’s like you get a nice single action trigger built into the double action pull.

Yeah they’re kinda like a miniature Alaskan with that monstrous trigger guard.