Hopkins & Allen 32 S&W

[Rev Ron]

My daughter gave me a Hopkins & Allen 32 S&W X.L.Double Action, serial # 91xx is there ant way I can find out the year it was made.

 

[Ron James]

Listed as being made from the late 1870's to the middle 1880's. Other than that general information I don't believe a data base exist for the H&A firearms. Are you sure it is .32?

 

[DonP]

Hopkins and Allen made several pocket sized break top revolvers in .32 and .38 S&W calibers from the 1880's through the early 1900s when the brand faded away.

I did some digging on one I got from my Dad a few years ago. His is a nickel plate 5 shot in .38 S&W, (not .38 Special). It's a real New Orleans pimp gun with a shiny black grip and that nickel plate.

They were mid to low priced guns and the police referred to them as "Suicide Specials" because they were so inexpensive that people bought them for that purpose.

The sights on mine are pretty poor and tiny and based on putting a few rounds through it, if I want to hit someone between the eyes I'd have to point it at his right foot.

I'd keep it, shoot a few rounds through it, in the correct caliber and put it away as a collector's item. DO NOT depend on it for home or personal defense.

 

[Old Fuff]

I'd keep it, shoot a few rounds through it, in the correct caliber...

Keep in mind that those pre-1910 reevolvers were made to use black-powder ammunition, not smokeless - which may produce pressures that aren't higher, but do it quicker, causing higher strain on the cylinder that is made from low carbon steel and not heat treated.

That, and simply dry firing it may result in a broken part. Repairs can be between difficult and impossible - and likely expensive.

 

[Rev Ron]

Yes it shoots the S&W 32 black powder reloads that I have it is not a break top though.

 

[Ron James]

No, the XL series are not top breaks, they have swing out cylinders and were considered H&A's top of the line revolvers.

 

[Old Fuff]

Yes, but the point I made concerned the quality (or lack of it) of the steel used in the cylinder. The fact that the particular revolver in question is not a top-break has nothing to do with it.

 

[Ron James]

Old Fluff, I was addressing the other post in reference to the H&A top breaks I concur with you, because of the different pressure curve, modern cartridges will " shoot " it loose in a short period.

 

[Maple_City_Woodsman]

Very nice! I collect old revolvers from H&R and others from the period.

 

[romer12]

S&W 32 cal. D/A

Have had this old break open S&W 32. estimate 1896 #180xxx. don't know what model it is......
cylinder turns loosely and hammer does not stay back, but works in double action. good lands and grooves but couple dark patches from lack of maintanence. ejector works well. would make a good black powder shooter. don't know if worth fixing or sell.

 

[forindooruseonly]

Have had this old break open S&W 32. estimate 1896 #180xxx. don't know what model it is......
cylinder turns loosely and hammer does not stay back, but works in double action. good lands and grooves but couple dark patches from lack of maintanence. ejector works well. would make a good black powder shooter. don't know if worth fixing or sell.

Looks like a S&W 4th Model Double Action. Pretty common, not sure you are going to find many gunsmiths willing to work on it. As I understand it, the mechanism is pretty fine and difficult to work on. Because so many were just thrown in the bedside drawer, they aren't rare - thus value is based on condition. Guessing with the flaking nickel and the dark bore, along with the broken action, value hovers around 100 - 150 bucks maybe.

 

[romer12]

Forindooruseonly................

Thanks for update.