Just got a lemon squeezer

[Hardware]

My father in law just gifted me with a revolver out of the blue. It's a S&W .32 safety hammerless "Lemon Squeezer". Overall it's a nice gun, the serial number starts with a 10xxx, which I found means a pre-1898 construction exempting it from gun laws. The orginal blueing is about 70%, a few rough spots and some fading, although the front sight is completely silver. Plus the orginial grips with S&W medallions still clean and visible. Bore is good, lands and grooves clearly defined. There may be some small spots, I don't have a cleaning kit for it yet. My mother in law was surprised at him giving it to me as (according to her) he never gives away his guns.

Any idea on its relative value? I'm not looking to sell, just curious. It's still a "family" piece.

 

[Cosmoline]

Check out www.gunbroker.com and type in "safety hammerless" to get an array of current auctions and photos. That's usually a very good way of figuring out what the market is pricing firearms at.

 

[Hardware]

Thanks for the tip Cosmoline. I've got to change my assessment on the finish on my little lemon squeezer. Some of those 90% guns on gunbroker have worse finish than mine!

 

[Bart Noir]

I had to get one because my Great Grandaddy took one from a "suspect" when he was Sheriff of Randolph Co, Missouri in maybe 1900. It was in the family for many years. So I bought a 4-incher, with nickel plating and real pearl grips, sorta pimp gun.

I can't shoot it worth beans. The trigger pull is hard and it jerks near letoff. Oh well, it's just for passing down the family tree as "Ole GGD's gun" even if it isn't the real gun.

Bat Noir
It's easy to remove the cylinder, but don't let the latch slip back down while you are turning the cylinder. Don't want drag lines in all the wrong places.

 

[Old Fuff]

Ah yes, the S&W "Safety Hammerless" (AKA "New Departure") is one of my favorite toys, but don't call it a lemon squeezer around S&W historian Roy Jinks. Incidentally, if you send him a check (made out to Smith & Wesson), a snapshot picture of the revolver, and the full serial number stamped on the butt, he will send you a factory letter with all of the details on your particular gun, as found in S&W records. Part of the money goes to the U.S.A. Shooting Team incidentally.

For more information, and a price check on similar guns, go to: www.armchairgunshow.com

You have a: Smith & Wesson .32 Safety Hammerless; 1st Model. Some 91,417 revolvers (numbered from 1 to 91417) were made between 1888 to 1902. (Roy Jinks can find the exact date), and I'm sure any revolver with a 10,000 serial number was made before 1898, and is therefore a legal antique. They came in 3 or 3 1/2 inch barrel lengths, and nickel plating was more common then blue.

During that time period blued guns were often fitted with silver-colored front sights. The trigger pull was designed to that it would lighten up at the end of the stroke so that the sights could be brought into alignment just before the gun fired. However they don't work that way if the insides are full of dried grease and dirt.

S&W didn't advertise them as target pistols, but rather something to "pull, point and shoot," and they worked well at that. They were the last of the S&W top-breaks to remain in production. The .32 was discontinued in 1937, and the .38 in 1940 or 41.

About 4 weeks ago I bought a brand new, but unfinished barrel (just needs to be polished) barrel for a .38 Safety Hammerless. I suspect I will have to find a gun to put it on ...