Safety Hammerless

[No Quarter]

New "old" gun for me. Sat in the gun case tempting me with her curves. I finally gave in. Serial number indicates she was one of the first 3rd model guns made as is is not too many past where the 2nd model ended.

I am amazed at the quality of machining on this gun. Hinge is good, no play. Lock up is good, bore has sharp rifling. Timed correctly and the firing pin almost punched a hole through my thumb when I function tested her. Going to put some period pearl or ivory on her soon.

It is funny how I rarely get excited when I purchase a modern firearm, but these old ones fire me up and make me remember why I love and am interested in firearms in the first place! Forgive the smudges, I'll polish her up and take a smudge-free picture soon.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Nice looking "top-break" you got there! I've just got the one. They have the fastest ejection system going for empties.

 

[No Quarter]

Beautiful gun. I am afraid mine is going to be joined by others before the year is over.

 

[ulflyer]

Danged if they aren't fine looking guns. Thanks for posting the pics. Makes me want one!

 

[mio]

wow!!! those are sharp guys, thanks for showing them now i have some new to covet.

 

[Oyeboten]

HNi No Quarter,



Good going!


I just got my first 'Safety Hammerless' yesterday.


I have to agree, the Quality and fit of the various machined elements, is superb. I am very impressed with it.


Mine is a short Barrel Model, .38 S&W Cartridge -


In real life, color is the same as Cocked & Locked, but, I am not as good a photographer as they are! Lol...

 

[Radagast]

Oyeboten:
If your gun's finish is as good as Cocked & Locked's I'll up my estimate to $800 to $1000. Bycycle guns command a 100% premium over the regular barrel lengths.

Cocked & Locked:
That is a great picture. I saved it the first time you posted it.

No Quarter:
Post the serrial number & I'll be able to give you the aproximate age and wether it is safe to shoot factory smokeless ammo through it.

 

[Oyeboten]

Hi Radagast,



Thank you!


The finish on my little 2 Inch is v-e-r-y close to that of the one shown in Cocked & Locked's image. Mine has a very light blush of some very light freckling on the left side near the Grip area. Less wear on the edges of my Cylinder Flutes, than his.


No hint of Holiday where the Cartridge Head would rebound against the recoil shield.

Everything very crisp and snug.


The Machining on these really does represent a High Water Mark of our Culture.


I zipped over to a Pawn Shop today, and, they had an earlier one, four inch, in Nickle ( the Model which has the sort of small Button in the center rear of the Latch mechanism for un-latching ) and it was Original, and lovely, a few little light degredation in the Nickle here and there is all...and again, it just really hit me, how marvelous these are for the perfection of their fit and finish and the sophistication of their Engineering.


They are a reminder also I think, of how most people, or, many people anyway, in the 19th and early 20th Century, tended to be smaller than now...smaller Hands, and, smaller Revolvers to suit those Hands. And, along with this, the popularity then of milder Cartridges generally for SD, which now are usually considered inadequate ( for the larger, beefier, thicker BGs of to-day).

 

[Radagast]

I agree with the quality of machining back then. One of the guns I will always regret selling was a Norwegian Nagant in the 3xx serial range, which dated it to the 1880s. The color case hardening was magnificent and I had to roll the gun under a strong light to see the seam of the side plate and frame. Even my little Otis A Smith top break ( cheap S&W copy) had perfect fit and finish - and the lightest single action break of any handgun I've ever fired. At last count I've shot 76 different models.

 

[Radagast]

Oyeboten:
Just looked up the conditions criteria in the SCSW. Sounds like your gun is in excellent to excellent plus, so $400 to $500, then double it for the short barrel. You my friend have good karma.

The nickel gun, if the release is in the center rear of the frame at the bottom of the top strap, is a 2nd Model made between 1887 & 1890. Serial range was 5251 to 42483. SCSW value of $475 in excellent, $600 in excellent plus.

I'm back home again (in a back brace), but still can't use a couple of fingers on my left hand. If I don't get any improvement I'll be trading my autos for more S&Ws. One handed typing is my excuse for the high number of typos lately.

 

[No Quarter]

Radagast,

if I remember correctly, the serial number of my gun is 45638. I sure do appreciate the info if you can tell exactly when she was made. When I get home, I'll double check that number, though I remember looking at a reference and seeing that is was a fairly early Third Model as my serial number seemed to begin shortly after the second model ended.

To me, she is worth every penny of the $250 I spent on her.

NQ

 

[Radagast]

No Quarter:

I should have read your post in more detail. We are probably using the same reference, SCSW. So your gun would be a 3rd Model, manufaxctured between 1890 & 1898 in the serial range 42484 to 116002, so 1890 or 1891 seems certain.
S&W didn't advertise their topbreaks as being suitable for smokeless powder until 1908, so If you feel the itch to shoot it get some blackpowder substitute loads such as Goex.

Amd of course, feel free to post pics.