Weird revolver found at pawn shop (pics!)

[hillbilly]

What the heck is this thing?

Markings appear to be French.

It's small. In 7.65 (or .32 caliber).

It's double action with a shrouded hammer, and yes that weird little switch on the left side is a safety......Yes, a safety on a DA revolver....It's gotta be French just for that.

So, what the heck is this thing? And what's it worth, approximately?

Thanks for any responses.

hillbilly

 

[hillbilly]

Oops....

One more

 

[Connecticut Yankee]

French or Belgian ?Velo Dog

This looks like a French or Belgian (half the country spoke French) circa 1880s to pre-War "Velodog" a very generic name. They made them by the carload lot. The ctg. was the 5.5 mm Velodog - this was the round (rimmed or semi-rimmed) used by Col. Askins to make the "centerfire" .22 Woodsman that he used back in the 30s. Try WHB Smith "Revolvers" for details or search for "Velodog" on google. Good luck!

 

[Old Fuff]

You are of course trying to drive the Old Fuff up a tree ...

Anyway, I find a number of possibilities, of French, Spanish and even German origin, but it's my bet that it was made in Liege, Belgium by J.B. Browning (not to be confused with John Moses Browning). Similar guns were also made by Auguste Francotte & Companie in the same city.

 

[P95Carry]

Fuff up a tree - now there's a picture to conjure with!

 

[Old Fuff]

Ya, but where I am the trees don't grow over 4 feet ...

 

[P95Carry]

In that case Fuff - stop exaggerating and use the word ''bush'' and be done with it LOL!

 

[hillbilly]

Connecticut Yankee, I'm looking for "Velodog" on the Internet.

But the revolver actually has 7.65mm stamped on it. It's not a 5.5 for sure.

hillbilly

 

[mec]

Velo Dog : Velo- for Velocepede Dog -for dog.
These were small revolvers chambered for a 5.something mm center fire cartridge. Low velocity round designed for shooting dogs that chase your velocepede (bicycle) The operating theory was that the dog would "yark! yark! yark" off into the middle distance where he would either expire or get well. The books say the v/dog was the basis for the .22 hornet ctg.

 

[hillbilly]

Here's a thread on another forum with pics of a Velodog.

I don't think it's a Velodog.

http://www.gunboards.com/luger/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3687

 

[JohnKSa]

If there's an insignia or brand marking, you need to post a closeup of it.

 

[New_geezer]

In that case Fuff - stop exaggerating and use the word ''bush'' and be done with it LOL!

Old Fuff up a bush then! Not sure that's a family friendly image.

 

[pokey074]

I don't know what it is but FEU has to be an abbreviation of feuer, the German word for fire.

 

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

Neat! I'm interested to see how this thread developes.

Either way, the little critter appears to be in pretty good condition considering it's age!

 

[gvass]

"I don't know what it is but FEU has to be an abbreviation of feuer, "

FEU is "FIRE" in French --> probably Belgian.

The generic "Velodog" revolvers were made in dozens of factories (around Liege/Luik/Lüttich) in every possible caliber (from .22 Short to .4X), not just the dedicated "velodog".

It ain't worth so much, in this good shape maximum 100 USD.

 

[1 old 0311]

Looks like a 642 that was aborted

Kevin

 

[fiVe]

I'm still trying to figure out how the cylinder opens.

 

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

Hey! How about this guy?!?

Adams Guns is selling the above revolver for $295. they're calling it a :

Unknown Belgian 9mm revolver.

 

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

And this one is apparently German:

Armenius Model 9, 7.65mm Revolver Rig

MUCH MORE DETAIL IN THE GUNSAMERICA AUCTION:

http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976331450.htm

 

[Bart Noir]

Looks like the cylinder doesn't actually open.

Like the Webley Bulldogs and the many clones, the hollow cylinder pin has a part that pulls forward, swivels to the right, and pushes the empty cartidge out. So it is even slower to unload / load than a Colt Single Action. On that gun, the ejection rod is always in place. On this critter-killer, it is kept stored inside the cylinder pin.

Of course, there must be a way to remove the cylinder pin and remove the cylinder. Which is a sort of opening. Did you mean that was the problem?

Bart Noir

 

[4v50 Gary]

I'm stumphed! Off to Harley's place.

 

[hillbilly]

Hey!

Now THOSE are looking more like a match.

I knew somebody could come up with a matching pic.

Now, I wonder why the one that's at the local pawn shop has a lanyard ring on the butt?

hillbilly

 

[Old Fuff]

I've got a matching picture, but no scanner at the moment. This style of revolver was made in several countries in Europe - Belgium, Spain, France and Germany. Your gun I think, was made in Belgium, probably between 1905 and the mid 1920's. It should have proof marks somewhere, and those would identify the country of origin.

Most of them were made with a fold-up trigger, but your gun has a convention one with a trigger guard along the lines of the British Bulldog. I believe it is chambered for the .32 ACP (7.65mm Browning) cartridge, which will work because of the rod-ejector system.

Occasionally police would carry such a gun in a full-flap holster. Hence the lanyard ring, and probably the trigger/trigger guard.

Most of those you see in this country were brought back by returning GI's after both World Wars.

 

[Jim K]

The 1911 ALFA catalog shows a dozen similar guns in 6.35 and 7.65 (.25 ACP and .32 ACP). Most have ejector rods, but both rounds are semi-rimmed and will work in revolvers reasonably well, even with extractors. Not one is really identical. I also suspect Belgium but it looks like there are other marks on the gun and a full description of those might be useful. Look especially for an oval with the letters E L G in it; that would indicate a Belgian proof mark and confirm Belgian manufacture.

For the most part, the term "Velodog" was applied only to revolvers firing the Velodog cartridge, although similar guns were made for .22 caliber and other revolver cartridges as well as for the .25 and .32 auto pistol rounds.

Just for info, I am attaching a picture of that Colt Woodsman that Askins had modified to fire cut-down Velodog cartridges in the center fire match.

Jim

 

[gamachinist]

I had one of those several years ago with a folding trigger.
It was chambered in 25 ACP (maybe it was 32 ACP,I don't recall which one it was now),as were many others that were intended to be a low cost alternative to the autoloaders of the day(or so I read in a book somewhere).

Someone I knew collected odd little guns so I let him keep it as I had no use for the little thing.