What's there to know about this revolver?

[VaughnT]

A guy at work showed me a small pocket-sized revolver he'd just picked up in an auction. It's the weirdest design I've ever come across and was wondering what the pool of wisdom here might have to say about it.

On the bottom of the grip frame, it says, "Omega HS 300" With a serial number, I presume, of 69102.

On the crane arm, it repeats the last three numbers "102" where you might expect to see a model designation.

On the left side of the bbl, it's rolled, "cal. .22lr". On the right side, it reads, "GERMANY".

There are three small sigils stamped above where the crane locks into the frame. One of which looks to be the number 63 inside of a shield. The other two were indecipherable in the poor lighting.

Overall, it was a neat pistol holding eight rounds of .22lr. Particularly intriguing is that the cylinder was released by pulling the ejector rod out like on a single-action pistol.

I'm curious, so it he. Anyone have any ideas on this make/model?

 

[Jim K]

The Omega tradename has been used by a number of unconnected gun makers/importers. I think the one your friend has is an example of a typical cheap .22 revolver imported from Germany prior to the Gun Control Act of 1968, which banned import of small handguns. The "63" is the proof date, 1963. Those guns, and others in the same class, were often called by the derogatory term "Saturday Night Special" because of their supposed use in weekend altercations. They sold for very low prices (as little as $9.95) and were generally of rather poor quality, although some buyers still have them and shoot them.

I honestly think your friend would have been better to save his money for something of better quality, but that was his decision. I only hope he did not pay very much for the gun.

Jim

 

[Standing Wolf]

Those guns, and others in the same class, were often called by the derogatory term "Saturday Night Special" because of their supposed use in weekend altercations.

You've got that mostly right. The original term was "niggertown Saturday night special," spoken with contempt.

America's so-called "gun control" laws were founded upon racism, and racism remains its driving force, although leftist extremists would never admit it, of course.

 

[BluesBear]

Standing Wolf, shame on you, you know durn well that that term was only used when referring to a chrome plated .32.

 

[Master Blaster]

Pearl gripped chrome plated .25

 

[VaughnT]

Thanks for the info, gents. Happily for him, the pistol was in a u-store bin that he bought as a whole, so he didn't lose anything on the pistol.

 

[SDC]

Made in Germany by Herbert Schmidt (the "HS" in the model name); if you take the grips of, you'll likely see either "HS" in a diamond or the full name "Herbert Schmidt".