Gun Show Revolver

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The cylinder latch on the crane is bizarre. Did they do it that way to avoid a patent infringement? (I can think of no other reason.)

They made the cylinder crane this way because this kind of Spanish revolver started out as a copy of a Belgian Pieper swing-out cylinder revolver. Also, I imagine, because as West Kentuck (the OP, not the region) says, this kind of latch is fairly easy to make.

Not all Piepers had this kind of latch. Some had a more S&W arrangement. You can do Google Image Searches for Pieper Revolver, or Pieper 8mm revolver, or Crucero revolver if you want to see more examples.

The Spanish never did anything during this period to avoid patent infringement. Spain had some kind of strange patent law that allowed Spanish manufacturers to commit what we now call "intellectual property theft" with impunity. That is why there are so many Spanish copies of so many different pistols that were still under patent in other countries.

Romania received a batch of Crucero Pieper-style revolver in the First World War, and a special ornamented one was given to the King. Decades later, it was put on a Romanian postage stamp: http://wopa-stamps.com/index.php?co...RelatedIssue&id=23969&ref=localThematic&tid=4

It seems to be broken in that picture, because the trigger is in the wrong position, and the cylinder latch does not show.

PS - if someone would like to explain to our readers under 60 what a "postage stamp" is, please do so. I do not feel up to the task.
 
Almost bought this today. $149

Looked to be in good shape. I assumed it was a Spanish copy of an old S&W. Dunno for sure.

One side of the barrel says .32-20 CTG (And a flying Lion looking thing), other side says USE U.S. STANDARD AMMUNITION

On the frame where the barrel screws in is FN with a figure on both sides that look like the one on the barrel. Another one on the frame near the grips.

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I have the same revolver. Exactly.
It is s mystery to me also. It hung on a nail in my grandpas closet since i can remember. Now its in my safe.
No idea what it is, but it is out of time horribly. I never remember anyone shooting it.
 
The cylinder latch on the crane is bizarre. Did they do it that way to avoid a patent infringement? (I can think of no other reason.)

My first handgun, a Dan Wesson .357, has the same crane release. I really wish I had not sold it to my brother-in-law. He never shoots it anyway.....
 
WestKentucky,

Thanks for posting those nice pictures …. but now I have a strong urge to make lemonade!

donkee,

Thanks for finally bringing up the DW and its crane release, I was waiting to see who would.

Walkalong,

Thanks for sharing this with us and I can see how if one had $150 with nothing better to do with it this would be tempting. I would have also been tempted to ask a gun dealer that would not shoot one of the guns he was selling if he thought it moral to ask $150 for a gun he was afraid to shoot. Who knows he might have been shamed into going lower!

Everybody else,

Nice pictures and posts guys.

-kBob
 
My sincere apologies to Mr. Walkalong and the others I seem to have offended. Guess you guys have never misread a post. I on the other hand will be eternally ashamed.

Dave
 
Monac,

Doesn't postage have something to do with Mail? where would one put a stamp on E-Mail? While I was over seas the folks decided it would be a great idea to sell my silly stamp collection to help finance baby sister's education, also my Lincoln pennies. Mom even took a candy box of my duplicate stamps to place out as a grab box in her school library.

Family, got to love them.

Remember the Mc Croy's dime store big bag o' stamps grab bags?

Odd euro revolvers just won't stay in my albums on paper hinges worth a darn these days.

-kBob
 
Walkalong - did you walk away from that revolver? I'm guessing you know how scarce .32-20 ammo can be. I inherited one about 10 years ago when my father died. I shot it some - until I had it appraised. :eek: The appraiser asked if I had the box and sighed when I said "No". He claimed that, with the box, the gun would have classed out at 98-100% and been worth north of $2K. No box dropped it back to 95-98% and about $1800. It's a S & W Model of 1905 - 4th Change, produced 1915-40 (ser. # range 65,701-144,684). The serial number on this one is 111xxx.
 

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You're making things even worse now Walkalong. I'm getting that itch again but it might be hard to scratch. Oh my! What a really nice revolver.
 
My sincere apologies to Mr. Walkalong and the others I seem to have offended. Guess you guys have never misread a post. I on the other hand will be eternally ashamed.Dave

I don't think anyone was offended by your post, Dave T, since it was stated civilly and was a sensible thought. I made the same mistake you did and thought the OP had bought the gun. I guess all I would say is that some people buy guns as interesting wallhangers, not shooters. I hope I have not offended you. :)
 
Walkalong

Last S&W in .32-20 that I saw was in much worse shape than your Model of 1905 and the gun shop was asking $799 for it!

Even as much as I had a hankering for a .32-20, that one was not going anywhere at that price.
 
Walkalong - did you walk away from that revolver? I'm guessing you know how scarce .32-20 ammo can be. I inherited one about 10 years ago when my father died. I shot it some - until I had it appraised. :eek: The appraiser asked if I had the box and sighed when I said "No". He claimed that, with the box, the gun would have classed out at 98-100% and been worth north of $2K. No box dropped it back to 95-98% and about $1800. It's a S & W Model of 1905 - 4th Change, produced 1915-40 (ser. # range 65,701-144,684). The serial number on this one is 111xxx.
Your appraiser was obviously someone who knows nothing about appraisals. Guns are evaluated on their stand alone condition irregardless and irrespective of an accompanying "box" The presence of said box can raise the value of a piece, but the lack of a box does not lower the value of the gun itself. A 98% gun does NOT become a 95% gun simply because there is not an original "box" to go with it.
 
I have never really understood the thinking behind these long-barreled concealed-hammer revolvers
I guess when they were just jamming them in their belt and down their pants leg it didn't matter.
 
I guess when they were just jamming them in their belt and down their pants leg it didn't matter.

True. Also, now that I think about it, whenever I try to explain the difference between single action and double action trigger pulls to friends who are non-shooters, they never understand the major difference in accuracy the DA trigger pull makes. I guess the same thing was true 100 years ago too. (Oh, and then try to get them to understand the Glock trigger. Well, I suppose there are things I am just as clueless about.)
 
I have the exact same gun in the OP, but it's very rusty and I've never seen one like this before. How is this type of cylinder release supposed to open? This one won't budge. Thanks.
 
I don't remember what I paid for this one exactly, but it was south of $500 for sure. Not 95%, but no abuse.

Model of 1905 .32-20

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20191009_214524.jpg Wow, this thread makes me feel alot better about the $50 I dropped on this .32-20 Hand Ejector last week. Hope to start the restoration tonight after work. Good bore and timing.:)
 
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