Help identifing a family heirloom

[ForumSurfer]

Thanks in advance for any help and sorry for the crappy pics. I know diddly about revolvers, but at first glance it appears to me that it is an S&W K Frame, M&P Model. It's a 32-20. It was stored in a very poor environment for years and I don't intend to attempt cleaning. I also don't want to sell it, but it would be nice to know what it is. The family member it belonged to was military, so the M&P makes sense. There are no markings on the gun save for " S (a character I can't make out) 7 " inside the action and a 6 digit number on the butt of the gun.

 

[thebigc]

looks pretty good from here bet it still shoots fine you should at least try to take some of the rust off if you can and stabalize it to preserve your heirloom

 

[Steven Mace]

ForumSurfer, you're right, it is a K frame. Specifically, a .32-20 Hand Ejector Model of 1905 - 4th Change. These were made from about 1915-1940 and had a serial number range of 65701-144684 with 78,983 being made. Hope this helps!

Steve Mace

 

[natman]

I'd give the metal a gentle rubdown with 0000 (four zero) steel wool and lots of gun oil.

At the very least a good coat of oil is called for.

 

[ForumSurfer]

I was kind of leaning towards a k frame given all the physical attributes. I was just unsure since it has some unusual grips and no smith markings. The grips have a monogrammed “H” and I’m guessing that’s for my family name. Unfortunately, the original owner committed suicide so we’ll never know.

I don’t know much about collectible knives or firearms. I would love to get some of the surface rust off, but I am worried about removing any of what little blueing is left. I also do not want to destroy it’s value in case my son falls on hard times 30+ years from now and needs to liquidate this.

Thanks for the advice on removing some of the rust, natman. I already applied some good gun oil in liberal amounts and stuck it with my other good guns in a climate/humidity controlled room. I may try the rest of your advice when I get some spare time.

And yes, it still shoots great. Very, very accurate. Too bad 32-20 is kind of expensive these days. I remember shooting this one as a kid and 32-20 wasn't much more than .22LR. Boy do times change...

 

[rcmodel]

No S&W markings anywhere, and an H monagram on the grips indicate it is not a S&W at all.

If it were a real S&W it would be clearly marked as such with a S&W monagram on the frame & patent dates and address on the other side.

Here is a link to a real S&W Hand Ejector Model of 1905 - 4th Change Target model:
http://www.armchairgunshow.com/ot57-pix/hcp7-01.jpg


Yours is probably a cheap copy of a S&W made in Eibar Spain about 100 years ago, prodably by Orbea Hermanos.
Scroll down to near bottom for 32-20 and photo's of grip monagram.http://www.littlegun.be/arme espagnole/ancien artisan/a orbea hermanos gb.htm

It has little to no collecter value, and never will have.

rc

 

[ForumSurfer]

RC,

It was a take home from the army when he served. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a copy, though. Sometimes stories get stretched or changed from generation to generation. I'll check the serial number when I get home to see if it falls into that range someone mentioned earlier.

I don't really care too much about value, it's just "interesting." I've been curious to find out what it actually is.

Thanks!

 

[Ron James]

As usual RC is right on the money, it is a S&W copy by Orbea, Eibar Spain. made prior to 1936. Orbea is one of the many firms that choose the wrong side in the Spanish Cilvi War.

 

[Jim K]

Hi, ForumSurfer,

Sorry, but there is NO possibility that that gun was ever the property of any army, or was ever issued by any army, so the story of a "take home" gun is not true.

That does not mean anyone told a fib; people tend to assume that if a gun belonged to a veteran, it must have been his military weapon.

Jim

 

[FuzzyBunny]

Could have been a captured or "liberated" weapon.
Could have even been used by the resistance somewhere.

 

[Ron James]

Could have been a captured or "liberated" weapon.
Could have even been used by the resistance somewhere.

and if a frog had wings he wouldn't bump his butt every time he jumped.

 

[FuzzyBunny]

Point was, it could be from and/or used anywhere.

Granny might have guarded her egg money with it.

 

[Jim K]

Hi, FuzzyBunny,

We can romanticize any gun, claiming it was used by Jesse James or George Patton or Adolf Hitler or any prominent person we care to name. (OK, not Julius Caesar!) But without documented proof, such claims are worthless and the gun stands on its own as to value. Alas, that Spanish revolver is worth very little, though if it was made by Orbea Hermanos it is one of the better ones.

I have known of several that blew up, as they were generally made of what was called "pot metal", a cheap cast iron of the kind used to make cook pots in Europe. You can tell whatever story you want about that gun, but I STRONGLY recommend you not fire it.

If it is an heirloom and valuable to you for its family association, grind off the firing pin and hang it on the wall. Then tell the stories.

Jim