Help with Revolver Identification

[CHarris]

I posted (here) about a revolver that I am trying to identify. On that forum, they thought it was a " S&W Model 1" and suggested that I post over here to confirm. Can anyone confirm and/or give me more details about the gun?

I am also curious about the Japanese characters on the handle. In that same thread, they provided a partial translation. Does anyone else have any further info to provide?

Thank you for your time,
Colin

 

[CHarris]

I should add that the gun is from my grandfather, who has passed, and he did spend time in Japan at the end of WWII. Unfortunately, I don't any further details of his time there.

 

[Comrade Mike]

Maybe a Japanese knock off of a smith and Wesson model 1. I don't believe they ever produced them with brass frames but I am no expert on early Smith and Wessons

 

[Jim Watson]

What is the caliber, how many shots?
It looks more like a No 1 1/2 or No 2 than a No 1... if it is a .32 sixshooter instead of a .22 seven shot.

BUT: S&Ws are properly marked as to maker and patent dates. There were a LOT of infringements and outright copies. Not likely made in Japan, but they were buying a lot of modern weapons at the time.

 

[Jim K]

The First and Second issues of the First Model had brass (gun metal) frames, which were nickel or silver plated. The third issue (with the fluted cylinder) frame was iron.

But that gun doesn't look quite right. It looks like the frame is flat where it meets the top of the grips; there should be a frame boss. It may be a Japanese copy or maybe the frame was damaged and someone made one out of flat brass stock to replace it.

Note: In spite of the use of the term "brass" for gun frames of the mid-1850's era, few were actually brass. They were bronze or what was called "gun metal". That frame is brass, not bronze or gun metal; I have seen enough S&W's with the plating worn off to believe that frame is not from S&W.

Jim

 

[Gun Master]

I posted (here) about a revolver that I am trying to identify. On that forum, they thought it was a " S&W Model 1" and suggested that I post over here to confirm. Can anyone confirm and/or give me more details about the gun?

I am also curious about the Japanese characters on the handle. In that same thread, they provided a partial translation. Does anyone else have any further info to provide?

Thank you for your time,
Colin

Maybe someone versed in Japanese could translate the inscription on the handle?
And what was the partial translation from the other thread?

 

[Old Fuff]

Smith & Wesson's model 1 1/2 were 5-shot/.32 RF. The 1st Issue were made between (1865-68) and had a square butt with the cylinder stop located in the frame just in front of, and above the trigger.

The second issue (1868-75) had a rounded "birds head" butt, and the cylinder stop was located in the topstrap.

Most, if not all of these .32's had steel frames.

I cannot identify who made the revolver under consideration, but it not a Smith & Wesson.

 

[CHarris]

Thanks all. Below is the partial translation:

The fist part is a date: Meiji 15 Year = 1882 (the time of the regency of Mutsuhiro Tenno startet with the period called Meiji in 1862, so first year is 1862 etc.)
Followed by two kanji (signs) I can't make out properly
again a numer 29 followed by the kanji for "number")

At the bottom maybe are a signature of an owner oder manufacturer.

 

[CHarris]

It is a 6-shooter. Other than the Japanese characters, the only other marking I can find on the revolver is a stamped "18" on the face of the barrel where it meets the rotating clip where the bullets are held (sorry, I don't know the proper term).

 

[Old Fuff]

These early Smith & Wesson's were often copied, both in the United States and Europe. During the post-Civil War era Japan adopted S&W service revolvers, as did Russia. The company had a flourishing commercial business in Japan as well. That a copy of a S&W revolver turned up there should not come as a surprise.

 

[Jim K]

I thought it looked like a .22 but, as Old Fuff says, a six shot is not an S&W; I suspect the gun is the product of a small factory which made copies of the S&W (and perhaps of other "round eye" guns) from materials on hand. The "No. 29" is probably the serial number, the 29th made.

BTW, that looks like "25 year" to me, but what looks like the top bar could be another mark of some kind.

Jim

 

[natman]

Translation of Japanese characters on grip frame:

"Before using gun - read warnings in Instruction Manual"

 

[Jim K]

Jim

 

[bannockburn]

CHarris

At any rate, even if it's not a S&W, you have a rather interesting and unique revolver to remember your grandfather with.

 

[SDC]

The bottom three characters are sort of hard to make out, but they resemble the kana for "6 Type Revolver", or what we would call a "Type 6".