Pocket Breaktops

[RickB]

Gentlemen. I went and did it. I bought the gun I was wanting. It was for sale at Sheels in Des Moines. I talked them down to $300. Here are a couple of pictures of it.

It's really in great condition. It locks up tight and the barrel is very clean. It almost looks like it was never used. If it was they didn't use it much.

[RickB]

A few more to enjoy. And yes, I'm bragging. LOL

My first authentic antique gun. My wife asked me "is it an original and not a reproduction?" I was proud to say yes.

[Montana Slim]

If I could see the end of the hammer (preferably cocked), I could tell in an instant if it were CF or RF. If the tip of the hammer has a small flat to impact the rim portion of a cartridge...it is RF. CF's have a spherical tip in the center of the hammer which will impact the approximate center of a cartridge.

....and While I don't have any .32 RF revolvers at my house, I'm happy to report I have several boxes of ammo (old & new) just in case I have need one day  

Regards,
Slim

Oh, BTW....Dixie Gun Works sells RF cartridge cases for reloading yourself. You need to supply a .22 short cartridge case (minus bullet & powder) to use as a primer. Then load with BP & a Bullet or Ball of correct size. I've used these in .41 & .44 RF & find they work well..

[RickB]

Thanks for all the helpful info Montana. I have already verified with the guy who bought it for Sheels that it is indeed a center fire. But here is a good picture of the hammer cocked.

Your info on RF reload stuff on Dixie gun works is very helpful as is the info shared about reloding for RF and the pin fire guns. You guys kick butt.

I've seen a few pin fire guns that call out to me from time to time and I've passed on them because the ammo is so hard to find. Now I may give them a second look.

Anyway. Here is the picture of the hammer.

[RickB]

Hey Griz and No 7. Love the guns you guys posted. Those are some sweet shooting irons. How are they to shoot?

I've got a couple of H&Rs. One in .32 and one in 22. I'll take some pics and upload them and see if you guys can give me any info on them.

Guys. Keep posting the pics of your breaktops and various pistols. It is really great to see what everyone has and all the different models of guns that were available.

Does anyone know of a good reference book that lists all the different models of pocket pistols sold in the period before 1900?

[RickB]

Thought I would share some more pics of my pocket pistol collection. If you gents don't mind. The silver double action is my .32 H&R, the blued one is my .22 H&R.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

I do have a peference for top-breaks ....

[RickB]

I share that preference. Love them breaktops.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Although I have yet to shoot the little S&W Pocket Pistol, all the guns just 'feel' right in the hand (To me at least) ... even opening and loading them just feels 'right' ...

[RickB]

I know exactly what you mean. They fit the hand better than a colt to me.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Here! Here!

[Old No7]

Found another nice & clean 'ol H&R top-break, this time it's a S&W 32 Short, 5-shot Hammerless -- need to do some research on what the actual model name is.  Funny thing, both this one and the other 2 Longs are all marked with the same exact caliber marking!  I can see where a Short could be loaded in a Long cylinder, but it won't work the other way...

This one was so clean -- maybe 98+% nickel finish -- that I couldn't pass it up for $75...

Seems the more time I spend on this site -- the more top-breaks I buy!!!

WHAT'S NEXT???     Maybe a Webley...

Or how about another Schofield, so my daughter and I can shoot 'em at the same time!   

Tight groups.

Old No7

[RickB]

Nice little gun. Love those H&Rs. Where do you find the .32 S&W shorts? I've checked a few places on line but most seem to be out of stock right now. Guess I'll check the next gun show and see if I can find a few boxes.

Just to show how much ammo has gone up I paid $15.00 a piece for two boxes a few years ago. I doubt that will be the current price these days.

Love those breaktops though.

[Old No7]

"Where do you find the .32 S&W shorts?"

Found a partial box of 40 for $15 at a gun show recently...  Funny thing is, I didn't have a "Short" back then, only the 1 blue Long.  I figured I'd get a Short eventually...

To be honest, I really don't want to know what they get for a factory box today!

I plan to do some checking if I can get 100 brass empties, and I'll reload some light loads using my 32 Long/H&R Mag dies and bullets (I also have a Ruger SP101 in the later -- a very nice "woods" piece!).  So far, for the Longs, I've had really good (and SAFE) results using light loads of Universal and Trail Boss powders.

Tight groups -- IF you can afford to shoot, that is... 

Old No7

[RickB]

I've done some checking on line and I've found .32 S&W ammo for $25.00 to $29.00 a box of 50. This is from various on line outlets.

Just to let you know I found that Sheels sporting goods store here in Des Moines had 2 boxes of Winchester .32 S&W for $29.00 a box. Not too bad but double the price of what I paid at a gun show a few years back.

I now have 200 rounds of .32 and will look for more later this month at the local gunshow at the Iowa State fairgrounds. It would be great to find it for that $15.00 price but I'm not holding my breath. 

[Adirondack Jack]

I've only got one.  A S&W "Double Action" circa 1882 or 3 I found in the bottom of a showcase in a LGS a few years ago.  I paid $90 for it, out the door.



I'd be wary of any factory ammo in a real old top break, anything pre-1900, as the smokeless stuff is kinda rough on these old guns.

I have shot smokeless through mine, (big no-no, I know), but only using a 77 gr LRN bullet and 1.4 grains carefully weighed Unique.  it's a puffball load adequate only for those "across the table" cardboard SASS side match targets.  Best deal would be BP though.

[Dr. Bob]

AJ,

That's a mighty fine looking second model ya go there!

[Adirondack Jack]

AJ,

That's a mighty fine looking second model ya go there!

Thanks Dr. Bob,

MY LGS friend says a local auctioneer bought an old cash register found in the cellar of a one-time country store, and when they got it open, found the gun inside.  He in turn sold the S&W to the LGS owner, who tried THREE TIMES to sell it, but every time it was a new CCW applicant who never came back (probably denied the requisite permit).  The last "hold" tag was almost two years old.   He had a $149 on the tag.  I dug in my pocket, came up with $90 and some change, and said "well, ya sold it today".  He scooped the money off the counter, didn't even really count it (but I told him I had about $90 there), and wrote up a bill of sale.

Somethin about blind pigs and truffles comes to mind. 

[Dr. Bob]

AJ,

Yer right about that blind hog!  It sometimes helps to know what you are looking at!  Wed. night I bought a "Bowie knife with eagle hilt and unusual curved blade."  Got it for $58 to my door!  It really is a US Naval Dirk from the period 1810 - 1830.  I knew what I was looking at and the people looking for one would be looking in another catagory - Militaria!  Had a BIG smile on my face since then!!  Ya gotta kiss a lot of frogs to find that princess!

[RickB]

From the research I've done the new smokless .32 S&W rounds are loaded pretty light to be shot in the old breaktop revolvers. According to the articles I have read they should be safe to shoot in most old BP guns as long as they are sound.