need info on .32 lemon squeezer
- Thread starter MommaB
- Start date
Mike Irwin
Staff
Literally you can't. It takes admin privileges to merge threads. 
Driftwood Johnson
New member
Howdy
Dunno why guys here seem to think there are not guys who know about S&Ws here.
There were several companies that made hammerless revolvers with grip safeties. They were commonly known as Lemon Squeezers because you had to squeeze the grip safety, just like on a 1911, in order to pull the trigger.
This is a S&W 32 Safety Hammerless that left the factory in 1905. Chambered for the 32 S&W (not 32 S&W Long). The barrel is 3" long, measured from the front of the cylinder to the muzzle. S&W never called these lemon squeezers, that was a colloquial term.
This is a 38 Safety Hammerless, 3rd Model. It left the factory in 1896. Chambered for the 38 S&W round.
Personally, I would certainly check one of these out by somebody who knows something about them before shooting one. I also would never shoot Smokeless cartridges in one, only Black Powder.
Dunno why guys here seem to think there are not guys who know about S&Ws here.
There were several companies that made hammerless revolvers with grip safeties. They were commonly known as Lemon Squeezers because you had to squeeze the grip safety, just like on a 1911, in order to pull the trigger.
This is a S&W 32 Safety Hammerless that left the factory in 1905. Chambered for the 32 S&W (not 32 S&W Long). The barrel is 3" long, measured from the front of the cylinder to the muzzle. S&W never called these lemon squeezers, that was a colloquial term.
This is a 38 Safety Hammerless, 3rd Model. It left the factory in 1896. Chambered for the 38 S&W round.
Personally, I would certainly check one of these out by somebody who knows something about them before shooting one. I also would never shoot Smokeless cartridges in one, only Black Powder.
Bill DeShivs
New member
Has it not occurred to anyone here that the OP has never said the gun has S&W markings, and has not posted a picture?
There were many firms that made revolvers with grip safeties that were chambered for the .32 S&W cartridge.
S&Ws were so marked. The countless thousands of other guns of this type are the more likely culprit.
There were many firms that made revolvers with grip safeties that were chambered for the .32 S&W cartridge.
S&Ws were so marked. The countless thousands of other guns of this type are the more likely culprit.
i can't get a pic small enough file size to fit into the qualifications for uploading and have no idea how to post a link to an external pic...thats why theres no picture posted
also it looks very much like the first pic that Driftwood posted...it does have the s&w thing on the handle like that one does..only the entire gun is the darker gray like what is above the grips in that pic....and as i originally said, i know next to nothing about guns which is why i came here to learn about it
also it looks very much like the first pic that Driftwood posted...it does have the s&w thing on the handle like that one does..only the entire gun is the darker gray like what is above the grips in that pic....and as i originally said, i know next to nothing about guns which is why i came here to learn about it
Mike Irwin
Staff
"There were many firms that made revolvers with grip safeties that were chambered for the .32 S&W cartridge."
Uhm... you sure about that?
As far as I know, Smith & Wesson was the only manufacturer to offer a grip safety on its revolvers, hammerless or otherwise.
The other three big makers in the US during this period -- H&R, Iver Johnson, and Forehand and Wadsworth -- did NOT offer breaktop handguns with grip safetys.
Uhm... you sure about that?
As far as I know, Smith & Wesson was the only manufacturer to offer a grip safety on its revolvers, hammerless or otherwise.
The other three big makers in the US during this period -- H&R, Iver Johnson, and Forehand and Wadsworth -- did NOT offer breaktop handguns with grip safetys.
Jim Watson
New member
Zhuk shows a line for line Spanish copy of the S&W, maker unknown; but I have never seen anything else. There was one second line brand with a trigger safety like a Glock.
Mike Irwin
Staff
I didn't know that the Spanish copied the breaktops.
I know the Belgians did, but I believe they copied them without the grip safety.
"There was one second line brand with a trigger safety like a Glock."
Yeah. The Iver Johnson Safety Automatic.
http://www.icollector.com/Iver-John...ction-5-shot-Safety-Automatic-revolv_i9301760
I know the Belgians did, but I believe they copied them without the grip safety.
"There was one second line brand with a trigger safety like a Glock."
Yeah. The Iver Johnson Safety Automatic.
http://www.icollector.com/Iver-John...ction-5-shot-Safety-Automatic-revolv_i9301760
Bill DeShivs
New member
There were Spanish and Belgian copies.
NOW the OP tells us about the markings!
NOW the OP tells us about the markings!
Mike Irwin
Staff
Have you ever seen a Belgian-made breaktop with the grip safety?
I never have. And I've seen dozens, if not hundreds.
I never have. And I've seen dozens, if not hundreds.
Driftwood Johnson
New member
Ooops........you caught me again. I was probably thinking that there were many firms that made hammerless pocket pistols. I wasn't thinking when I wrote 'grip safeties'. My bad.
This Iver Johnson Safety Hammerless (without a grip safety) is the only non-S&W Top Break I own.
At the turn of the Century, bicycle riding was enormously popular. It was a huge craze. S&W produced some very short barreled top break pocket pistols that came to be known as Bicycle Revolvers. The idea was a cyclist could carry one in his pocket to ward off two legged and four legged ruffians.
I love this advertisement, it is from that time.
Mike Irwin
Staff
That's a pretty funny ad, Driftwood. I've never seen that one before!
The only hammerless breaktop I have is an H&R in .38 S&W. Not sure of the vintage, but I suspect it's a later one.
I do have an S&W hammerless, but it's a Model 042 Centennial in .38 Special.
The only hammerless breaktop I have is an H&R in .38 S&W. Not sure of the vintage, but I suspect it's a later one.
I do have an S&W hammerless, but it's a Model 042 Centennial in .38 Special.
FWIW, the S&W "lemon squeezers" have an interesting double action mechanism in that as the trigger is pulled, there is a distinct hesitation point as the hammer reaches what would be (in an exposed hammer gun) the full cock position. At that point, the shooter may take time to aim the gun, then a short and fairly easy pull will fire it. Not quite as light a pull as the SA pull on a hammer model, but easy enough for aimed shots.
Jim
Jim