Old revolver, what is this?

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riffraff

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Discovered by a friend in a family hoarder house, has no SN and just looks old. Haven't put my hands on it just got a couple pics. Any idea what this is? Thx
 

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That's probably an IJ or H&R. Mind you, everybody and his brother made revolvers like that in the later 19th Century. There should be some kind of marking on the barrel.
And 'old' doesn't mean 'valuable'.
Serial numbers were not required until 1968.
 
A ghost from the past.

Any idea what this is?
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Strange that you should post this picture and certainly am not an expert but recently acquired a piece similar to this one and it is a Forehand&Wasdsworth. Look along top of the barrel rib and well as the bottom of the butt grip. Mine information was hard to read, does list a S/N but no caliber. I Understand that the configuration of the trigger guard is a Smith design which other copied. Finally figured out that it is a .38-S&W. If you can, pull the grips and see what type of hammer spring, it has. ……. :confused:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/849075853

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6zkZQEFU08

Be Safe !!!
 
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Good stuff guys, thanks.

The non gun person I talked through it (starting with "is it loaded" :), "lets check") said first it looks like a .22 then that bore appears to be 10mm :).. so I was thinking .38.
 
My guess is an H&R Premier. I have one in .32 S&W, appears almost identical except the nickel finish on mine is in better condition and mine has an exposed hammer. Owned it since I was 11 or 12. Late 30's / early 1940's era revolvers.
 
so I was thinking .38
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As I replied previously, mine has no caliber markings, that I can find. I took a .38 SPL and inserted it until it bottomed out and was unable to insert it completely. The diameter was right on, for a .38. I read that these were either .32 or 38-S&W. Also read that these were the CCW's of their time. That is why see mostly short barrels, nickeled and DA or bobbed hammers. Some were issued to LEO's and Military. …… :)

Now then, kindly tell us what you might have read along the top of the barrel.
You should also see matching S/N's on various parts, especially the cylinder. ;)

Be Safe !!!
 
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I believe that's an H&R Safety Hammerless. If a 38 special will fit til it bottoms out it's a .38 S&W.
 
I think that's an old black powder gun because there's no (that I could see) caliber stamped on the left side of the barrel, and it should NOT be used with smokeless powder cartridges.

Reliable sources state that the old H&R's which do not have the caliber marked on the left side of the barrel are black powder guns, and that those which do have the caliber marked on the left side of the barrel are made for smokeless powder cartridges.
 
Pahoo - please be patient. riffraff said he only had the two images to go on. Until he can eyeball it directly, he won't be able to answer your questions no matter how large a font you use. ;)
 
Pretty sure an H&R Hammerless .38 (.38 S&W.)
It isn't beat up, just rusty.

In the absence of markings, there is no way to determine its age, the model looks the same in 1901 Sears and 1939 Stoegers.
 
Thanks again guys!

I will request a hard look for any more markings. Originally was told there is none. Unfortunately it will be a month before I'm where the pistol is, so if I don't get anything further via phone & pictures going to need to wait until I can look up close.
 
Howdy

It is not an Iver Johnson.

Iver Johnsons had a little owl on the grips.

The little owl faced forward on the older Black Powder Iver Johnsons.

pmONRDk1j




The little owl faced backwards on the later Smokeless models.

pnYHFfasj
 
Driftwood Johnson said:
Howdy

It is not an Iver Johnson.

Iver Johnsons had a little owl on the grips.

The little owl faced forward on the older Black Powder Iver Johnsons.

pmONRDk1j




The little owl faced backwards on the later Smokeless models.

pnYHFfasj
Click to expand...
Remember that about the easiest thing to modify is the grips. Don't use the grips to determine black or smokeless powder rather look at the cylinder stops. The smokeless powder models will have a positive cylinder stop, the small rectangular slot.
 
The other way to tell if an Iver Johnson is a Black Powder model or the later Smokeless model is to remove the grips. Whatever they look like.

The early Black Powder models had a flat, leaf type hammer spring.

The hammer spring in the Smokeless models was a coil spring.

Easy enough to determine no matter what the grips look like.
 
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