Identification Help Apprecaited

[rjk]

I spotted this small old breaktop .32 in a local gun shop. It's not in great shape, but pretty inexpensive. Anybody have any idea of the manufacturer or model?Old .32.jpg

[Rogerbutthead]

Looks like the 1910 Belgian 5 shot revolver on this site - around 60% down the page.

http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-weapons/revolvers.htm

[rjk]

Rogerbutthead, I do believe you've got it. The trigger guard is slightly differenet, but everything else matches. Thanks,

[gun toting monkeyboy]

Guys, they ALL looked like this. I have seen these by a dozen different companies, all with minor differences. Unless you look closely, they look almost the same. Right down to the shape of the hammer, frame and rib on the barrel. It could have been made by anybody. You can't go by looks on these. They tried very hard to make them all look alike. Your best bet is to see what it says on the top of tha barrel rib. That is where they normally put the manufacturer's name, and any relavent pattent information. Also look at the design on the top of the grips. Each company normally had a distictive pattern that they molded into the plastic. I can't really see it clearly on that picture, so I can't help you narrow it down.

One other thing. Realize that many of these kinds of guns can easily date to the last quarter of the 19th century. They are normally chambered for .32 S&W, not .32 S&W Long. And they are not noted for their action's strength. Don't try to hotrod these guns unless you like the nickname "Lefty" or Stumpy".

When you say it is inexpensve, I hope you mean $50 or less. Because unless it is a clearly documentable S&W or Forehand and Wadsworth, it isn't worth more than that out the door. These little pocket revolvers were a dime a dozen at the turn of the last century. They still aren't worth much more than that now.

-Mb

[rjk]

I'm sure this is a Belgium copy of an H&R break-top. To your point , "gun toting monkeyboy," there is a star at the top of the grips and a diamond around the screw. I agree there are dozens that look the almost the same, but these grips are common with several others I have located since the posting that are all identifed as a Belgium ripoff of the H&R design in the early part of the 20th century. I've seen similar break-tops from $50 to $150, but this one it too rough to even hit the low end of the range.