Mystery Pocket .32 Revolver

[Ysabel Kid]

I've been trying to solve this mystery off and on for years.

One of the guns I inherited from my Dad was a little pocket .32 S&W revolver, top-break, double-action 5-shot. In other words, literally like a million of them made around the turn of the 1900's.

Problem is that this one was not marked with anything other than it's serial number (grip butt, top strap and latch, all matching), and the words "Manufactured in US" on the top of the barrel flat.

The grips would help solve who made it... if they were originally. I have the original pieces, but I suspect my Dad took this gun off a criminal and it never made it anywhere but his collection. The grips on it now were an early attempt, 33 or so years ago, at me replacing them (I did a horrible job fitting them).

So, here's the gun along with what I think it might be... a New England Firearms gun.



The reason I think it may be that, or a Meriden Firearms gun is the front sight (distinctive shape) and the trigger, also with a distinctive shape to the rear of the trigger. See the circles here:



But, at this point it is little more than a WAG.

Any experts out there?

[JimT]

Any experts out there?

You could try You Tube. Seems to be a lot of experts there.

Looks like the Meridan ... Gun Parts Corp. has the factory grips ... https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/1826330E

[765x53]

The grip shape looks like a match for the inletting, also.

[Ysabel Kid]

Any experts out there?

You could try You Tube. Seems to be a lot of experts there.

Looks like the Meridan ... Gun Parts Corp. has the factory grips ... https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/1826330E

The broken pieces of the original grips do look like those. Unfortunately, they are out of stock (no pun intended) at Numerich Gun Parts.

[JimT]

OOPS ... I never checked that. Sorry.

[Ysabel Kid]

OOPS ... I never checked that. Sorry.

N/P.

I had actually seen that listing before... and hope they had secured another set. No such luck...

[Ysabel Kid]

I have never come across a picture of a Meriden with a trigger shaped like mine. The front sight is close, and that is somewhat distinctive. A lot of private-label guns of this type were made. When I saw the picture of the New England Firearms one, it matched both the front sight and trigger, as well as the pin placement, though the hump for the enclosed hammer is a bit different in shape.

Oh well.

[Hawkeye2]

Form follows function and there is a reason for that shape to the back of the trigger on these double actions. The fillets where the trigger guards meet the frame are different and obviously the frame above the grips. A lot of these inexpensive top breaks show similar features but could come from different manufacturers. I'm somewhat familiar with them, far from an expert, but I have never seen one marked like that on the barrel.

[Bill in Oregon]

Jay, have you shot that little toot?

[Ysabel Kid]

Jay, have you shot that little toot?

Yes, but not often. It locks up tight, but the trigger must be manually pushed back to reset it. I have a couple others, including a Hopkins & Allen (also with destroyed grips, inherited from my Dad) and a little Iver Johnson I picked up last year on a deal I couldn't refuse. But if I really want to shoot a .32, I default to my Ruger Single Seven. Very accurate and can take smokeless loads. I suspect this one, if not on the verge of the transition to smokeless powder, might have been before it.