Got my Break Top Today

redhawk4 · September-30-10 17:09

I thought this would get you looking!!



   I did get a break top today but not the NAA.



   I bought 4 revolvers from a guy today he got them from his Father when he died in 1984. I think one is a S&W 1 1/2 32 cal. break top, another is a Hopkins and Allen Dictator 32 rimfire?, another a Robin Hood 3 1/2 again 32 rimfire? and the other the big military/police looking revolver is in I think 38 S&W but it has zero markings other than the proof marks. It is loaded via the loading gate and has the ejector rod. If anyone can tell me what this is I'd be excited to hear.



   Any comments/information ideas on value on any of them appreciated. They all have good bores, the big military looking one is in great condition and ready to go, the others need a clean and lube job and possibly a spring in the S&W. I paid $200 for the four, I was prepared to pay $100 for the "big unamed one" (just cuz I likes it) and took a chance on the others. The S&W, Robin Hood & Dictator all look a lot nicer in the flesh than in the pics they really bring the rust out.

stungun · September-30-10 18:09

You son of a...

redhawk4 · September-30-10 19:09

Correction the Robin Hood is an 8 1/2,not a 3 1/2 = I found my magnifying glass

cedarview kid · September-30-10 19:09

Wow, very cool. Nice new acquisitions. :-) Thanks for the photos. I enjoyed 'em.

hazmatt · September-30-10 20:09

All great finds. It looks as if you got yourself a Webly #3. But I'm not positive.

redhawk4 · September-30-10 21:09

The Smith & Wesson is a 38 SA apparently built between 1878 and 1892.



   Aren't the Webleys all break top? that's partly why I bought it, it reminded me of the Webley's. The kind of thing Dr Watson pulls out in Sherlock Holmes. I also think Webley would have their name on it. This loads by folding down the cover down at the back of the cylinder. I find it hard to believe that such a relatively well made gun has no apparent name or serial #. It does have a mechanism to stop the hammer firing pin from striking a round unless the trigger is pulled so could be carried with all six rounds on board.

redhawk4 · October-01-10 00:10

Finally I found what it is. From the proof marks I found it was proofed in Birmingham, England where I was born, actually at Sparkbrook, which was right by where my Granparents lived. I found a W with a crown on the side which I thought was some sort of proof mark but it means a Dutch gun, Queen Wilhelmina. Searching based on this got me an answer. Any way it's a KNIL Model 91 made by Vickers in England in about 1920. they were sent to the Dutch East Indies, for their Colonial Police, where apparently many were captured by the Japanese and then in turn by the Allied troops, some inevitably, finding their way back to the USA.



   I was pretty excited with the ties to my "home town", and the thoughts of some WWII adventures along the way, only adds to the intrigue - if only it could talk.



   As you can tell I'm pretty excited

, I hope the rest of you aren't totally bored.



   Links for anyone whose still interested and hasn't lost the will to live:



   http://www.coreden.co.uk/page5.html">http://www.coreden.co.uk/page5.html



   http://ww2weaponsforum.com/showthread.php?2069-Dutch-Colonial-Revolver-Cal.-9.4mm">http://ww2weaponsforum.com/showthread.php?2069-Dutch-Colonial-Revolver-Cal.-9.4mm



   It seems they are talking of values in the $600 - $900 range on the internet. One is for sale in the UK for 700 GBP, so I think my $100 was a pretty safe bet considering it was a total gamble (dare I say, "shot in the dark").



   I'd like to know anything anyone can tell me about the "mini" revolvers they were easier to find on the net, but the info on the KNIL is better once I'd found it. Having said that I can find no information at all, specifically on the Robin Hood No. 8 1/2 model.

redhawk4 · October-01-10 08:10

"The Smith & Wesson is a 38 SA apparently built between 1878 and 1892".



   Should have read, "The Smith & Wesson is a 32 SA apparently built between 1878 and 1892."



   They were built for the, then new, S&W 32 Centrefire round.

hazmatt · October-01-10 18:10

Good job on the research.

redhawk4 · October-01-10 21:10

Thanks Hazmatt, I just had to know, so was up until 1.30 a.m. searching and searching. At one point I had a picture of an identical one but it didn't say what it was. It was worth it though, the ties to Birmingham, WWII etc. really brought it to life for me, doubly so, as I had no idea what I was buying other than I liked the look of it and thought it worth $100, even if it turned out to be some Chinese knockoff made last month.

Now I'm totally stuck on the Robin Hood No. 8 1/2, I can find no reference to anything after a No. 3

   I also cannot find a model quite like my Dictator, it doesn't have any manufacturers info or serial # like all those pictured on the web that in other ways look identical. Must be some explanation, someone somewhere knows.



   I'll be taking them apart to clean and repair here soon so may be the internals may reveal some other info or serial #'s.



   Any ideas or sources of info greatly appreciated. This is my first outing into the Antique gun market and as the M91 was made in 1920 not prior to 1899, I guess I've already screwed up LOL.