Are 32 Merwin Hulberts antique status?

[appleorangefish]

So I saw on the FRT that large frame 32 Merwin Hulberts are listed as "Antique" (FRN: 20883), because they're chambered in 32 H&R (32 Harrington & Richardson, aka 32 Merwin Hulbert)

They also have a section describing the difference between the 32 H&R/M&H revolvers vs the 32 S&W versions

"32 CAL. 7 SHOT" was observed marked on the side of the receiver/frame above the trigger.

NOTE: if the cylinder is 24mm (approx 1") in length the caliber is correctly identified as 32 S&W. If the cylinder is longer than 32mm (approx 1 ¼") in length the caliber iscorrectly identified as 32 H&R.

Has anyone had any luck getting an antiques status letter for these? I'm thinking of buying one from the states and importing, but don't want it to end up being prohibited at the border

 

[appleorangefish]

And here is the FRT listing.

 

[vagrantviking]

That's interesting. I'd assumed all the 32's were those exempted from the antique classification.

Should be the same for the small frame models too hopefully.

 

[appleorangefish]

That's interesting. I'd assumed all the 32's were those exempted from the antique classification.

Well the legislation reads

prohibited firearm means

(a) a handgun that

(i) has a barrel equal to or less than 105 mm in length, or

(ii) is designed or adapted to discharge a 25 or 32 calibre cartridge,

but does not include any such handgun that is prescribed, where the handgun is for use in international sporting competitions governed by the rules of the International Shooting Union,

So if the caliber prohibition applies to any hangun "designed or adapted to discharge a 25 or 32 calibre cartridge", then 32 cal rimfires should be prohibs by name too
And if the handgun length prohibition applies to antiques, then we wouldn't be seeing people selling short-barreled Webleys, snub-nosed bull-dog revolvers, or antique rimfire derringers with barrels < 105mm.

 

[vagrantviking]

I was thinking more about this section:

Regulations Prescribing Antique Firearms, SOR 98-464, 16 Sep 98, proclaimed in the Canada Gazette Part II, Vol 132 No 20, dated 30 Sep 98, at page 2725, which defines them, in part, as:

7. A handgun manufactured before 1898 that is capable of discharging centre-fire cartridges, other than a handgun designed or adapted to discharge 32 Short Colt, 32 Long Colt, 32 Smith and Wesson, 32 Smith and Wesson Long, 32-20 Winchester, 38 Smith and Wesson, 38 Short Colt, 38 Long Colt, 38-40 Winchester, 44-40 Winchester, or 45 Colt cartridges.

I didn't know Merwin and Hulbert had used a 32 chambering that wasn't on the list. Opens up some possibilities. Unfortunately lots were made in 38S&W which is a no-go.

 

[Willy Tincup]

Flaydermans book lists them on the medium frame guns [double action] and a notation that they are scarce. Not listed on large frame guns. If you send a copy of that frt down with your order and have them send it back with the gun you should be fine. The book refers to them as 32 long, 7 shot but no pictures of them so cannot compare the cyl lengths. fwiw

 

[Short Knife Johnson]

Flaydermans book lists them on the medium frame guns [double action] and a notation that they are scarce. Not listed on large frame guns. If you send a copy of that frt down with your order and have them send it back with the gun you should be fine. The book refers to them as 32 long, 7 shot but no pictures of them so cannot compare the cyl lengths. fwiw

The cylinder on the medium frame Merwin Hulbert 7 shot .32 MH is exactly 1 3/16” long. I managed to get a letter years ago when I bought one as a 12(6) registered as a .32 S&W Long. I called in and pointed out that the Smith & Wesson round was introduced 13 years after Merwin Hulbert & Co. ceased operations. They called it a .32 H&R and deemed it antique. The S&W cases worked, but the rims are too narrow and they didn’t function that well with ejection. I think they’re a bit shorter too. I read that these were popular with detectives at the time.