S & W Model No.2 Old Model Revolver -(a.k.a. Model No.2 Army)
.32 caliber Long Rim Fire-Smith & Wesson Number 2 cartridge.
These guns were manufactured between 1861 & 1872.
The serial number on this gun is 42584 and was probably manufactured around 1868.
The Model No.2 Old Model was a popular personal sidearm with many officers and enlisted men during the Civil War.
General George Armstrong Custer is known to have owned a pair of these guns.
”Wild Bill” Hickok while marshal of Deadwood was carrying a Model 2 “Army” the night he was shot in August 1874.
The guns produced (by May 1, 1865) with serial numbers under 35731 could have seen use during the Civil War.
The total production was approx. 77,155 by the time this model was discontinued in 1872.
I was given the revolver shown below in 1991 by my father-in-law.
On April 17 1960 a fellow arrived at his front door to try and rob him…
the gun was loaded…there was a scuffle…the gun fell on the floor…
and the bad guy took off and was caught by the
police a few blocks away.
The police gave the gun back to my father-in-law as a souvenir
sometime after the "bandito's"trial.
(I went into further detail on the last post of “tokguy’s” thread on “Spencer 56 pics” thread…which I won’t repeat here.)
The gun is shown below.
I am missing the rammer pin….if anyone knows where I might find one…that would really be great.
(An abstract from a book on Smith & Wesson Military Firearms written by Charles W. Pate.—March 1998)
At the time the Civil War started, Smith & Wesson was the only authorized manufacturer of revolvers employing a bored-through cylinder, a feature which was required in order to efficiently use modern cartridge ammunition. Since 1857 the firm's only production firearm had been the diminutive Model 1 revolver in .22 rimfire caliber. While the market was good for its .22 caliber pocket pistol, S&W recognized its limitations early on and wanted to answer the growing demand for a larger design with the advantages of the Model 1. Their solution to this demand was a scaled up version of their latest .22 caliber revolver, the Model 1 Second Issue. The new .32 caliber revolver was called by the factory the Number 2 or Belt Pistol. Perhaps due to its use in the war, collectors have since named this revolver the Model 2 or, more commonly, the Number 2 Army.
The Number 2 is a tip-up, spur trigger, 6 shot revolver. It was made of forged wrought iron and was designed to fire a cartridge known today as the .32 Long Rim Fire The barrel is hinged at and has a fastening catch on the bottom strap. To load the revolver, one tips the barrel up, removes the cylinder and loads it, and then returns the cylinder to the frame. To remove spent cartridges, one removes the cylinder and punches them out, one by one, using the rammer pin located under the barrel.
A great many of the orders S&W received during the Civil War came from soldiers or men soon to be soldiers. Those looking for dependable protection could do no better than the Number 2 Smith & Wesson which could be loaded quickly with waterproof metallic ammunition and was of a size suitable for the belt or a small holster.
-------------------------------------------------
If you are interested click on the link below…then click on the video that shows
a very serious collection of these guns that is being offered
for sale by Butterfields.
http://www.model2project.com/
.32 caliber Long Rim Fire-Smith & Wesson Number 2 cartridge.
These guns were manufactured between 1861 & 1872.
The serial number on this gun is 42584 and was probably manufactured around 1868.
The Model No.2 Old Model was a popular personal sidearm with many officers and enlisted men during the Civil War.
General George Armstrong Custer is known to have owned a pair of these guns.
”Wild Bill” Hickok while marshal of Deadwood was carrying a Model 2 “Army” the night he was shot in August 1874.
The guns produced (by May 1, 1865) with serial numbers under 35731 could have seen use during the Civil War.
The total production was approx. 77,155 by the time this model was discontinued in 1872.
I was given the revolver shown below in 1991 by my father-in-law.
On April 17 1960 a fellow arrived at his front door to try and rob him…
the gun was loaded…there was a scuffle…the gun fell on the floor…
and the bad guy took off and was caught by the
police a few blocks away.
The police gave the gun back to my father-in-law as a souvenir
sometime after the "bandito's"trial.
(I went into further detail on the last post of “tokguy’s” thread on “Spencer 56 pics” thread…which I won’t repeat here.)
The gun is shown below.
I am missing the rammer pin….if anyone knows where I might find one…that would really be great.
(An abstract from a book on Smith & Wesson Military Firearms written by Charles W. Pate.—March 1998)
At the time the Civil War started, Smith & Wesson was the only authorized manufacturer of revolvers employing a bored-through cylinder, a feature which was required in order to efficiently use modern cartridge ammunition. Since 1857 the firm's only production firearm had been the diminutive Model 1 revolver in .22 rimfire caliber. While the market was good for its .22 caliber pocket pistol, S&W recognized its limitations early on and wanted to answer the growing demand for a larger design with the advantages of the Model 1. Their solution to this demand was a scaled up version of their latest .22 caliber revolver, the Model 1 Second Issue. The new .32 caliber revolver was called by the factory the Number 2 or Belt Pistol. Perhaps due to its use in the war, collectors have since named this revolver the Model 2 or, more commonly, the Number 2 Army.
The Number 2 is a tip-up, spur trigger, 6 shot revolver. It was made of forged wrought iron and was designed to fire a cartridge known today as the .32 Long Rim Fire The barrel is hinged at and has a fastening catch on the bottom strap. To load the revolver, one tips the barrel up, removes the cylinder and loads it, and then returns the cylinder to the frame. To remove spent cartridges, one removes the cylinder and punches them out, one by one, using the rammer pin located under the barrel.
A great many of the orders S&W received during the Civil War came from soldiers or men soon to be soldiers. Those looking for dependable protection could do no better than the Number 2 Smith & Wesson which could be loaded quickly with waterproof metallic ammunition and was of a size suitable for the belt or a small holster.
-------------------------------------------------
If you are interested click on the link below…then click on the video that shows
a very serious collection of these guns that is being offered
for sale by Butterfields.
http://www.model2project.com/
Last edited:
