Guns International #: 102602390
Seller's Inventory #: 233297

Category - Smith & Wesson Revolvers - Antique - Smith & Wesson Revolvers - 22/32

Category
Smith & Wesson Revolvers - Antique
Smith & Wesson Revolvers - 22/32

1866 LETTERED Antique SMITH & WESSON No. 1 1/2 .32 Rimfire Revolver WILD WEST One of only 26,300 1st Issue Spur Trigger Revolvers

Description:
1866 LETTERED Antique SMITH & WESSON No. 1 ½ .32 Rimfire Revolver WILD WEST

One of only 26,300 1st Issue Spur Trigger Revolvers

Here we present an antique Factory Lettered Smith & Wesson First Issue Model Number 1-1/2 Revolver, made in 1866 in Springfield, Massachusetts. The included factory letter confirms the current caliber, barrel length, finish, and grips when the revolver was shipped to J.W. Storrs of New York, NY, on January 17, 1866 as part of a 100 gun shipment.

The Model No. 1 ½ had a production run between 1865-68. The No. 1 was Smith & Wesson’s first metallic cartridge firearm. The 1 ½ is simply a scaled-up version of the No. 1, down to the aesthetics. It was also a commercial success and was well-received by the buying public seeing 26,300 of the First Issue produced and over 100,000 of the updated Second Issue.

It utilized the idea of the “bored through cylinder”, which was patented by Rollin White and subsequently exclusively licensed by Smith & Wesson. This concept has forever changed revolving firearms design, and is the same idea used in revolvers today. S&W, via Rollin White himself, aggressively sued any patent infringers and were able to hold their monopoly on the American market for cartridge revolvers from about 1857 to 1870, whereupon their patent expired. The results were a very profitable business, a broke Rollin White, and a grudging U.S. Chief of Ordnance Alexander Dyer, who was still angry in 1870 about not being able to use the technology during the Civil War. The U.S. government ended up giving Colt their contracts since they valued the larger .44 caliber in the Colt 1860 Armies over the .32 caliber full sized No. 2 Armies.

The overall condition is very good. Original finish and patina. The action is strong. The bore is in very good condition: patinated with strong rifling. The rosewood grips show some peening on the bottom which caused a chip at the toe. Numbers match.

Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.

Barrel is 3-1/2 inches.

Caliber: .32 Rimfire

Overall condition as seen in photos.

Very Fast. Very Safe. FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE. Delivered directly to your door by express mail!

Guaranteed AUTHENTIC & Includes CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY.

ancestryguns

$1600

#233297
 

SOLD

Antique: Yes