Safety and Target Shooting with Old Black Powder Revolvers

**IamOzzy** · November 5th, 2014, 09:12 AM

I am a fan of the old 1890's black powder top break revolvers and, if I bought one, I would like to target shoot the model at the range. Auctions on these sites mention a gun smith has to check them out for safety. A dealer told me even a minor imperfection could create a major safety risk and that someone who know antiques could pick up on that minor imperfection at first glance but the average person would never notice it.

What exactly is checked? Is it the condition of the metal in the cylinder and bore? How can they tell whether or not the old antique is safe to shoot?

**Steve_NEPhila** · November 5th, 2014, 09:30 AM

Your best bet is to buy a modern adaptation of a classic black powder revolver and shoot the heck out of it. Metallurgy was not very advanced during the black powder times and catastrophic failures were more common than today.

A gunsmith can only look for obvious problems like cracking, erosion, pitting and other outwardly physical manifestations of faults. An inspected device can still fail due to faults that are not visible to the eye (in both modern and aged designs). If it is a shooter that you seek, you can buy the modern versions of the old classics through the mail as they are not "firearms" as per our law.

**bob308** · November 5th, 2014, 12:12 PM

if you are talking about the old pocket top breaks in .32 and .38 s&w. they were made by everybody of cheap steel. they wore fast do not lock up tight and most of the time they are out of time.
to me and I don't care how good you look at them. the best place for them is in a shadow box hanging on the wall.

**IamOzzy** · November 5th, 2014, 01:03 PM

What about the later smokeless powder versions? How is their steel and safety? Again, these guns would only be intended for firing a 10 or so rounds at the range now and then in between my normal target shooting .22's. If they are not safe then there is no way I would take the risk though.

**Ecclectic Collector** · November 5th, 2014, 07:23 PM

As said by others a gun designed 120 years ago in the black powder era by third rate makers isn't a good bet for much except as a display piece.

On the other hand, some quality makers also made top break guns. If you revolver is made by Smith & Wesson, or even second tier companies like Iver Johnson and Harrington & Richardson you are getting a quality made gun. Keep in mind that those top breaks were made well into the 20th century and those later guns were proofed for smokeless powder. I think H & R made one of its top breaks right into the 1970s so it wouldn't be wrong to get one for casual plinking once in a while. The .22 LR, H & R model 999 is a specific model that is actually avidly collected as a shooter for instance.

**IamOzzy** · November 5th, 2014, 08:19 PM

Thanks, Iver Johnson and Harrington & Richardson were the two I was interested in. I saw a Spanish made S&W .38 at a gun show that looked like a work of art. Upon doing a little research online, the reviewer said these old Spanish guns were known for their horrible, unsafe construction.

How did the manufacturers cut corners when making these guns? Did they just use really cheap steel?