Need a hand IDing a revolver

Saxon · May 10, 2014, 08:04 PM

Hi everyone- im new here- not to guns (im a dealer). Im hoping someone here can give me a hand identifying an older 22lr break top revolver.

I picked it up on impulse because its different and I thought perhaps id give it to my dad just for fun.

It says "Young American" on the barrel...so I immediately figured it was an H&R...but it says made in Germany all over it?

in the group pic it is the gun in the bottom right corner- the others arethings I also picked up recently.

What do you think?

Thanks in advance.

RJay · May 10, 2014, 11:26 PM

Well, it is not an H&R, I don't know what it is, it really doesn't look like any German gun I'm familiar with, not even the cheap ones. it looks more Spanish Eibar than German and the Germans ( pre-war ) did import a few Spanish pistols, but if it is roll marked , made in Germany, don't have the foggiest.

ckpj99 · May 10, 2014, 11:35 PM

As you may European revolvers are notoriously hard to ID. Could be a Rohm or a Valor, though I haven't seen one with an extractor rod like yours. That's a pretty distinctive extractor rod.

ckpj99 · May 10, 2014, 11:37 PM

I guess since it's a top break it's not an "extractor rod," but center pin or something like that.

James K · May 11, 2014, 03:14 PM

I have seen a few guns made that way, but they were made for firing blanks or gas cartridges.

Jim

Saxon · May 14, 2014, 06:28 PM

Interesting info... this one is definitely marked 22LR, Made in Germany (x3 places) and Young American on the barrel.
im baffled too- I sell guns, I have handled/fired/researched/sold thousands of them I have never seen this one.

Kev · May 21, 2014, 12:04 PM

Google is telling me that H&R did import a Young American 22LR
This one the OP posted does not line up exactly with any google image search.
Possibly PRE H&R..A Herbert & Schmidt maybe???

gyvel · May 28, 2014, 05:46 AM

Most likely, if it says "Made in Germany" it's probably pre-WWII, maybe even pre-WWI, as post WW-II guns were generally marked "Made in West Germany" for many years.

Quote:

Google is telling me that H&R did import a Young American 22LR

H&R's revolver was called Young America, not American.

Bill DeShivs · May 28, 2014, 12:13 PM

H&R made guns. They didn't import them to my knowledge.
The pictured gun is an oddball for sure.

James K · May 28, 2014, 12:30 PM

Commercially imported guns have to carry the name of the importer; since that gun has no maker's or importer's name, it was probably bought in Germany, maybe by an American service member, and brought in. Guns like that may be almost unknown in the U.S., since they were not imported in any quantity.

Jim

jglsprings · May 28, 2014, 06:49 PM

https://www.google.de/#q=young+ameri...++-%22H%26R%22

This is about as far as my google-fu will take me. And all of my high school German is long gone as far as translation... There seems to be some english links as well...

gyvel · May 28, 2014, 07:28 PM

I meant to ask you: Do the grips have any kind of a trademark or logo on them? If so, a good CLEAR photo might be of some help.

At this point, I'm offering a complelely uneducated guess that it might be an old Pickert, Arminius or Omega. The one photo of an Omega, in particular, showed a cylinder of very similar construction to the one on your gun, i.e. the cylinder stop cuts were of a similar configuration.

James K · May 28, 2014, 10:15 PM

AFAIK, all those guns and all the other German revolvers of that general type that I know of are either solid frame or swing out cylinder revolvers. Top breaks are pretty uncommon in German guns, though there were a lot of English revolvers made that way. That one is really a mystery.

Jim

jackpine · May 28, 2014, 11:31 PM

looks like a German gas or starter pistol to me. Probably post WWII but pre '68

James K · May 28, 2014, 11:56 PM

The OP says it is marked .22 LR, so it is not a gas or blank firing gun.

Jim

May 10, 2014, 11:26 PM	#2
RJay Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2005 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,936	Well, it is not an H&R, I don't know what it is, it really doesn't look like any German gun I'm familiar with, not even the cheap ones. it looks more Spanish Eibar than German and the Germans ( pre-war ) did import a few Spanish pistols, but if it is roll marked , made in Germany, don't have the foggiest. __________________ Ron James

May 21, 2014, 12:04 PM	#7
Kev Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2013 Posts: 661	Google is telling me that H&R did import a Young American 22LR This one the OP posted does not line up exactly with any google image search. Possibly PRE H&R..A Herbert & Schmidt maybe??? __________________ "Classic over Plastic"

May 28, 2014, 12:13 PM	#9
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,987	H&R made guns. They didn't import them to my knowledge. The pictured gun is an oddball for sure. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

May 28, 2014, 06:49 PM	#11
jglsprings Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2009 Posts: 1,827	https://www.google.de/#q=young+ameri...++-%22H%26R%22 This is about as far as my google-fu will take me. And all of my high school German is long gone as far as translation... There seems to be some english links as well... __________________ Let's eat Grandma. Let's eat, Grandma. Commas save lives...

May 10, 2014, 11:35 PM	#3
ckpj99 Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2011 Posts: 386	As you may European revolvers are notoriously hard to ID. Could be a Rohm or a Valor, though I haven't seen one with an extractor rod like yours. That's a pretty distinctive extractor rod.

May 10, 2014, 11:37 PM	#4
ckpj99 Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2011 Posts: 386	I guess since it's a top break it's not an "extractor rod," but center pin or something like that.

May 11, 2014, 03:14 PM	#5
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	I have seen a few guns made that way, but they were made for firing blanks or gas cartridges. Jim

May 14, 2014, 06:28 PM	#6
Saxon Junior Member Join Date: May 9, 2014 Posts: 3	Interesting info... this one is definitely marked 22LR, Made in Germany (x3 places) and Young American on the barrel. im baffled too- I sell guns, I have handled/fired/researched/sold thousands of them I have never seen this one.

May 28, 2014, 12:30 PM	#10
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Commercially imported guns have to carry the name of the importer; since that gun has no maker's or importer's name, it was probably bought in Germany, maybe by an American service member, and brought in. Guns like that may be almost unknown in the U.S., since they were not imported in any quantity. Jim

May 28, 2014, 07:28 PM	#12
gyvel Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2009 Location: Northern AZ Posts: 7,172	I meant to ask you: Do the grips have any kind of a trademark or logo on them? If so, a good CLEAR photo might be of some help. At this point, I'm offering a complelely uneducated guess that it might be an old Pickert, Arminius or Omega. The one photo of an Omega, in particular, showed a cylinder of very similar construction to the one on your gun, i.e. the cylinder stop cuts were of a similar configuration.

May 28, 2014, 10:15 PM	#13
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	AFAIK, all those guns and all the other German revolvers of that general type that I know of are either solid frame or swing out cylinder revolvers. Top breaks are pretty uncommon in German guns, though there were a lot of English revolvers made that way. That one is really a mystery. Jim

May 28, 2014, 11:31 PM	#14
jackpine Senior Member Join Date: November 24, 2010 Posts: 351	looks like a German gas or starter pistol to me. Probably post WWII but pre '68

May 28, 2014, 11:56 PM	#15
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	The OP says it is marked .22 LR, so it is not a gas or blank firing gun. Jim