I just got a box of old pistols from my grandfathers collection. Just over 60 years ago when he died, his collection was broken up around the family. The pistols that were in the box were some of his "seconds" or those that he got and chose not to display. Recently my elder brother, perhaps getting softheaded just past his 70th birthday, gave me the box that essentially had not been touched for 60 + years. All were filthy dirty, rusty, jammed up with congealed grease / oil. After some gentle cleaning and oiling here are the 6 pistols. Ranging in age from the 1860s to perhaps 1920.
Clockwise starting from top left,
Smith & Wesson 1st model AKA Baby Russian .38 S&W.
(IJ) Iver Johnson model 1900 .32 rimfire, (Owl looks forward)
US Revolver (Iver Johnson) .38 S&W,
Iver Johnson third model .32 S&W (Owl looks out)
Velodog, 6mm (+/-) Belgian
Belgian caplock two barrels that unscrew for loading, .38 (+/-).
All are now in firing order, that is their actions work properly and they lock
up properly.
And yes the S&W Baby Russian does not have its correct grips, but the right ones are hard to find and expensive.
