found this in a pawn shop in 1989

[Yucon Cornelius]

I bought this gun in Arkansas in 89, cheap. fired twenty rounds, saved 5, put it up. The tag says "Thames 38 CAL" the stamp on the barrell says #######5-86 (cant make out the 1st part) 38 Cal.
Any idea when, where, by who this was made, or how much it may be worth.
mike

 

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[kenb]

Looks like an Iver Johnsons .32 I've got floating around the office here. Copy of a popular Smith & Wesson. Mine's got an owl head on the grip, any distingushing markings on it?

kenb

 

[warsawdaddy]

THAMES ARMS 38 CAL. REVOLVER IN UNFIRED CONDITION. WITH 100% ORIGINAL NICKEL FINISH, PERFECT GRIPS, AND AN EXCELLENT BORE. MARKED "THAMES ARM ...(read more)

Seller: EBCO (FFL Dealer) $200.00

 

[Night Stalker]

I'll go $25.00

 

[warsawdaddy]

My post came from "Guns America".

 

[silverswede]

Does it say "Saturday night Special" anywhere on it?

 

[Yucon Cornelius]

the only markings are on top the barrell. SN and caliber
my friend did some research with a gun collector. the last 3 digits of the sn are mfg date. this one says 5-86. it wwas mfgd may 1886, worth from 50-200 only, but its the oldest thing i own, along with my 1886 silver dollar. i may display them together

 

[Monty]

Along in the 20s and 30s there were a lot of cheaper copies of the Smith and Wesson top-break revolvers. That's what you have, almost identical to the one I have displayed on my wall at home. Looks like nickel plated and probably worth fifty to a hundred bucks. Unless everything is really tight on it I wouldn't fire it and if you do , be sure to use only .38 S&W ammo. Ammo is getting scarce but most big gun stores will have it.

 

[ivan salis]

it's a bumble killer.

 

[N.J.THer]

Monty...I hope you don't rent with the size of the nails you used to display that gun...no security deposit for you. LOL

 

[Monty]

Those are dug nails. Dug them out of my tool chest. M nty

 

[Waco Kid]

Looks like an Iver Johnsons .32 I've got floating around the office here. Copy of a popular Smith & Wesson. Mine's got an owl head on the grip, any distingushing markings on it?

kenb

Off-topic bit of trivia: That's the same kind of gun that was used to assassinate President McKinley.

 

[blurr]

Looks like an Iver Johnsons .32 I've got floating around the office here. Copy of a popular Smith & Wesson. Mine's got an owl head on the grip, any distingushing markings on it?

kenb

Off-topic bit of trivia: That's the same kind of gun that was used to assassinate President McKinley.

Czolgosz 1901 Iver-Johnson .32 cal, 5-shot revolver, owls on the side, black grip. The owl was the logo of Iver-Johnson Firearms Company, and is set into the pattern of the grip mold. Even when holding the gun in your hand, it is awfully difficult to see the logo. Certainly the audience can never see it. Don’t sweat over this minutiae which is completely insignificant. [I hate details like this that are thrown into scripts but provide no benefit to the production.]

G25 - BICYCLE IVER-JOHNSON – [43.56]


John

 

[bill gent]

bad place to display a gun bro it would be the first thing they stole if u want to display it best have it encased in a block of lucite

 

[chong2]

take the grips off and see if there is any markings, scratched in. they just discovered a guys that was part of the lincoln county war over here. with "billy the kid" it wasnt his, i think it was a part of a shooting at a old mill here, i forgot the guys name. i think he was involved in a incedent at blazers mill

 

[ivan salis]

yep they used call em ---owlheads ---break tops---popular little gun --- very old--- check it out very, very welll before you fire it ---had one "split" along the barrel on me years ago ---lucky it didn't blow apart --but it did split (cracked) lengthwize down the barrel--didn't hurt me but did scare the bejesus outta me--- I was lucky as heck---make very sure to use the "correct" ammo and a "mild" load at that. if you do shoot it --personally I say don't shoot it----Ivan

 

[Monty]

I'm pretty sure we have established it is a .38 caliber as per the markings on the barrel. A .32 would drop almost right through the cylinder. The .38 S&W is a stubby little cartridge that looks like a shortened .38 Special, except it uses a bullet no smaller than .358". It is a little fat for some .38 Special or .357 magnum cylinders and won't chamber in most high quality guns of those calibers. I don't know why I am telling you this except I was a gun nut long before I was a metal detecting nut. M nty

 

[ivan salis]

monty more worried about a hot modern 38 cal if it fits into the old gun--the pressure could blow it apart ---also those real old guns sometime are wore out --the metals quite old and some of them aren't made that well---even the "correct load and ammo" can bust em into pieces---the .32 cal one who barrel split as I fired it had the "correct ammo" in it and gave me no warning that it was weak---thats why I say use it for a "wall hanger" only. Ivan

 

[TreasureTales]

OK, sticking my big nose into this little discussion. The word "Thames" makes me think of London, England. Could this gun have been made in Britain? Maybe to appeal to the American market?

 

[ivan salis]

"british made" guns were though of as high class---like fine "bird guns" by fox and purdy and others ---- the gun might be british made or it might just be a marketing ploy of an american company. lots of these small guns werte around---thet were quite common. Ivan