S&W 32 Safety Hammerless - First Model

Imagine, if you will, a safety bar on the grip of a double-action revolver that keeps the gun from firing until the bar is pressed. When do you think that was first offered? I've got a Smith & Wesson 32 Safety Hammerless First Model made in Springfield, Massachusetts. Nickel is the most common finish. There isn't a hammer--at least not one you can see, which makes this a double-action-only, of course. The gun has a five-shot fluted cylinder, a smooth trigger, a round butt design with checkered rubber grips, and the special safety bar. The barrel is 3 1/2 inches long, the sights are fixed, and really, really fine. The 32 Safety Hammerless was introduced in 1888 and remained in production for 14 years with a little over 90,000 produced. All were chambered for the 32 Smith & Wesson cartridge. The serial number the gun I have is in the 16,000 range, which dates it to the early 1890s. For a demonstration of the gun's operation, be sure to check out the video above.

--Larry Potterfield