Jump to content
SASS Wire Forum

help to identify a handgun


Swallowfork, SASS #35326

Recommended Posts

I have a copy of an old photgraph of Canadian plains Indian taken probably in the 1880s or 90s. I think he was a scout for the North West Mounted Police. It shows him with a revolver in the cross draw position on his left hip in a double loop Cheyenne style holster. The revolver has a pearl handle and has a lanyard. From the look of the butt and the fact it has a lanyard makes me think it is a Remington but I am not all that familiar with Remingtons. If it is a Remington, would this be the model 1890? Was that the only Remington that had a lanyard ring? Could it be some other make? I know for a fact that the NWMP did not issue any single action revolver to their Troopers. I will email a copy of the picture if that would help.

 

Thanks to all.

 

Here is alink if you wish to see the picture.

 

www.lazybobranch.homestead.com/canadian_indians.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Russian Schofields also had a lanyard on them. Not sure from your description that you could rule that model out or not.

 

Chick

It was not a schofield for sure. It has a Colt/Remington style grip but it looks like it has the small hump toward the top.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would think that a Webley MK I or MK II, or an Enfield would be more likely in that area of the world. RCMP issue.

 

E-mail me a pic at sixshooterbob@hotmail.com.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A few ideas:

 

1) Colt SAA could be special ordered "back then" with a lanyard. I've got pictures of a few with the lanyard.

 

2) Colt 1902 was very abundant and had a lanyard

 

3) Remington 1890 "Police" came w/ a lanyard. This is a very prized collector piece. Remington made only 2000 of them. Of interest, most saw duty with Indian Police on the Reservations.

 

 

Pancho

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would think that a Webley MK I or MK II, or an Enfield would be more likely in that area of the world. RCMP issue.

 

E-mail me a pic at sixshooterbob@hotmail.com.

Picture on the way!

 

Swallowfork

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does it look like any of these? => Canadian Service Revolvers

 

In the picture, they are:

 

Left side:

- Webley New Model R.I.C. revolver

- Enfield MkII revolver (nominally .476 caliber - but they are effectively .455's ...)

- Webley "W.G. Target" Model (.450/.455)

- Webley Mark V service revolver

Right side:

- S&W 2nd Model Hand Ejector (WWI Canadian Contract)

- Colt New Service Revolver

- "Revolver, O.P., No. 1, Mark I" (A Spanish copy of the S&W .44 Double Action, accepted by Britain for WWI service)

- Webley Mark VI service revolver

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay I've looked at the pic and blown it up as much as I can but the resolution isn't good enough to say. It does resemble a Remington grip. I wish he had been holding it in his hand for a better look.

Instead he's holding what looks like a dead ringer for a Japanese Katana!! Now figure that'n out!! :blink: :blink:

 

I put it on the web and sent Swallowfork a link he can post so you all can get a gander.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The web's a pretty big place Bob. Where'd you post it?

 

.Hopefully he'll post it in his original post so it won't be buried down here.

Ya know how some folks don't read the whole thread? ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The web's a pretty big place Bob. Where'd you post it?

 

pic

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Man thats one crazy picture- I have to start dressing like that guy!!! :lol:

 

And a very cool hat! :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does it look like any of these? => Canadian Service Revolvers

 

In the picture, they are:

 

Left side:

- Webley New Model R.I.C. revolver

- Enfield MkII revolver (nominally .476 caliber - but they are effectively .455's ...)

- Webley "W.G. Target" Model (.450/.455)

- Webley Mark V service revolver

Right side:

- S&W 2nd Model Hand Ejector (WWI Canadian Contract)

- Colt New Service Revolver

- "Revolver, O.P., No. 1, Mark I" (A Spanish copy of the S&W .44 Double Action, accepted by Britain for WWI service)

- Webley Mark VI service revolver

 

 

The coolly-fluted cylinder on that Enfield MkII-- looks like where the Ruger LCR cylinder design came from!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe that your guess of a Remington may be very accurate. The frame of the Remington extends farther back on the grip than does the Colt. This photo seems to show that extended profile. The Remington Models that would fit this photo would be the 1858 Army, the 1861 Navy, the 1875 and the 1890. I do not see any cartridges on the belt or a cartridge pouch, so this may be a cap-n-ball version. It is not a S&W, MH, Adams, Enfield, or Webley.

The coolest part of this photo is the sword with its near-samauri profile. I have never noticed anything like it in the western photos that I have seen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe that your guess of a Remington may be very accurate. The frame of the Remington extends farther back on the grip than does the Colt. This photo seems to show that extended profile. The Remington Models that would fit this photo would be the 1858 Army, the 1861 Navy, the 1875 and the 1890. I do not see any cartridges on the belt or a cartridge pouch, so this may be a cap-n-ball version. It is not a S&W, MH, Adams, Enfield, or Webley.

The coolest part of this photo is the sword with its near-samauri profile. I have never noticed anything like it in the western photos that I have seen.

 

A sword was originally part of the NWMP officer uniform. If you do a Google search for NWMP pictures you will no doubt see some members of the NWMP with a sword.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I had to vote I'd vote for 1890 Remington, but they were probably ivory as opposed to pearl. Pearl was easily cracked & ivory is far more durable and was not that expensive back in the 19th & early 20th centuries. May have also been bone. I had an old S&W of that era that had homemade bone grips on it. Whoever made them did a nice job too. The holster sure wasn't Mountie issue either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And it might be a S&W Russian. That fancy silver chain lanyard combined with that Cossack sword and fur coat could have been gifts from when Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich (Link) made his American tour.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

pic

 

That picture makes me think of a line from a 1980's movie:

 

 

"There can be only one."

 

 

Heck, that poor old injun probably hit the mescale too hard last night. Woke the next morning wear clothes and gear with no idea where it came from. If that sword is a katana, there's gotta be a great story on how it got there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was wondering if someone would complain if you showed up at a match wearing that non-cowboy hat.

 

But I suspect if you were carrying that sword, they would not. :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.