Pocket Pistol side match question

[Doc X]

I got to shoot my first pocket pistol side match last weekend and it was a hoot! So now I need to pick one up of my own. I've been looking at the US Revolver Co and Iver Johnsons. Are the hammerless ones considered an old enough design?

[Goody, SASS #26190]

Yes

[Doc X]

THANKS!  Thought so but figured I'd better check.

 

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Depending on when it was made, it may or may not be safe for use with smokeless powder.  Again, depending on who made it, there are certain features that will tell you, one way or the other.

 

Iver Johnson made pretty decent pistols, in my opinion, and I have do have one.   Used it at EoT a few years ago.  Smith and Wesson made some great ones, but they will run you the most money to purchase.   Well, except maybe for a Colt Lightning with a short enough barrel...  Some of the other  "off brands" from back in the day are as good as anything else out there, and others were cheapo depot things.  I'm trying to stay as general as possible here, as a lot of what makes a good pocket pistol is very much in the preference of the shooter.   

For example...

 

 

They come in all shapes, sizes, makes and calibers.  I would say that if the particular side match is speed based that a DA is the way to go.  On the other hand, if it's an accuracy match, something like the Merwin and Hulbert in the upper left works really well.

Good luck

[Hoss]

The Smith & Wesson pocket pistols are arguably the best built. I have several. I prefer the hammer model over the lemon squeezer, but that’s just me. I also have Iver Johnson, H&R, Merwin Hulbert, A Colt Lightening, and a couple of others. They are fun to shoot, not overly expensive so fun to collect. I primarily only shoot BP or BP sub APP in mine. 
 

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Nice collection, Hoss.   

Although your Lightning looks like it's barrel is too long for pocket pistol use.   I have one like that in addition to the pocket legal one in my above pic, and I think they are really fun guns to shoot.

I am more curious though about the Smith to the right of the Lightning, the one that's still a top break, but has a release button like on their more modern swing out cylinder models.  In fact that gun has an odd mixture of "Old" and "New" design features.  I've seen pics of them, but never one in real life.   I've heard that of all the S&W top breaks that this was the strongest design of the lot, as well as the last one.  How does it shoot?  What caliber is it?