What do run for your pocket pistol side match?

[Vail Vigilante]

I literally overlooked many of the old pocket pistols when they were 20 bucks or so at pawn shops. Never saw a need for one. Now guess what you can’t buy for 20 bucks? Pocket pistols. So what do you guys use?

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

S&W Lemmon Squeezer in .32 S&W

[Three Foot Johnson]

Normally an H&R "Automatic ejecting" six shot .32 S&W.

 

[Philosopher]

Back in the day S&W pocket revolvers were about twice as expensive as similar offerings from Iver Johnson, H&R, etc. I'm HOPING S&W was able to command a higher price because their firearms were better constructed. Anyway, I've got two S&W squeezers in .32 S&W,  one more in .38 S&W, and a S&W top break in .32. All of these run great. The last squeezers  that S&W produced had an integral front sight blade, rather than a sight blade that was fit into a milled slot in the end of the barrel and then cross pinned. I THINK these later guns (post 1909?) might be better suited for reloads using smokeless powder. The few commercial cartridges I used struck me as much too hot - after a couple shots I ran the remaining cartridges through my .32 magnum revolver to harvest the brass. My reloads for these guns are extremely light with the lightest bullets available. I've even loaded cartridges that use a round ball to reduce bullet weight and chamber pressure.  Understand that smokeless powder is a risk in these old guns so do your own research and proceed accordingly. 

[Three Foot Johnson]

I have a S&W .38 Double Action Perfected, kind of an oddball made from 1909 to 1920 that I figured wasn't legal due to the manufacture date, but PW said the thumb latch is just an improvement on existing S&W top break designs of the time and so is good to go. 

 

I've got a few others, but tend to stick to the H&R above due to the larger grip. 

 

The two S&W's on the right are REALLY ugly, but shoot just fine.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

One of these, depending on how I feel at the time.

[Hoss]

SW are generally better guns than the Iver Johnson’s. I do have 1 IJ that shoots well. 32SW & 38SW are most common. I load mine with APP. IN the  38SW I use the same 105 grn .358 Bullet as my main. Arch 38sp. The bullet is a tad undersized, it may rattle a bit going down the barrel but at PP distances doesn’t matter. 
 

I also have H&Rs, a Merwin Hulbert and a couple other oddballs. But the best are the Smith & Wesson’s, followed by Iver Johnson’s. The Colt lightning is legal, but many have a 4.25” barrel, which knocked them out. Plus too delicate. 

[Philosopher]

14 hours ago, Three Foot Johnson said:

I have a S&W .38 Double Action Perfected, kind of an oddball made from 1909 to 1920 that I figured wasn't legal due to the manufacture date, but PW said the thumb latch is just an improvement on existing S&W top break designs of the time and so is good to go. 

 

I've got a few others, but tend to stick to the H&R above due to the larger grip. 

 

The two S&W's on the right are REALLY ugly, but shoot just fine.

LOVE that Perfected! Been watching the online auctions for an underpriced one.

[Three Foot Johnson]

11 minutes ago, Philosopher said:

LOVE that Perfected! Been watching the online auctions for an underpriced one.

The last two I saw on GB went quite cheap.

947040894 - about three weeks ago

942715024 - about six weeks ago

 

$800-$1000 is more the norm.

[John Kloehr]

Is this site reputable/reliable for gun prices?

 

https://truegunvalue.com/pistol/smith-wesson/38-double-action-perfected-model/price-historical-value-206

 

I did note 3 recent sales were on the "Used" page and 2 were on the "New" page.

 

Y'all got me curious about this gun.

[Bart Slade]

Never done a pocket pistol side match (yet) - but I've currently got three options (not for speed, just for fun):

 

A Colt 3rd gen. 1849 pocket model

 

An original Allen & Thurber pepperbox.   I'm yet to fire it (other than a couple of caps), but no reason to think it wouldn't fire.  Planning to test it out this winter

 

An original Smith & Wesson Model 1 (.22 short).   Haven't fired this one either, I need to figure out how to manufacture some rounds for this one.  

 

The S&W is the one I'm most interested in using, just need to work out a method for generating the cartridges.

[Hoss]

1 hour ago, Bart Slade said:

Never done a pocket pistol side match (yet) - but I've currently got three options (not for speed, just for fun):

 

A Colt 3rd gen. 1849 pocket model

 

An original Allen & Thurber pepperbox.   I'm yet to fire it (other than a couple of caps), but no reason to think it wouldn't fire.  Planning to test it out this winter

 

An original Smith & Wesson Model 1 (.22 short).   Haven't fired this one either, I need to figure out how to manufacture some rounds for this one.  

 

The S&W is the one I'm most interested in using, just need to work out a method for generating the cartridges.

The SW woukd be fun to shoot, but……not SASS pocket pistol legal. Has to be >31 caliber 

[Hoss]

1 hour ago, Philosopher said:

LOVE that Perfected! Been watching the online auctions for an underpriced one.

I had a Perfected Model. It was ok, definitely a stronger lockup than others, but was not my fastest PP. maybe with some work it would have been better. I would up selling it.  

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Is that perfected a 5 or 6 shot?

[Bart Slade]

16 minutes ago, Hoss said:

The SW woukd be fun to shoot, but……not SASS pocket pistol legal. Has to be >31 caliber 

Oh man that's right!   Damn rules.   Guess I'll have to track down a model 1 1/2 

[Hoss]

45 minutes ago, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

Is that perfected a 5 or 6 shot?

5

[Hoss]

33 minutes ago, Bart Slade said:

Oh man that's right!   Damn rules.   Guess I'll have to track down a model 1 1/2 

Lime this one! Actually, this is a model 2 I think. 

 That was my first pocket pistol. They can be an addiction! 
 

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

2 hours ago, Bart Slade said:

An original Smith & Wesson Model 1 (.22 short).   Haven't fired this one either, I need to figure out how to manufacture some rounds for this one.  

 

The S&W is the one I'm most interested in using, just need to work out a method for generating the cartridges.

CB Shorts might be okay.  They are basically just primers.

[DeaconKC]

39 minutes ago, Hoss said:

Lime this one! Actually, this is a model 2 I think. 

 That was my first pocket pistol. They can be an addiction! 
 

 

K11 or 31 bolt?

[Hoss]

32 minutes ago, DeaconKC said:

 

K11 or 31 bolt?

31!

[DeaconKC]

2 minutes ago, Hoss said:

31!

Did it have the name tag under the butt plate?

[Hoss]

25 minutes ago, DeaconKC said:

Did it have the name tag under the butt plate?

Sadly, no. That was the first thing I did when I got home with it! 
I’ve only shot it a few times. Going to shoot it more soon. 

[watab kid]

i had a nice S&W 32 revolver a good while back , but i sold it at a weak moment to someone that really wanted it bad - probably for this reason but im not certain of that , i wish i had it back but on the other hand ive not shot side match pocket pistol events and i might not enjoy them ..........but i probably would , 

[Hellbender]

21 hours ago, Three Foot Johnson said:

The last two I saw on GB went quite cheap.

947040894 - about three weeks ago

942715024 - about six weeks ago

 

$800-$1000 is more the norm.

I also have a .38 DA S&W Perfected model, one which I believe was from the first year of manufacture (1909) based on the low serial number (12XX). I bought it at a pawn shop and I seem to remember paying $200 for it.  This is the one I use in side matches.  I also have a nickel plated .38 S&W DA 4th version, which I believe was manufactured in 1908 based on its serial number.  That one belonged to my grandfather and I've never shot it.

 

 

[Boomstick Bruce]

I shoot an Iver Johnson first model safety hammer in .32S&W short that I picked up for $100 on auction arms. It has a modified wolff SAA mainspring, a hand made trigger return spring and a "fluff and buff" action job. All done by me. I tied for first place in this past WV showdown side match. holding 5 playing cards stapled together, at the buzzer drop the cards and pick up the pistol, engage 3 paper plates 2-1-2. We did it in 1.65. The other first place shooter (rawhide ron iirc) was shooting a S&W in 38S&W.

[German Jim]

A H&R .38 Smith & Wesson.

[Rye Miles #13621]

On 10/1/2022 at 8:24 PM, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

S&W Lemmon Squeezer in .32 S&W

That’s what I used several years ago. I actually won twice with that gun, I haven’t shot it in years. 

[Griff]

Doesn't matter what I have for a pocket pistol.  It's been a least 10 years since I entered one of those side matches.  And muscle memory made me try to cock the double action anyway... the off thumb just got in the way and slowed me WAY down!  

[Twin SASS#9553]

One of these or another lemon squeezer, new departure, safety hammerless.

Best bang for the buck. Usually only requires tuning the mainspring to make one slick.

I do not recommend Dry firing. Firing pins are hard to come by but I believe one could be made from a vaquero firing pin. I will know once I run out of original firing pins.

[Marshal Fire, SASS 10064]

I have a 32 Smith and Wesson hammer less that I like to use. My great uncle owned a grocery store in a small community. His wife worked the cash register, and he was the butcher. He bought the gun to keep under the counter at the store. Was fired only five times . When he retired, the gun was given to my father and then to me. I enjoy the history of family guns and this is a favorite to be able to use in a side match.