INSCRIBED CIVIL WAR MOORE .32 CAL. RIMFIRE REVOLVER

$2,250.00 SOLD

Quantity Available: None

Item Code: 490-4148

This inscribed Civil War Moore revolver rates very good for condition with about 30 percent original finish overall, stronger on the silvered engraved brass frame, triggerguard and grip strap, and less on the blued barrel assembly and cylinder, but with smooth metal showing just a little freckling on the lower rear barrel assembly, and sharp lettering and numbers. The grips show good color and finish, but some handling dings and scratches. The barrel assembly shows some deeper blue near the cylinder. It then thins out toward the muzzle, mixing with gray and showing lighter from rubbing along the edges. The barrel assembly, cylinder, and hammer match well in color. The cylinder shows just a light drag line.

Carrying not six, but seven self-contained metallic .32 Cal. rimfire cartridges, the Moore came with silver-washed engraved brass frame, triggerguard and buttstrap as standard features, all making it a viable threat to Smith and Wesson, who made sure to shut down its production with a patent-infringement lawsuit after some 5,000 to 8,000 had been produced from 1861 to 1863. Late production guns had a Smith and Wesson designation added to them. This pistol, serial #2567, has the standard barrel address, in crisp lettering: “D. MOORE PATENT SEPT. 18, 1862.” Barrel length is 5 ¾”; hammer holds at both half and full cock and cylinder indexes properly. Barrel is mostly clean with a small amount of pitting near the breech.

The pistol loaded by unlatching the cylinder and barrel assembly, rotating it to the right and using a barrel mounted detachable ejector rod to get rid of spent cartridges and then insert new rounds. We note that in this case the ejector rod has a narrow checkered section to improve one’s grip. Some think this method of rotating the cylinder and barrel over to the side was more rugged than the top-hinge method used on the S&W No. 2, making it even more of a threat to that company. In any case, the silver-washed engraving on the pistol must have been a selling point. This employs floral scrolls on the frame and recoil shield, simple geometric designs on the butt and triggerguard, and elongated floral scrolls on the base of the backstrap, which has a fan-shell at top (under the hammer,) framing a space that just begs for an inscription- a clever design that must have appealed to dealers with the prospect of making some additional money for adding the inscription. In this case the name “B M Holcomb” is nicely engraved in a thin script. A check of military records does not provide a definite hit and he may well have been a civilian. The pistol, however, would fit well in an officer’s display or collection of early metallic cartridge arms. [sr] [ph:m]

DISCLAIMER: All firearms are sold as collector's items only - we do not accept responsibility as to the shooting safety or reliability of any antique firearm. All firearms are described as accurately as possible, given the restraints of a catalog listing length. We want satisfied customers & often "under" describe the weapons. Any city or state regulations regarding owning antique firearms are the responsibility of the purchaser. All firearms are "mechanically perfect" unless noted, but again, are NOT warranted as safe to fire!

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