Another blast from the past today. This is a Harrington and Richardson break top in .38 Smith and Wesson. Obviously it is in poor condition, but it is an interesting example of another inexpensive defensive weapon from the turn of the 20th century. It is much like the Iver Johnson .32 that I posted a while back, but is far from identical. First off, it is larger and in .38 rather than .32. If you find one of these break tops, it is likely in either .32 S&W or .38 S&W. There are some .22 rimfires out there, but the 2 S&W cartridges seem to be the most popular for defensive size guns. The .38 S&W is not at all the same as the .38 special we all know today. The bullet diameter is larger and it is far less powerful.
Another key difference is the way in which this revolver functions. When the trigger is pulled the hand rotates the cylinder into battery. Unlike most revolvers, the cylinder lock is part of the trigger. The cylinder basically freewheels until the trigger makes its way all the way back. The firing pin is part of the hammer and protrudes so that it touches the primer at rest. For this reason, I would never recommend carrying one of these around with the hammer on a live round. Drop test FAIL. This example is missing the hand so it does not rotate the cylinder and is not in firing condition.
I rather like these old break tops. They are a useful design and a real part of history. I would love to see the design brought back with modern materials and cartridges. Many people say that the design is weak and it is surely weaker than a solid frame. But, remember that the .45 Schofeild is the gun that started this whole break top thing and that packed a punch for sure.
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| Pretty rough shape |
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| .38 special brass fits nicely. No .38 S&W in my inventory. |
