In House Shipping:
Make: Smith & Wesson
Model: Number 2 “Old Army”
Serial Number: 25301
Year of Manufacture: 1864, as 1863 production ended with S/N 15859, and 1864 production ended with S/N 29359.
Caliber: .32 Rimfire
Action Type: Single Action 6-Shot Revolver with Tip-Up Barrel
Barrel Length: 6” Octagon. Full-length top rib.
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a rounded brass blade fixed to the barrel. The rear sight is a “V”-notch cut into the cylinder stop leaf on top of the cylinder that reveals itself once the hammer is cocked.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are gorgeous, mellow two-piece antique ivory panels on a flat butt grip frame. There are some notable lines of age crazing on the bottoms of both panels, and there are some light handling marks on both grips. There is a thin crack inside the left grip panel that runs from the base. There is verdigris forming on the escutcheons. Overall, the grips rate in about Good to Very Good Condition.
Type of Finish: Once Blued. The frame, barrel, and cylinder were once blued, but have worn down almost completely to the white. The hammer and trigger were once case colored. The remaining observable blue can be seen in protected areas like under the rib of the barrel. The blue that is left has begun to turn to mostly patina. There is beautiful Germanic vine scroll factory engraving at each side of the frame, cylinder, and ends of the barrel, as well as along the butt strap, back strap, and top of the frame and barrel.
Finish Originality: Original. This revolver has been cleaned and most of the finish removed.
Bore Condition: The bore is gray with some still apparent rifling. There is sporadic erosion throughout. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates at 6/10.
Most antique firearms have bores that will show erosion. This is not only due to age but to the use of black powder. When fired, black powder reacts corrosively. NRA Antique Firearm Conditions Standards are quite lenient for bores. In some cases, the NRA standards disregard the bore condition for collector firearms.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 5% of its metal finish. There are a few light handling marks scattered over the barrel, front strap, and backstrap. There is light oxidation and even some surface rust forming towards the muzzle. The majority of the finish has been cleaned and brought down to the white. The screw heads are lightly tool marked. The markings are clear. Overall, this handgun rates in about Good Condition.
Mechanics: The revolver functions as designed. The barrel lockup shows a small amount of both side-to-side and up-and-down play. We did not fire this handgun. As with all previously owned firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This revolver comes with a reproduction English style fitted, blue fabric lined case with some period accessories. The case is well constructed of walnut with brass hinges and brass locking clasp with the key provided. The exterior has some heavy handling marks and what appears to be water spots. The interior fabric has some marks from where the revolver and accessories rest, but overall the case is in Good to Very Good Condition. The accessories include an original antique box of Winchester .32 Long Rimfire cartridges, a period correct Confederate $1 bill, and a period correct State of Mississippi $100 bill. The currency is in rough shape, but adds nicely to the display. The ammo will ship separately.
Our Assessment: Smith & Wesson was the leader in the commercial development of rimfire cartridges before the Civil War. With war clouds looming, Smith & Wesson realized they needed a revolver with a little more punch than their Model 1 .22, and introduced their Model 2 “Old Army” .32 in 1861. Like the Model 1, the Model 2 was a tip-up design, with a 6-shot non-fluted cylinder and a “spur” trigger. Although the US government didn’t purchase any Model 2s, the State of Kentucky ordered over 700 Model 2 “Armies” from Benjamin Kittredge & Co. in late 1862, and even more in 1863. They also remained a popular private purchase sidearm among cavalrymen and officers. General George Armstrong Custer is known to have carried a pair during the “War Between the States”.
This Antique Factory Engraved Smith & Wesson US Civil War Era Model 2 “Old Army” was made in 1864 and is in Good Condition. It features a 6” tip-up barrel, only 5% of its original blued and case colored finish, with the remainder having been cleaned or worn away, beautiful Germanic vine scroll factory engraving at each side of the frame, cylinder, and ends of the barrel, as well as along the butt strap, back strap, and top of the frame and barrel, gorgeous, mellow two-piece antique ivory grips, and a gray bore with some still apparent rifling and sporadic erosion throughout. This revolver comes with a reproduction English style fitted, blue fabric lined walnut case and some period accessories, including an original antique box of Winchester .32 Long Rimfire cartridges, a period correct Confederate $1 bill, and a period correct State of Mississippi $100 bill. The currency is in rough shape, but adds nicely to the display. The ammo will ship separately. This is a wonderful factory engraved, ivory gripped Smith & Wesson “Old Army” from 1864, during the throes of the “Great Rebellion”.