Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice service worn example of a Japanese Contract Smith & Wesson .32-caliber rimfire Model 2 Army Revolver, made in the late 1860s or early 1870s. It features a 6 inch unshortened barrel, and has a lovely service worn patina of age.

As a result of the "Meiji Restoration" that ended the Tokugawa shogunate and returned power to the Emperor, the country began a period of "Enlightened Rule." Japan ended its long isolation, and began a policy of modernization across all aspects of life. This of course included the military, and they began to import larger numbers of small arms, as their domestic arms production industry was only in its infancy. These came from all over the world, which of course would include the large industrial capacity of the United States.

From what we can see, there were several importers in Japan, located in major port cities of the empire. Smith & Wesson factory records may be able to tell which importer acquired this pistol, however some were sent outside official channels. The left side of the barrel is marked with two lines of Japanese characters, which appear to be the registration information. The line on the left we believe reads 武 庫 同, which is probably an arsenal or prefecture marking. The right line looks to read 壬 申 一 〇 五 七, with the last 4 characters being the numbers 1057, which would be the registration number. Unfortunately the characters are not struck entirely firmly, so we are not sure about our transcription. It wasn't until 1872 that registration was required for guns such as this, so unfortunately these will not tell much about where or when it was originally imported. We have seen examples of contract guns that were not dated until 1898, thirty year after importation

The serial number is 59680, probably dating production to 1869-1870, right during the time period when these were being imported into Japan. We had another example about 800 off from this example previously. This number is found on the on the inside of the right grip scale, while the number on the bottom of the grip is only seen by removing the post-manufacture lanyard ring. There is also assembly number JJ 5 on the grip frame, barrel, and cylinder. That makes this a very desirable "ALL MATCHING" example, with no major parts swapped out over the years!

With three pins on the top of the frame and a large serial number, some consider this to be a Model 2, type 4. The hardwood grips are original and have a matching serial number on the inside of the right scale, and both show only a bit of wear, though they were possibly refinished at some point. The revolver has a lovely aged gray patina overall, showing years of cleaning with a bit of light oxidation peppering. It still has the original Smith & Wesson address marking marked on top of the barrel rib:

SMITH & WESSON SPRINGFIELD. MASS

The Patent information on the cylinder is still present with a bit of wear, but is still easily legible, even without a magnifier:

PATENTED APRIL 3. 1855. JULY 5.1859 & DEC 18 1860.

The revolver cycles great, with accurate indexing, a firm cylinder lockup, and a crisp dry fire. We did not notice any of the usual finicky behavior we often see on revolvers of this age. The bore is in very good condition, showing clear lands and grooves with a mostly bright finish. There is a bit of light wear, but no major oxidation issues, just a bit of light fouling.

This is a nice chance to own a historically significant gun in very nice service worn condition! A Japanese contract revolver from the 19th century, this revolver is ready to research and display!

Specifications: 

Year of Manufacture: late 1860s - early 1870s
Caliber: .32cal
Ammunition Type: Rimfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 6 inches
Overall Length: 11 inches
Action: Single Action 
Feed System: 6 Shot Revolver

More on the Smith & Wesson Model 2 Army:
Revolvers with serial numbers under 35,731 are considered to be civil war guns since they were manufactured before May 1st, 1865. All are 32-caliber rimfire with a six shot non-fluted cylinder. All were manufactured with rosewood grips and blue or nickel-plated finishes. The barrels are marked on top with the manufacturer and patent dates are stamped on the cylinder. Most were made with 6 or 5 inch barrels, with 4 available as a special order.

According to published sources, 77,155 Model 2 Army revolvers were made. To date, the serial numbers on observed specimens have not substantiated this figure, 76,642 being the highest number noted. Unfortunately, the Smith & Wesson factory records for this period are incomplete and do not give a comprehensive picture of production.

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IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.

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Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.