This is a Smith and Wesson break top in 38 Smith and Wesson. About 25 years ago the gun came my way while at the same time an elderly friend of the family living in a Dodge City area requested a pistol. I was not sure what to give her, but when this gun which is more powerful than a 22 but doesn't kick bad showed up I knew it was the hand of God. Also it can't be cocked leaving her trying to lower the hammer which is another big plus of this pistol. She had it from then until this year when she moved to independent living and decided she didn't need it any more. It is in better shape than I remember. She never shot it.

It sat around here with a box of ammo from the 1970s until I couldn't take it any more so I shot it. The first pic is my first attempt. I was worried about a squib ruining the gun but shot the ammo anyway. It turned out to be sure fire. It was clean and the box was in good shape so I thought the sign was right it would be OK. It took me a few shots to get the hang of it. The second target was my second go around with it and I figured out the right hold and started stroking the trigger on through. It will hold the X ring at 7 yards no problem.

It is hard to find one of these old guns in working order any longer so I cleaned it and put it away for now. Judging by the serial number it was made about 1940 so it is one of the last ones made before WW II. Not going to shoot it to death. It was fun to shoot it though and made me smile. I can also say that someone carried it a lot because it has really pronounced ghosts on the recoil shield. Apparently they took care of it.

I guess I'm going to buy a box of ammo for it so I will have fresh ammo. Even with the corona craziness there is no run on 38 Smith and Wesson lol. I wish I could find a nickel version of this gun with the short barrel but they are not around.

That's pretty cool, OP.  That would be a fun one to run a cylinder or three through every so often, just to enjoy the fact that it still functions.

I remember a woman who had a HD revolver she had never fired.
I don't recall if she was in a duty to retreat state, but when the bad guy broke in she retreated into the attic with her kids. She dumped on him as he was coming up the stairs at her, and got either 5 or 6 hits. One of the later hits proved fatal. Good thing there wasn't two of him, but she proved that you don't need any special training to protect your family with a firearm.

Thats a awesome pic!

Reminds me of my old neighbor. The Dragon Lady.
Nearly blind. But I went to check on her one day and I snuck up on her in the garden.  She warned me to always hollar out if I went her house. Cause she'll shoot first and ask questions later! I hollar'd like a banshee from that day on when ever I walked towards her place.

Very neat little gun and props to the lady that had it.

I kinda wish I would have bought something similar when they were cheaper and I had more discretionary funds.

She looks like the kind of old lady who would shoot a bad guy in his tracks and then scold him for being a criminal while waiting for the police lol.  Great pic!

S&W Safety Hammerless, also known as the "Lemon Squeezer" due to the grip safety

Nice looking gun. Ammo is fine. Box looks to be pretty New Late 60’s early 70’s. Properly stored ammo lasts forever. I have shoot good condition ammo made before World War One without problems. Ammo is not milk there is no expiration date!

Slick little revolver, I'm glad she never needed to use it.
I like blued guns but yes, a shiney version would be pretty stylin'.

She actually did use it one time to run off a guy who was trying to steal her window unit air conditioner. She saw the air conditioner wiggling in the window and got the Squeezer. She pulled back the curtain and tapped on the window with the muzzle of the gun. Dude took off lol

Well.... there ya go