Old family guns

[Xrslug]

My dad recently gave me my great-great-grandfather’s Remington Rider pocket revolver, which looks to have been the J frame of its day. Apparently one of the first double action revolvers made in large numbers in the US. Anybody know more about these? It’s in rough shape, but I’m still glad to have it:

This joins my great-grandfather’s DWM American Eagle Luger in 7.62, which is still very much functional. It was apparently his sidearm when he was an officer in the Michigan national guard. Or at least that’s the family story.


My dad was not a big gun guy — he had a Colt SAA in 45 Colt that he sold before I was born — definitely wish we still had that one in the family. Anyone have old family guns with history?

[UNK]

My dad recently gave me my great-great-grandfather’s Remington Rider pocket revolver, which looks to have been the J frame of its day. Apparently one of the first double action revolvers made in large numbers in the US. Anybody know more about these? It’s in rough shape, but I’m still glad to have it:

This joins my great-grandfather’s DWM American Eagle Luger in 7.62, which is still very much functional. It was apparently his sidearm when he was an officer in the Michigan national guard. Or at least that’s the family story.


My dad was not a big gun guy — he had a Colt SAA in 45 Colt that he sold before I was born — definitely wish we still had that one in the family. Anyone have old family guns with history?

A flat trigger. I guess there really is nothing new.

[Xrslug]

True! And given how curvy other elements of the pistol are, I’m assuming the flat trigger was a deliberate design choice and not a cost-cutting measure. My speculation would be it was to give some extra leverage (and travel) for the double-action pull, but I don’t know.

[BehindBlueI's]

A flat trigger. I guess there really is nothing new.

Flat triggers predate cartridge ammunition. I've got pics of wheel locks from the 16th century with flat triggers.

[Hambo]

I wouldn't read too much into trigger design of 19th century revolvers.

My old family gun is a run of the mill Iver Johnson top break in .38 S&W. I load black powder cartridges for it and it works/shoots well. It has a pre-Glock trigger safety which is probably unnecessary with the 20# trigger pull.