Please Tell Me About this British Bulldog Revolver - The Firearms Forum

dglockster · 05-24-2009, 08:49 AM

Years ago, I inherited an old revolver about which I am curious. I will appreciate whatever anyone can tell me about the gun.

The topstrap is stamped “British Bulldog.” I presume that it is .38 caliber and that’s all the technical information that I know about the gun. Squeezing the trigger will rotate the cylinder but does not cause the hammer to function. However, cocking the hammer manually does cause the cylinder to rotate. From its condition, the value is sentimental only.

The revolver came to me after the death of an uncle. According to his wife, who died a few years after him, the story that goes with the revolver is that he carried the revolver as a personal weapon during WWII. He was a chief petty officer with the Pacific Fleet and in the latter stages of the war, his ship was sunk during an engagement with the Japanese. He and some of his buddies survived by climbing onto a large piece of debris that was floating near by. During the course of events that followed, supposedly a Japanese pilot who had been shot down also managed to get to the same piece of debris and climbed aboard. Because my uncle was armed, he was able to subdue the pilot and keep him captive until they were all rescued. There is no way to verify the story but it does make the revolver interesting.

Thanks in advance for any information that you can give me.

Below are several pictures of the revolver.

22WRF · 05-24-2009, 09:28 AM

This is the link to where it was discussed previously.

Yours is Belgium made (proof marks)

http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?p=440615

hrf · 05-24-2009, 09:58 AM

If carried WW-2, it was probably then at least 50 years old, as the ELG Liege proofmark without crown is pre-1893. There were hordes of these made by Belgian "cottage industry" workers late 19th century, and sold in USA for under five dollars. Here's an ad from the 1886 catalog of J. P. Moore, New York:

dglockster · 05-24-2009, 11:22 AM

Thank you for the link and for the picture. That really gives me a better idea about this little revolver.

RJay · 05-24-2009, 11:50 AM

And sadly, FWIW, the pictured Belgium firearm never spenr a few hours in salt water. A another fine war story shot down.

dglockster · 05-24-2009, 11:06 PM

That's probably why they are called "war stories."

05-24-2009, 08:49 AM	#1
dglockster Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 38	Please Tell Me About this British Bulldog Revolver Years ago, I inherited an old revolver about which I am curious. I will appreciate whatever anyone can tell me about the gun. The topstrap is stamped “British Bulldog.” I presume that it is .38 caliber and that’s all the technical information that I know about the gun. Squeezing the trigger will rotate the cylinder but does not cause the hammer to function. However, cocking the hammer manually does cause the cylinder to rotate. From its condition, the value is sentimental only. The revolver came to me after the death of an uncle. According to his wife, who died a few years after him, the story that goes with the revolver is that he carried the revolver as a personal weapon during WWII. He was a chief petty officer with the Pacific Fleet and in the latter stages of the war, his ship was sunk during an engagement with the Japanese. He and some of his buddies survived by climbing onto a large piece of debris that was floating near by. During the course of events that followed, supposedly a Japanese pilot who had been shot down also managed to get to the same piece of debris and climbed aboard. Because my uncle was armed, he was able to subdue the pilot and keep him captive until they were all rescued. There is no way to verify the story but it does make the revolver interesting. Thanks in advance for any information that you can give me. Below are several pictures of the revolver. __________________ No Guns, No Peace. Know Guns, Know Peace. --> Last edited by dglockster; 05-24-2009 at 08:57 AM..

05-24-2009, 09:28 AM	#2
22WRF Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pea Ridge, FL Contributor Posts: 4,253	Re: Please Tell Me About this British Bulldog Revolver This is the link to where it was discussed previously. Yours is Belgium made (proof marks) http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?p=440615 __________________ NRA GOA CCRKBA Happiness is a warm barrel

05-24-2009, 09:58 AM	#3
hrf Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 2,277	Re: Please Tell Me About this British Bulldog Revolver If carried WW-2, it was probably then at least 50 years old, as the ELG Liege proofmark without crown is pre-1893. There were hordes of these made by Belgian "cottage industry" workers late 19th century, and sold in USA for under five dollars. Here's an ad from the 1886 catalog of J. P. Moore, New York: Attached Images

05-24-2009, 11:22 AM	#4
dglockster Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 38	Re: Please Tell Me About this British Bulldog Revolver Thank you for the link and for the picture. That really gives me a better idea about this little revolver. __________________ No Guns, No Peace. Know Guns, Know Peace.

05-24-2009, 11:50 AM	#5
RJay Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,487	Re: Please Tell Me About this British Bulldog Revolver And sadly, FWIW, the pictured Belgium firearm never spenr a few hours in salt water. A another fine war story shot down. __________________ RonJames

05-24-2009, 11:06 PM	#6
dglockster Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 38	Re: Please Tell Me About this British Bulldog Revolver That's probably why they are called "war stories." __________________ No Guns, No Peace. Know Guns, Know Peace.