Damaged Rohm .38 Spcl Revolver

[Cavagan]

I have a couple old revolvers I'm looking to get some input on. These have been in the family since I was a child, and I have personally put many hundreds of rounds through both and were some of the first handguns I ever fired. They've been stored and unused for many years. I recently dug them out and cleaned them up and have a few questions that I thought the awesome folks here might be able to help with.

This one is a .38 spcl manufactured in Germany by Rohm. I am uncertain as to the age of the pistol, but I know that my parents bought it off of a retired police officer in the Chandler area around 18-20 years ago. The serial # starts with 848. (sorry for the poor quality of the attached images, only had my cellphone camera handy).

This revolver at some point over the years appears to have developed a crack in the frame just under the barrel housing, the highlighted area in the second image. How, when, where, or why the damage occurred I do not know. I have removed the barrel (very easy to do on this revolver) and it would appear the crack extends clear through, not just a surface crack. I only noticed because as I was cleaning it the barrel was very loose and almost wobbly! I certainly wouldn't care to fire it in its current condition.

My question: Having done some online research on the Rohm revolvers, I realize this is not a particularly valuable or collectible weapon. Would this be repairable at all? If so would it be worth the cost/time involved?

Any other information on the Rohm revolver would be welcome as well.

Edit: I'm going to start a new topic for the other revolver just to keep any confusion out of the discussion.

 

[Soulman]

Probably not worth the cost, but it would make a nice display piece. Maybe disable it from firing and then put it out on display like in a shadow box or something. A lot of those old revolvers that were imported aren't safe to shoot, or at least not really worth the risk of possible injury.

 

[flatwins]

Isn't Rohm "RG"? Agree with Soulman. Most gunsmiths would tell you to put any money spent repairing one of these toward a replacement pistol.

 

[criticalbass]

Some of the RGs, especially the earlier ones, were pretty good guns for the price. I carried one for years, and put about 4000 rounds through it, mostly low pressure target rounds of my own making.

However, repairs to this old guy will be iffy and expensive. I suspect you won't find an established smith who would try it. Be sure to follow Soulman's advice and permanently disable it from firing. CB

Since it's "family," I thnk I'd make it a wallhanger.

 

[blackloud13]

Some of the RGs, especially the earlier ones, were pretty good guns for the price. I carried one for years, and put about 4000 rounds through it, mostly low pressure target rounds of my own making.

However, repairs to this old guy will be iffy and expensive. I suspect you won't find an established smith who would try it. Be sure to follow Soulman's advice and permanently disable it from firing. CB

Since it's "family," I thnk I'd make it a wallhanger.

+1 on All the above - Also carried one for many years & 5k+rounds fired -

Frame cracked thru longitudinally is from a diet of "hot*HOT*hot" loads -

*Just ask me how I know about this !@#$%$#@! sometimes*

I took mine to the "old guy" that used to load my*HOT* ammo for me -
Asked if it could be fixed? He removed the cyl then cut the frame in 1/2!

KEEP YOUR POWDER DRY & YOUR HATCHET SHARP

>>>>---Stone--->>>

 

[rrd101]

I would'nt try repairing it either I've seen some of these guns
melt after putting a torch near them. put the money towards
newer

 

[LtCCMPUnit42]

Tape a dollar to it and throw it in the river. Why a dollar? so you can say that you threw something away. I watched a reserve officer try to qualify with one of those and it locked up on him in 8 rounds, and I don't mean 8 rounds of qualification. That pistol is a good wall hanger, but not a firearm that I would bet my life on!!!!!!

 

[Cavagan]

Tape a dollar to it and throw it in the river. Why a dollar? so you can say that you threw something away. I watched a reserve officer try to qualify with one of those and it locked up on him in 8 rounds, and I don't mean 8 rounds of qualification. That pistol is a good wall hanger, but not a firearm that I would bet my life on!!!!!!

That's funny, and quite honestly how I've always felt about it but never had any great information to back it up.


Thanks to everyone for the input and confirmation on my suspicions. Much easier to throw it on here than tote it out to a smith somewhere for inspection.

 

[abinok]

I have one you can use for parts... pm if youre interested...