22 Short Revolver Question

[Guest Zombie Response Medic]

I have a 22 short revolver made by imperial metal prod inc. Kinston NC. It looks like the model is 11. Can anyone give me more info on this gun? It is black with pearl grips and a double action. I kind of would like to know more info on this gun and a est price on it. It was my aunts and she has had it for prob 30-50 years. Thanks.

[monkeylizard]

It looks like a lot like a Rohm RG-10 that my dad has, so a I did a little Googling with the two names together. It looks like these Imperials may have been imported by a shop in Kinston in the late 1960's and 1970's. Well, the parts anyway. Since it says made in the USA, it was assembled here, but probably from Rohm parts. A ban on these cheap i,ported guns was passed in 1968, so people started bringing in the parts and doing final assembly here. Then they could say it was made in the USA. I found one place that said the Models were 5, 7 and 11. Only the 7 was .22 short. The 5 and 11 handle short and long. <<Note: This information is sketchy at best>>

I've seen low quality .22s going for $25 to $125 based on condition and just how far down the quality scale it sits. Probably in the $25-$75 range, but you never know who might pay a little more for an odd-brand. Personally, you'd have to pay me to take a Rohm or anything that looks like a Rohm. You couldn't pay me enough to ever shoot one again. My dad's Rohm sprays lead out the sides that can be felt about 10 feet away. South Carolina has banned retail sales of both Rohm and Imperial .22 handguns because they're junk with a low melting point of the frame.

Edited October 8, 2010 by monkeylizard

[Murgatroy]

I have an old Rohm, one of the old German ones, from the early 60s as best I can tell.

I traded a pocket knife for it when I was a kid.

It is cheap, feels cheap, looks cheap.

I have never fired it. The owner before me, another kid at the time, had dry fired it so much, the cylinder was buggered and you couldn't feed rounds into the chamber.

I still have it, buried in a box somewhere. I can't bring myself to throw a gun away, but I use that term loosely.

[seez52]

my grandmother had one, RG10, I have it now. Shot it many years ago. Everything on it wiggles, trigger, trigger guard, front sight, barrel, grips-- you name it, it wiggles. I remember trying to hit a milk jug with it. Started at about 10 yards, moved up to kicking range of the milk jug, haven't it it yet. Junkie gun, but does have some sentimental value for me.

I'm always on the look out for elcheapo pistols like this, picked up cheap they have great potential for government run gun buy back programs :D