I need help!! What is this?!

I saw this revolver the other day and had no idea what it was. I'm not to familiar with the older/smaller handguns but something about this one caught my interest. There are a couple engravings on this gun such has on the barrel it says "Marlin New Haven CT U.S.A.F." and "July 1st 1873 or 78", I cant make out the last digit. It has a 3 digit number (260) on the cylinder side of the lug and on the cylinder itself. It appears to be chambered in .22. If someone out there can tell me the history on this and what it is that would be great! Thank you! Also if someone could tell me how to attach pictures to posts that would be great. I do have pictures of the revolver if you are interested in seeing it.

Pictures are a necessity, in cases like this.

Upload your pictures to a site called Photobucket. Then copy-and-paste the link from each separate Photobucket upload to your post here.

The low serial number might make this a fairly valuable gun. Marlin made a couple of different types of rimfire revolvers, in .22 and in .32, during the late 1800s.

Ok, thank you for the information. I posted 3 URL addresses below this post of pictures of the revolver in question. Any information on it is greatly appreciated.

IMG_20121230_175545 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

IMG_20121230_175510 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

IMG_20121230_175454 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Your pistol seems to be a J.M. Marlin Standard Pocket Revolver, usually marked "XX Standard 1873." It is chambered for .22 Long rimfire, but it is not safe to fire using modern cartridges.
There were three different models, of which yours is the last produced. There were about 5,000 of them made, the last in 1887.
My not-quite-up-to-date source says that one of them, in about the same condition as yours, is worth about $750.00—but prices may have changed since. Yours has a very low serial number, which may elevate the price further.

Thank you for the information. Do you know if any of these were chambered in .25? The only reason I ask is I tried putting a .22 long in the cylinder and it fit but there is some build-up of corrosion in the cylinder bores. Im curious to know that once it gets cleaned up if a .25 would fit. I know there is only about a .030 difference between the .22 and .25.

They were made in .22, .30, and .32 rimfire calibers.
Because yours has a fluted cylinder, it's either .22 or .32 rimfire.

Ok, thank you for clearing that up. But I am still wondering what the U.S.A.F. that is engraved on the barrel is about. Could it possibly have been used in the military at all?

Well, when it was made and sold, the US Air Force didn't exist...except for a very few observation balloons—and it wasn't called the Air Force back then anyway.

The "U.S.A." part should be obvious. I'm not sure about the "F."