ID a S&W .32 revolver

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upanddown7

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I am trying to get info on when this gun was made and what model designation I should use to refer to it.

Smith & Wesson stamped on left side of barrel
32 Long CTG on right side of barrel
Serial#: 262889 Made in Springfield, Ma.
Patent dates on top of barrel: Oct.8.01 Dec.17.01 Feb.6.06 Sept.14.09 Dec.29.14
There is also a number engraved on the hinge for the chamber when opened. The number is 4766.
This revolver has a 5 1/4" barrel from end to where barrel meets frame, total length of barrel is 6".
It has a fixed fore-sight.
Four screws on the right side; one screw on the inner slope of the handle.
The handle is wood. Checkered design with a single large diamond in the center of the wood, on each side, holding another screw.
 
Welcome to the high road, and all that kind of good stuff... :)

Your excellent and complete description is going to make this easy.

You have a Smith & Wesson .32 Hand Ejector, Model of 1903; 5th change. This variant was made between 1910 to 1917, in a serial number rage running from 102,501 through 263,000. As you can see, your revolver, serial number 262,889 came at the end of the run in 1917.

Walnut stocks on this normally round butt revolver are a bit unusual. I would expect them to be black hard rubber. However if these stocks convert the round butt to a square butt configuration the walnut would be understandable, but still a special order feature. If the square butt stocks are stamped on the bottom:pat. June 5, 1917 the revolver would be a Regulation Police model that was introduced in 1917 - suposedly at serial # 331,320 - but I have examined Regulation Police revolvers with lower serial numbers. Also Regulation Police models usually had the serial number stamped on the forestrap, above the mainspring strain screw, rather then on the butt.

The #4766 is an assembly number, intended to keep the correct yoke matched to the same frame.

The revolver is chambered to use the .32 S&W Long cartridge. The correct barrel length is 6 inches.

As the cylinder in this gun is not heat treated, use only standard .32 S&W Long or .32 S&W cartridges. Avoid any so-called Plus-P loadings.
 
.32 Hand Ejector Model of 1903 5th Change. 160,499 were produce between 1910 - 1917 whith serial numbers 102501 to approximately 263000. That would date your close to the end probably 1916. Should have a small S&W logo on the left side of the frame.

Looks like Old Fuff were typing at the same time.
 
Thanx to all for replies

The square butt stocks are stamped on the bottom:pat. June, but the bottom of the butts are banged up pretty good and that's all I can read. Didn't know that was there until you mentioned it! Also it does have the serial number stamped on the forestrap, above the mainspring strain screw, rather then on the butt.
Thanx Old Fuff and Pistol Toter. Don't know how you keep all that info in there like that! Mine just seems to leak out my ears.
 
Well now, this is going to get interesting... ;)

As I mentioned before, you have a variant of the .32 1903 Hand Ejector called the Regulation Police Model. The two guns were the same except the 1903 Hand Ejector had a round butt and (usually) black hard rubber stocks, while the Regulation Police also had a round-butt frame, but it was modified to take walnut square-butt stocks that converted the revolver to a square-butt configuration.

Production of the Regulation Police started in 1917 at serial number 331,320. but your revolver is numbered 262,889. What gives?

This is speculation on my part. But at the time World War One was going on, and the company was focused on war production. At the same time they'd introduced the new Regulation Police, and orders were coming in. To fill those orders I think they took 1903 Hand Ejector frames that had been made (and numbered) earlier and modified them to the Regulation Police specifications. In any case you have a most unusual gun.

If I were you I'd write to Smith & Wesson's official historian, Roy G. Jinks. Enclose a check in the amount of $30.00 made out to S&W (not Mr. Jinks); a snapshot of the revolver, and the description of the gun that was in the first post. In turn, Mr. Jinks will write you a letter detailing the background of your particular gun as the information is recorded in S&W records, as well as an overview of the model. That letter should confirm that you have a Regulation Police with a serial number before the official starting one - plus a somewhat scarce 6" barrel. (Most were 3 1/4 or 4 1/4 inches). You can obtain more information from the Smith & Wesson website at: www.smith-wesson.com

Such a letter will increase the collector's value of the gun much more then the letter costs. :)

Edited to add: The poor Old Fuff goofed. Additional research says that production of the Regulation Police started at #262,000 - so there is a conflict between research sources. I would still get this revolver "lettered" and see which is right.
 
Old Fuff,
I sure appreciate you taking the time to research this. I may just go ahead and get that letter, and have to wait and see.
Thanx again
 
I have my great grandmother's 32 hand ejector.The patent dates on the bbl are Feb 8,1908,Sept.14,1909,and Dec.29,1914. It's nickel plated and round butt but the stocks are black plastic with the S&W logo.
Serial number is 394931 and is located on the butt only.S&W logo is also on the left side under the cylinder release.
Don't know where this puts this revolver in the production date.
It has a little surface rust but the bore has only one small pit and is otherwise perfect. In,fact,I fired it i n the backyard just the other day and it still shoots great.It's a family heirloom,of course.
This was the first gun I ever fired when I was just 8 years old.The action is smooth and tight.


Edited to add: the barrel is 4 1/4 inches
 
Ah... The .32 Hand Ejectors are coming out of the woodwork, and I'm delighted to see them. :)

This one, serial number 3949xx is a Smith & Wesson .32 Hand Ejector; 3rd Model. These were made from 1917 through 1942 in a serial number range running from 263001 through 536684. Only Roy Jinks at S&W would know exactly when No. 3949xx was made, but I would estimate it was sometime during the 1920's.

Those stocks aren't plastic! At least not in the modern sense. They were molded from a meterial called "gutta-percha" or "hard rubber." The ones on your revolver were custom fitted to the frame for a perfect fit, and are serial numbered on the inside. They are also very fragile with age, and tend to crack or chip - so be careful of them.

You may also find the serial number on the back of the cylinder, and bottom of the barrel on the flat that's milled to clear the ejector rod.

Accuracy is this little revolver's strong point, and you may find that it's an excellent shooter. Put up a target and get serious... ;)
 
Fuff,you're absolutely right.The ser number is also on the flat underside of the barrel.In all these years,I've never noticed that.Thanks so much for the info.And yes,this is one accurate little revo. Good info on the grips.Theres a small crack on the left one that runs through the logo and a small chip out of the bottom left one where it was possibly dropped in bygone years.
The manufacture dates you suggested sounds about right,considering the
known family history of this little pistola. Again,thanks for the info.
Best to ya'
 
My S&W 32cal.

I've been reading a LOT of posts here on this .32cal S&W handgun. I've had mine for three days now.It is nickle plated and has a 3" barrel.It has a serial number of #675xxx.It has stag grips on it. A lady friend got it from her dad's estate and she wanted a .22 that she could buy snake shot for. (We both have wooded acres we hike) So I traded her an old .22 revolver I had.My.22 was a German made single action cowboy type with a Buffalo on the grip like a reference to the horse on a Colts. It looked a lot like the Heritage Arms ones that you see at gun shows for about $100. I don't know the value of the German made .22 but I felt this S&W was a good deal to get. My hands are not as large and meaty as some guys so it "feels" good to hold and it sure is concelable for this type of gun. I haven't shot it yet.

My questions please: 1. What's it worth (looks hardly used)? 2. Where can I get a S&W grip for it (I'd like their logo on the grip and in checkered wood or the generic black hard rubber). 3. When was it made? 4.I hand load so I'd be interested in some recommended loads for both defense and target. How hot will it handle without causing eventual damage as I've seen mentioned here?

Thanks for any and all assistance.
 
S&W Frame

It's a swing out cylinder type. Push the button on the frame forward then the cylinder hinges out to the left side. Has an extractor bar that you push from the front of the cylinder. It looks just this picture I lifted from another post here except my barrel is 3" and the gun is nickle plated.

Ummm...I tried to paste in the picture I have on my Desktop but the prompt wants a url. I don't know how to paste a picture on this forum. Anyway it seems to be a more recent gun because of the serial number #675XXX. Most of the ones mentioned on the threads I've read are earlier. I'm referring to posts by "Old Fluff" (I think)
 
I really like the little Smith .32 revolvers--easy to shoot and very accurate. The older gun is numbered 3486xx (about 1920) and the newer is 6246xx (about 1960). My favorite load is a Hornady hollow base wadcutter over 1.9 grains of W231, giving about 750 fps from a 4" barrel, a safe load for the older guns.
 

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It has a serial number of #675xxx.
Click to expand...

Your serial number indicates that you have a .32 Hand Ejector (Post-War) Pre-model 30 that was made on the "Improved" I-frame with a coil style mainspring. I would estimate the time of manufacture to be around 1955-56. Value is probably around $300.00 on the collector market. Unlike pre-1920 revolvers it has a heat-treated/modern steel cylinder that would be safe with reasonable handloads using any of the jacketed bullets made for the .32 H&R Magnum in the 90 grain weight range @ 850-900 FPS out of a 3 1/4" barrel (I would expect your gun to have a 3 1/4" barrel, measured from the cylinder face to the muzzle, and a half-moon front sight.)

Numrich/The Gunparts Corp. (www.e-gunparts.com) have black plastic stocks that duplicate the original hard rubber grips with the S&W Logo that came on earlier guns. However they don't come with a screw and matching escutcheons. Your gun came with checkered walnut stocks with the nickeled trademark insert at the top. These are very hard to find, but S&W stocks made for the later J-frame revolvers (which are about 1/8" too long) can be modified to fit your gun.
 
Thanks for the info...

You mentioned the J frame grip would work with modification. What kind? Just an exacto knife trimming maybe? If it is 1/8" too long would I need to drill an new screw hole and fill in the provided one? I'd prefer a checkered walnut one with a nickle logo. On the S&W web site

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...ategory_rn=16259&top_category=16259&training=

they show several different ones that look like they would work. One set for a model 31 said, "must have pointed corners on butt of frame. My pistol has rounded off corners! The one that looks like it was made for mine does not list the model 31 as one it would fit. Wish there was a store I could walk into <grin>.
 
Trigger pull

One more thing that came to mind. The DA pull on this pistol is a bear. Are trigger jobs easily available? $$? I bought a kit to do my own on my Colt SA, is that as easily done on the S&W .32long?
 
You should have a revolver built on the "Improved" I-frame. You can tell by looking at the frontstrap toward the bottom. The "Unimproved" I-frame had a mainspring tension screw there. The Improved I-Frame has a coil mainspring and no screw. Aftermarket spring kits (Offered by Brownells and others - see www.brownells.com) made for the .38 J-frame will work in your Improved I-frame.

The newer stocks for the .38 J-frame are the same as those used on the R.B. I-frame, but about 1/8" longer. You will probably need to drill a new (short) hole in each stock for the small pin located at the bottom of the frame. Then scribe a line on the inside of each stock where it meets the bottom of the frame. Sand or rasp the stocks down to that line, and then slightly round them on the bottom in the same manner as the original ones. A little lacquer or varnish will touch up where you did the work. You don't need to change the screw hole.
 
Again thanks "Fuff"

You know your stuff buddy! The frame is just as you said. I removed the grips that are on mine. They're nice genuine stag but I want something more S&W for it and also a little more bulk for my hand. Now that I know any J-frame round butt grips will work it makes the search a bit easier. I checked out the Brownell site but didn't see any spring replacement that mentioned anything about making the trigger pull lighter. If all it takes is replacement of the coiled spring inside the grip frame, then it would be an easy job to do from what I see. Thanks again for all your input. I'm gonna order myself some Lee dies soon too. I think I'm going to enjoy this pistol. My wife only shoots a .22 but I don't think it would be much of a problem moving her "up" to this caliber if I keep the load factory spec.
 
My wife only shoots a .22 but I don't think it would be much of a problem moving her "up" to this caliber if I keep the load factory spec.
Click to expand...

I have bad news for you. If things go like they usually do she'll take it away from you... :D

Brownells have spring kits, but they may be well hid. A kit usually consists of 2 or 3 mainsprings and the same in trigger (rebound slide) springs of different weights. Also check out: Wolff Springs; PO Box 458; Newton Sq., PA 19073. You should be able to Google up a website.
 
Smith & Wesson 32 Long CTG / Serial#: 9753XX

Hi everyone. I`m Alvaro from Lima-Peru so i m sorry about my bad english and hope you will understand me well. I have a Smith & Wesson 32 Long CTG revolver. I m trying to get some information on what model is this, and when this revolver was made.
Serial#: 9753XX Made in Springfield, Ma.
Its a 4" barrel and 6 round cylinder Revolver.
There`s a "Smith & Wesson" logo on left side of barrel and "32 Long CTG" on right side. There are 4 screws on the right side of the gun (one of them on the wood handle center).
There is a number ( 623XX ) engraved on the hinge for the chamber when opened. There is also a "B" and "4" engraved above this number.
It has a square butt.

I will appreciate any help on this.

Saludos.
 
Hi everyone. I`m Alvaro from Lima-Peru

WELCOME ABOARD. I can't help with the information you seek but I wanted to welcome you to the forum.
 
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