[exgumshu]

I was recently given a S&W 32-20 nickel revolver. It has a 58508 serial number. It has SEP14.08 on the barrel. It has a 4" barrel and, I believe, plastic looking bone grips. Anyone know anything about these revolvers?

[Ron James]

32-20 Winchester Hand Ejector, Serial number falls with in 1909-19i5. Second Model, 3rd change. Listed in the Smith book at 850 in excellent down to 100 in poor. No, no one knows anything it . What is you want to know and we'll wing it.:)

[Pistol Toter]

The .32WCF or .32-20 were produced as rifle round. In the day when they were popular S&W produced a revolver to fire the round as an accompaning gun. The round by defination was a black powder round and as such the new powders produce excessive pressure. Your gun was made prior to the time that the cylinders were heat treated. Most modern mmunitions are loaded down to the black powder pressures and some firing is not harmful. HOWEVER KEEP IN MIND THAT YOUR GUN DOES NOT HAVE A HEAT TREATED CYLINDER. Fire at your own risk. I would not. Put the fine old gun in a shadow box and enjoy it as a decoration or a wall hanger. They were fine guns of their day!! The stocks maybe Guttapercha a very early type of plastic made from natural resins made from a plant. They are now quite old and very brittle and easily broken or chipped. If they are not guttapercha then they are not original and are aftermarket which is probably more likely. A picture would be most valuable to evaluate your gun. Do not use an ammoina base cleaner like Hoppes as the ammonia is not good for a nickel finish. If you already have make sure to clean the Hoppes off the finish.

[Jim Watson]

We need pictures.
"Plastic looking bone" grips can cover a multitude of sins.
So can nickel plate. For a quick check, are the hammer and trigger plated or are they case colors? (Hint, S&W does not plate hammers and triggers, white parts are a sure sign of aftermarket work.)

Current production .32-20 ammunition is loaded to about the same pressure as .38 Special, so the gun is as safe to shoot as a .38 of the same age.