32 S&W Long Revolvers

The ones I have currently are nice. I have a 3" 30-1 which is nearly perfect metal, but missing original grips...so I bought from Altamont. My other 32long is a RG that my grandma carried in a big cigarette case for most of her life. The RG eats factory loads. The 30-1 eats my handloaded rounds which are pretty peppy.

By the way...we need pictures.

cfullgraf said:

What a nice shooting revolver and easy to get good groups even with the fixed sights.

Click to expand...

Hey pally. I found the same with some of the classic .32 wheelguns. While obsolescent, according to some, those blued steeled beauties in thirty-two are a delight to shoot. 'gratz.

Cfullgraf, do yourself a favor and ditch those sill pachy grips. Does your hammer dig in on the edge of the grip like mine did? I had to whittle on the rubber to shoot it properly before I got my Altamonts.

Here's one I picked up for next to nothing a few years back. It's from 1916 or so, IIRC, a "Hand Ejector" on the J frame. It's still a pretty good shooter, given the tiny sights. People don't seem to want the 32's anymore, so you can get deals on them.

cfullgraf said:

Recently, I acquired an S&W Model 30-1 with a 4" barrel chambered for 32 S&W Long. What a nice shooting revolver and easy to get good groups even with the fixed sights.

It is a shame that the round has fallen out of favor, and gotten expensive to buy, as it would make a nice center fire substitute for 22 LR.

Fortunately, I reload.

I'm expanding my search for 32 S&W Long revolvers. The J-frame versions, or at least some, are reasonably affordable, hopefully the K32's won't break the bank.

Anything to add?

Click to expand...

I have a Colt Pocket Positive in .32 New Police made in 1925. The New Police is simply the .32 S&W Long with a flat tip bullet (just so they wouldn't have to put "32 S&W" on their Colts). And I shoot it quite a bit. Cabela's has .32 S&W Long as a stock item for $17.99 per box of 50. It's 98 gr. Lead RN made in Serbia (PPU brand). I've shot several hundred rounds of it and it's performed great, duplicates the original load.

cfullgraf said:

hopefully the K32's won't break the bank.

Click to expand...

Yes it will. I have been searching for a K-32 or its successor the Model 16 for years now. Have not found one yet. If I do find one, I am sure it will cost a lot. Law of supply and demand.

Here is the grandaddy of all the 32 S&W Long revolvers, the S&W Model of 1896, or 32 Hand Ejector First Model. The first revolver S&W made with a side swinging cylinder. This one shipped in December of 1898. The finish is a bit worn, but it still functions correctly. I have come across a few in better condition recently, but they were too expensive.






A 32 Regulation Police that shipped in 1924.






Another one that shipped in 1925. Yeah, I stumbled upon it one day and couldn't resist, even though I already had one.






A Postwar 32 Hand Ejector that shipped in 1950.






A Colt Police Positive 32 at the top, and a 32 Pocket Positive at the bottom. The larger one is marked 32 Police Cartridge, which is the same as 32 S&W Long. The bottom one fires the 32 Short Colt which uses a heeled bullet and is too fat to chamber in a 32 S&W Long cylinder.

If you want modern guns - you can look for the discontinued SW 432, 431s and 632s (3 inch or snubby). While chambered for the higher powered rounds (32 HR or 327) you can find them.

Then there is the set of new 327s from Ruger in various sizes and actions (DA or SAA).

I have SW and shoot Fiocchi in them. Nice guns.

Driftwood

Love the two .32 S&W Regulation Police revolvers! Both look to be in great shape too!

Another one that shipped in 1925. Yeah, I stumbled upon it one day and couldn't resist, even though I already had one.

Click to expand...

Yeah and some guys have all the luck! All six .32 caliber revolvers are great and thanks for sharing them with us!

bannockburn said:

Love the two .32 S&W Regulation Police revolvers! Both look to be in great shape too!

Click to expand...

They are. The interesting thing is that in those days it was fairly common for police to be carrying 32 caliber revolvers, hence the name.

But I'm sure you knew that.

Back then though Al Capone and his goons weren’t afraid of the revolvers carried by law enforcement...wait, they didn’t want to get shot by those either did they...hmmm.

Driftwood

I remember reading in R.L. Wilson's book, "Colt-An American Legend" that in 1896 Teddy Roosevelt, then a Commissioner with the NYPD, was very influential in getting the whole department to standardize on one gun and one cartridge, along with receiving some much needed marksmanship training. They ended up selecting the Colt New Police .32 revolver and befitting such an occasion, Serial Number 1 of the NYPD issued guns went to Teddy Roosevelt.

My 30-1

I have two revolvers in 32 Smith and Wesson Long, a post war 32 Hand Ejector 2" barrel and a Model 430

32 S&W Long is my favorite centerfire pistol caliber. I have an S&W J-Frame 32 Regulation Police and a bunch of others I don't have pictures of:

2) An Arminius Model HW-7, which is 7 shot, has adjustable sights, and is decently accurate. It is an early model with an S&W style frame catch.
3) An Argentine Rexio Pucara, also 7 shot, with fixed sights, that I have not fired yet,
4) A Spanish "Bety" revolver from the 1920's or 30's: An S&W I-Frame copy, 6 in barrel with fixed sights that looks good, but most ammo splits at the case mouth
5) Another Spanish I-Frame copy from before the Spanish Civil War, I think by Trocaola, with a 3 inch barrel and fixed sights. Both it and the Bety have square butt grip frames unlike anything S&W ever put on an I-Frame
6) An H&R large frame top-break with the Rice grip frame, sort of like what they sold to the UK during WWII as the "Bobby". I have not shot it because the cylinder hand does not advance the cylinder properly.
7) Another pre-Spanish Civil War revolver, this one a nickel-plated copy of the Colt Pocket Positive, with a name like "Ciervo", which is Spanish for deer (and which features a running deer trademark not too unlike a rearing Colt).

I may have forgotten something. If there is any particular interest in any of the above, I will try to get pictures, but I will have to get a friend to help.

The Czech Alfa Project line offers adjustable sight revolvers in 32 Long with 4 and 6 inch barrels. I was looking at a 4 inch priced at $325 to start (plus shipping and paperwork) on GunBroker the other day.

WestKentucky said:

By the way...we need pictures.

Click to expand...

Nice pair of revolvers!

In 32 long I have a 2" model 30-1, 3" model 30-1 and a model 31-1 with a 4" barrel. I have the boxes and paperwork for the first two. It may not count but I also have a model 631-1 in 32 mag. That was my Holy Grail gun for many years. I could find them but couldn't justify the close to $1,000 most were asking. I found mine without the box or original grips for $675.00. That worked for me.

You guys caused me to have a look at Gunbroker for 32 long revolvers. There are a surprising amount of them for sale. Here is a very clean H&R 732 for a more reasonable price. I had one of these many years ago in 32 mag and it was a surprisingly accurate little gun. Mine had fixed sights. This one has a windage adjustable rear sight. These make good backpack and tackle box guns in case you fish for some really tough bass.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/731085283

As for a K-32. Good luck. You will need it. They are extremely rare and expensive as hell when you do find one.