i have a 32 cal pistol that was my father's. it has stamped on the handgun the following: barrel-32 long ctg on right side and smith and wesson on the left side....inside of the cylinder is stamped mod-31 with the number 93963and the number 2...on the butt is stamped 680380 and it is a wood checkered stock with the silver s&w logo on both sides. it is a 6 shot relover....can anyone tell me when this was made and any other info is appreciated...
s&w 32 cal. handgun
- Thread starter rick c.
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CoRoMo
Member
You might find your post moved soon.
If so, it might be attached here... http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=6870343#post6870343
Or simply moved into this sub-forum... http://www.thehighroad.org/forumdisplay.php?f=31
Those are a couple places here, where your question will be more appropriately located for someone who knows the answers.
Someone will be able to tell you what you need to know about that model 31.
It shoots this type of ammo here... http://www.outdooroutfitters.com/federal-premium-ammunition-C32LB.aspx
This model was discontinued in 1991.
If so, it might be attached here... http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=6870343#post6870343
Or simply moved into this sub-forum... http://www.thehighroad.org/forumdisplay.php?f=31
Those are a couple places here, where your question will be more appropriately located for someone who knows the answers.
Someone will be able to tell you what you need to know about that model 31.
It shoots this type of ammo here... http://www.outdooroutfitters.com/federal-premium-ammunition-C32LB.aspx
This model was discontinued in 1991.
Last edited:
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Model 31 Regulation Police.
Fairly recent if it has the model number inside the crane cut.
The actual serial number 680380 is the one on the butt.
Yours was made between 1957 when they started using the Model number and 1960.
The other number 93963 & 2 inside the crane cut are only assembly numbers used to keep the parts together at the factory during fit & finishing and before the final serial number was assigned.
rc
Fairly recent if it has the model number inside the crane cut.
The actual serial number 680380 is the one on the butt.
Yours was made between 1957 when they started using the Model number and 1960.
The other number 93963 & 2 inside the crane cut are only assembly numbers used to keep the parts together at the factory during fit & finishing and before the final serial number was assigned.
rc
Radagast
Member
A little background:
The Regulation Police was introduced in 1917 as a square butt variant of the S&W .32 Hand Ejector, which dates back to 1896. The hand ejector name comes from the fact that this was S&Ws first gun with a cylinder that swings to the side. Prior to that S&W guns a cylinder that tipped up and had automatic ejection of the spent brass. With a solid top strap the hand ejector range was stronger that the earlier top break guns and was more suited to the higher pressures of the new fangled smokeless powder. The .32 Hand Ejector was built on the small round butt 'I' frame, which used the same grips as the earlier small caliber top breaks. In 1917 a square butt variant was introduced, the Regulation Police. At first this used a version of the round butt, which used square butt grips. After World War a square butt frame was used.
In 1950 S&W stretched the small I frame to fit the .38 Special cartridge.
This was the Chiefs Special.
In 1957 model numbers were introduced and the Regulation Police became the Model 31.
In 1961 S&W consolidated production of it's small frame revolvers on the J frame and the I frame was no longer produced.
The Model 31 became the Model 31-1, indicating the slightly larger J frame.
Your gun dates to the period between Model numbers (1957) & the change to the J frame (1961).
The change to the J frame would ultimately end the demand for the .32 Hand Ejector (Model 30) and it siblings; the round butt .38 S&W Terrier (Model 32) & the .38 S&W Regulation Police (Model 33). All were discontinued in 1974.
People after a concealable lightweight handgun would naturally choose the more powerful .38 Special Chiefs Special (Model 36) and demand for the less powerful models disappeared.
The .32 Regulation Police soldiered on until 1991 when it was finally discontinued. By that time the .32 S&W long was no longer considered an effective self defence round as it could not be loaded fast enough to cause a hollow point bullet to expand reliably.
.32 S&W ammunition is still available from manufacturers such as Winchester and it is a fine target round.
As roughly a million of the .32 Hand Ejector and Regulation Police were manufactured, value is not high. In 2006 the Standard Catalog of S&W gave a value of $275 in excellent condition.
The Regulation Police was introduced in 1917 as a square butt variant of the S&W .32 Hand Ejector, which dates back to 1896. The hand ejector name comes from the fact that this was S&Ws first gun with a cylinder that swings to the side. Prior to that S&W guns a cylinder that tipped up and had automatic ejection of the spent brass. With a solid top strap the hand ejector range was stronger that the earlier top break guns and was more suited to the higher pressures of the new fangled smokeless powder. The .32 Hand Ejector was built on the small round butt 'I' frame, which used the same grips as the earlier small caliber top breaks. In 1917 a square butt variant was introduced, the Regulation Police. At first this used a version of the round butt, which used square butt grips. After World War a square butt frame was used.
In 1950 S&W stretched the small I frame to fit the .38 Special cartridge.
This was the Chiefs Special.
In 1957 model numbers were introduced and the Regulation Police became the Model 31.
In 1961 S&W consolidated production of it's small frame revolvers on the J frame and the I frame was no longer produced.
The Model 31 became the Model 31-1, indicating the slightly larger J frame.
Your gun dates to the period between Model numbers (1957) & the change to the J frame (1961).
The change to the J frame would ultimately end the demand for the .32 Hand Ejector (Model 30) and it siblings; the round butt .38 S&W Terrier (Model 32) & the .38 S&W Regulation Police (Model 33). All were discontinued in 1974.
People after a concealable lightweight handgun would naturally choose the more powerful .38 Special Chiefs Special (Model 36) and demand for the less powerful models disappeared.
The .32 Regulation Police soldiered on until 1991 when it was finally discontinued. By that time the .32 S&W long was no longer considered an effective self defence round as it could not be loaded fast enough to cause a hollow point bullet to expand reliably.
.32 S&W ammunition is still available from manufacturers such as Winchester and it is a fine target round.
As roughly a million of the .32 Hand Ejector and Regulation Police were manufactured, value is not high. In 2006 the Standard Catalog of S&W gave a value of $275 in excellent condition.
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