Trying to identify my gun

[mrlittlejohn]

I was recently given a S&W .32 revolver by a good friend. I would like to identify it and value it if possible. Only for personal reasons, I do not intend to sell it. It is a beautiful piece to me.

I used this thread to gather some numbers, http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=356710

I have on the butt a S/N of 86894, which is also on the bottom of the barrel above the cartridge eject of the chamber. When the chamber is opened, at the bottom of the body just above the swing arm is 32241, which looks like a possible 3 2 241 as the 3 and 2 are spaced from one another and from the 241.

On the left side of the barrel is Smith & Wesson and on the right side of the barrl is 32 W.C.F. CTG between 2 oppossing icon stamps.

The gun is not stainless and does not appear to have been blued and I am thinking it is nickel.

My good camera is down right now and I had to use my cell phone to take the attached picture. Hopefully it will be good enough.



Any and all help is greatly appreciated,
Mike

 

[kanook]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=372213

Try the sticky link

 

[mrlittlejohn]

Thanks !

I saw that after I posted here and repeated my request.




Mike

 

[bigdaa]

Cool. It shoots the old western 32-20 cartridge.

Classic!

 

[RevolvingGarbage]

Not an expert by any means, but just to see how close I can get...

S&W Hand Ejector .32-20, made sometime in the mid to late thirties.

Im not sure when they started adding a letter prefix to denote a factory nickle plated gun, but if there is no N prefix beofre the serial number, then I believe your gun was blued.

 

[mrlittlejohn]

Thanks for the response. It makes me wonder about bluing. The metal looks natural steel like and no pitting from rust I believe. It is a nice looking gun though.


Hmmmmm




Mike

 

[Old Fuff]

In the picture it appears that the revolver was originally blued, but it is well worn off except in a few protected areas. The style of stocks suggest that it was made sometime before World War One. After the big upcoming vote in the Senate today I'll see if I can find out more.

 

[mrlittlejohn]

Thx Fuff

Any logic to the 2 sets of numbers? I just realized that the 3 2 241 is in 2 places right next to each other almost. One in the body near the swing arm for the chamber and one on the arm by the pivot.


BTW - the last patent date on the barrel is 1914


Mike

 

[Old Fuff]

The second number (3 2 241) is called an assembly number. When the revolver was made certain parts were individually fitted to the frame before it was serial numbered. To insure these fitted parts got back to the right frame they were numbered. You may find that the same number is on the inside of the sideplate also.

More later....

 

[Keb]

I own one about 1000 later and it is ID'd as 1920.

I will go find out if yours has a heat treated cylinder. ( it is )
Value is $350-425. Please take more photos both sides.

You have old large medallion grips...beat up but important to preserve.
The medallions were dropped during 1920 for a few years. Your gun is likely 1919-early 1920 still with them. They can be carefully cleaned with a Qtip, WD40 and a toothbrush.



This, of course, is a re-nickel. It was a Sheriff's Sunday gun. I own two other Sheriff Smiths.

 

[mrlittlejohn]

Took some more pictures, but my camera just can't do all that good. The gun looks nicer than the pics show it to be. Not like new, but just nicer. The medalions have more deatils than the camera is capturing.

Are the medalion grips added features? Or basic in these guns? Just curious.

I will say this... Everything is very sturdy feeling. All motions are smooth but firm. I can't find what I would consider slop or loose feel anywhere. What a piece of machinery in my opinion.





Thanks again for any and all help !

 

[mrlittlejohn]

I took a few more pictures at my keyboard...

I have done no cleaning of it, only oiled it up with 3in1 oil and wiped it down good to keep a coat of oil on it.


Mike

 

[Jim K]

That is the .32/20 Hand Ejector, Model 1905, Fourth Change. Those guns were basically the M&P model but the M&P was made in .38 Special, so the .32-20's were numbered in their own series. That gun was made around 1920.

Jim

 

[hAkron]

Remove the grips (carefully) and see if they are numbered. If they are, see if they match the SN of the gun.

 

[mrlittlejohn]

Using this site messaged to me... http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/281137-what-these-gold-medallion-grips.html

I see where it is suggested that these grips were used between 1911 and 1920. I removed my grips (carefully) and found the right side stamped with my serial number. The left side had no markings, I don't think in pencil - but it could have worn down. I used WD40 and a tooth brush and cleaned them up a little. The diamond pattern is worn in a few places, some more than others - but can be seen throughout.

Seeming I have a last patent stamp date of Dec 22, 1914... I think I can safely believe this gun is from 1914 to 1920.

I have heard these called 1905 models (I believe), but the patent dates all stamped on my barrel are, "Oct. 8. 01 Dec. 17. 01 Feb. 6. 06 Sept. 14. 09 Dec. 22. 14"


This is some neat info I have been able to find out about this gun. I am thinking the value is not near of what my friend thought it was, but that does not matter. What puzzles me is the finish. I understand that the blued finished guns had a B in front of the serial numbers. At later dates they began putting a N for the nickel plated models, but not this early. That is what I recall reading at least.



Thanks all for your inputs !

Mike

 

[mrlittlejohn]

BTW...

I removed the grips earlier. One is stamped with the gun S/N and I cleaned them with WD40 and a toothbrush. They were stuck to the gun pretty good, lol...


Mike

 

[Radagast]

The patent dates indicate the 4th minor design change to the Model of 1905, which was a major design change from the model of 1902. So it is a Model of 1905 4th Change. IIRC the 4th change incorporated a non positive hammer block safety.
Because it the hammer block non positive there is still the change of the gun firing if dropped. Very minor, but still real. A fatality with a dropped 4th change gun resulted in the current positive hammer block being developed in 1944.

Heat treating of cylinders began at serial number 81287 on My 7th 1919, so bulging a cylinder shouldn't be an issue. These older .32-20s were noted for bulged barrels with the hi-speed jacketed rifle ammo of the day. So stick to lead only loads. Apart from one small manufacturer, all current ammo is lead only and loaded to be safe in these guns.
Old Western Scrounger is often a source of ammo when no other manufacturer has stock.

Edit: Between the grips, heat treatment date and Keb's info on his gun, yours is definitely narrowed down to 1919 or 1920.
To get an exact shipping date and info on the original finish, you will need to pay $50 for a factory letter. The S&W historian will then look up the original shipping records and send you a letter stating when it shipped, where it shipped to and what specification it had at the time.

 

[StrawHat]

...At later dates they began putting a N for the nickel plated models, but not this early. That is what I recall reading at least.



Thanks all for your inputs !

Mike

Mike,

I do not think you have the correct information. An "N" was sometimes stamped on the revolver frame to denote nickel but was not part of the serial number. One sure way to tell if the revolver was plated after it left the factory is to look at the ejector star, trigger and hammer. These were NOT plated when done by the factory.