What Do You Think?

My impulse buy of the quarter! It needed a home. Wanted a shooter grade gun, this it appears to be! Thoughts and opinions are welcome.

 

Gunbroker asked me to sign in from that link, so you may be trying to link to your personal won item list on your gunbroker. Maybe a link to the completed auction would show the item properly for others? What didja get?

 

you need the link for the listing item. the link you posted brought me to my won auctions. just go to your won autions, click on the list item, and then copy paste that link, and paste that so we can see

 

Sorry about that. A S&W Model 1903 First Change in Nickel 4.25” 32 S&W Long. Finish is a bit rough about 80%. Seller states very good mechanically, matching serialized grips in perfect shape. $300. Will post pics when it comes. Needed a home.

 

See if this works

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/941025275

 

I like it. I think you did fine.

 

Ok yeah, I give it two thumbs way up! That would have had me bidding as well if I was in a position to do any gun buying these days. It’s almost a perfect ringer for a 3/4 scale version of the nickle M&P 6” I have. Congrats!

 

Awe Darn! It’s been sold…

Congrats, @wcwhitey

 

For $300? Score!

 

I agree that was a score.

 

Total Score! That gets a big thumbs up from me!

 

Have to get it in hand for a good physical check but I like what I am seeing in the pics. Almost no turn line, no buggered screws etc. The nickel looks rough but not from wear, the usual wear spots like the back strap and front sight look nice. We will see, coming from Cali to NY so hopefully by the end of the week. Anyone see any issues I am missing?

 

Very nice, especially at that price. As you say, almost no turn line, should be good and tight.

Good luck with your new gun!

 

Got this little guy home, put half a box through, function and timing is spot on. A tight gun. After a good cleaning bore is pristine. Had to take a little (just a little) Mothers to it, will do more as it responded nice to a little elbow grease.

 

A little update for anyone interested. A few hours with some Flitz and set of Ebay used wood J frame stocks that I spent a little bit of time refitting, stripping and oiling. Looks much nice and you can actually hold it now.

 

Howdy

I am intrigued.

Looking at the photos from gun broker with the grips off, I am intrigued about the two springs that are visible.

At first, I thought you had a 32 Hand Ejector 1st Model, the Model of 1896:






This was the first revolver Smith and Wesson made with a side swinging cylinder. There were quite a few mechanical differences between this model and all the side swinging cylinder revolvers S&W made after it.




Without going into a lot of detail about all the differences, you will notice this model did not have a rebound slide, the rebound slide was not introduced until sometime later.

Notice the arrangement of the springs in this photo of the lockwork of a 32 Hand Ejector 1st Model. The hammer spring is obvious, the smaller spring operates the trigger lever and the rebound lever.






I took the liberty of making a screen capture of the two springs that interest me in your 'new' revolver. I am assuming the spring to the rear is the hammer spring, and the spring to the front operates the trigger/rebound levers, if they are present. It appears to me the strain screw for the hammer spring goes right through the spring in front and has no effect on it.

I am very curious about the lockwork of this revolver. If you get a chance to remove the side plate, I would love to see a photo. You don't have to remove anything, just take the side plate off, take a photo, and post it.






I understand if you are reluctant to remove the side plate, and understand if you do not want to do that.

If you do want to remove the side plate I can give you instructions on how remove it. Whatever you do, do not attempt to pry it off.


Thanks.

Driftwood Johnson

 

It is technically the Second Model .32 Hand Ejector - Model 1903 - First Change, serial number range is 33XXX made in 1904/5. I am taking the plate off in a minute will upload a pic.

https://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/32HE/32he.html

 

Excellent!

Thanks so much.

I found a photo on line of the mechanism, but did not want to post it as I do not own the photo.

I found this website on line which pretty much goes through the evolution of the early 32 Hand Ejectors.

https://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/32HE/32he.html



Quoting from that page: "The rebound mechanism of the lockwork is redesigned, and utilizes a long flat combination spring and lever."

Smith and Wesson was going through some fairly rapid evolution of the design of these revolvers at that time. Aside from relocating the cylinder stop to underneath the cylinder, and the changes involved with that, it appears that the "combination spring and lever" is a simplification of the earlier mechanism, which used a spring and two pivoting levers. All that changed when S&W finally developed the sliding Rebound Slide.


I would love to see how that part actually works.

Thanks again.

 

@wcwhitey
That is a very cool revolver. Congrats!

 

That is a nice piece of S&W history right there, congratulations on bringing home a great little .32.

Stay safe.