This is a post made by Hondo44 on 4/1/2009:

jsmith,

That is a fine revolver! They certainly are different from all the following models. There is one other little-known difference from the rest of the I frame guns. It's the only small frame with the cylinder 'hold open device' used in all the K and N frame guns prior to WW II and discontinued in all guns after the war. The next model .32 no longer has the device. If you pull the crane out of the gun, you'll see a detent in the frame side of the hinge and a pin & spring in a hole in the crane side of the hinge. I like the feature and have toyed with installing it on some non-orginal post war guns.
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Hondo44 - This feature is found in the next model .32. I have a .32 Hand Ejector Model 1903 (2nd Model), the original before they started the 5 changes to it. Mine is serial #18825 and it also has the hold open device. This gun is nowhere as nice as my Model 1896 but it is a nice carry gun and shooter. I have been working on cleaning it up. The grips on it are worth just as much as they gun.

Check out my post on it:

.32 Hand Ejector 2nd Model (Model of 1903)

jsmith