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Old 04-18-2010, 12:41 AM
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DCWilson DCWilson is offline
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The Regulation Police was introduced in 1917 as a square butt gun. It was available in both .32 S&W Long (six-shot) and .38 S&W (not .38 S&W Special). The .38, as you mentioned, is a five-shot revolver.

The serial number you mentioned would have been on a .38 Regulation Police shipped in the mid-1920s. The .38 RPs had their own serial number sequence. The .32 RPs were folded in with the .32 Hand Ejector serial number sequence.

The Terrier was produced in the .38 Regulation Police serial number sequence, but should probably be considered its own animal rather than a variant form of RP. The Terrier was introduced in 1936 and manufactured until 1940, when production was suspended because of the need to work on wartime contracts. After the war the Terrier came back and eventually became the Model 32 in 1957.

You will often see the Terrier referred to as the .38/32 Terrier, which just means .38 caliber revolver built on the .32 caliber frame.

All Terriers seem to be collectible, but the early prewar guns are particularly collectible because there just aren't that many of them. That drives their prices up.

Good luck in the hunt. I hope you score the one you want.
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