I've just acquired a .32 S&W revolver with odd markings, and I wonder if anyone more knowledgeable than I can identify them, and perhaps date the gun. The cylinder release button seems jammed, so I can't swing the cylinder out to see the model number. The barrel is exactly 4-3/16 inches long. The serial number is 17933, preceded by "JY" inside a circle and followed by "M." It has four screws (2 larger, and 2 smaller), with no strain screw or screw into the front of the trigger guard. The odd markings are all on the left side. Besides a large emblem with a jousting knight's helmet on top of it, behind the cylinder, the letters "P.N" are on the frame in front of the cylinder, and just below that is a shield with an "X" in the middle of it, with a crown on top of the shield. Beside the shield, and also stamped on the barrel just ahead of the frame, is a crude version of a rampant lion (that is, a lion rearing up on his hind legs). All looks very British to me. I'll try posting three pictures of the pertinent parts, but I've already failed before just trying to post the message itself. Thanks for any information anyone can give.

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It's Spanish, not a S&W. Many different makers of these. There are collectors of the Spanish S&W knockoffs who may be able to shed more light on exactly what you have. Many came into the USA from after WWI until the 1930s. Most were chambered in .32-20.

Welcome to the forum.

That's a Spanish copy of a Smith & Wesson hand ejector. I believe the maker was Manuel Escodin.

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"I also cook."

Is it from Spain? Si! Is it a good looking copy? Si! Would I like to have one like it? Si! Will you have fun shooting the snot out of it? You certainly could!

Ivan

That’s easily the nicest (and best preserved) Spanish copy of a Smith & Wesson revolver I’ve come across.

And as said above, that fancy crest indicates Manuel Escodin, although those guns usually are reported to say so on the barrel.

The proof marks look like knock off Belgium proofs. The lion is facing the wrong way, PN instead of PV, and an X under the crown, all slightly modified versions of proofs from FN firearms.

I have used Spanish Arms when over seas... Astra made a flat Excellent 25 and 32 auto Browning Copy... Ive seen the 32-20 Knock offs and was Impressed with fit and finish... have no Idea if parts interchange but it may.

The 'Crown over X in a shield' is the mark that shows it went into the Eibar Proof house for Gov't mandated Proof.

That particular mark used from late 1929 till mid 1931

The Rampant Lion mark was the mark for the single and final proof firing of either a revolver or a semiauto handgun.
Used till Late 1929.

The Rampant Lion was supposedly discontinued from use when the Crown/shield/X started in use.
That would have been late 1929 (December actually)
This is the single and proof firing mark of a revolver OR semiauto Handgun.


Since both proof marks are on the pistol,,I'd hazzard a guess that the gun was proofed right about that time (12/29) as the switch in markings was being made.

The Rampant Lion revolver/semiauto proof mark was replaced in Dec 1929 with 2 separate proof marks...
The commonly seen round 'Flaming Bomb' mark.
An R inside for a revolver proofed. A P inside the mark for a semiauto proof.
(These new proof demands were for 1 proof rounds in each chamber of the revolver instead of just 1 proof round altogether.
The semiauto pistols recv 2 proof rounds then 2 service rds.)

The Crown/Shield w/X inside was changed to a Knights Helmet/Shield/ wX inside in July 1931.
That's when the King of Spain (the Crown on the older mark) was forced to step down from the throne.


The P.N. marking I cannot for the life of me think of what that signifies. I'm thinking a Nitro Proof mark of some sort but just a guess.

The inability to open the cylinder may be caused by the ejector rod backing out. I don't know if this is a right hand or left hand thread on the Spanish copies, but perhaps one of the other members will know. This is a common problem with older S&W's.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244