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11-03-2009, 11:48 AM
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Help on what I think is a 4th Model S&W Double Action Revolver in .32 Caliber
I have just become the proud owner of a S&W revolver - it was sold to me at a very reasonable price by a friend who inherited it and has no interest in guns. My own shooting experience is with modern semi-autos, mostly SIGs. Since I have no idea what this revolver is, I figure this is a great opportunity to start educating myself on S&W and an interesting area of gun history I know very little about.
In searching the internet, I came across some pictures leading me to believe that my gun is (or at least looks a lot like) a 4th Model S&W Double Action Revolver in .32 Caliber.
I am interested in knowing the history and current value of this revolver.
It looks to be a nickeled .32 calibre
The trigger guard is not nickeled
The top of the barrel has Smith and Wesson, Springfield, MA stamped on it with various patent dates (the year of the dates are only double digit and ambiguous to me "68", "69")
Both the frame and the cylinder have the number 55757 stamped on them.
The website I found with pictures of the similar gun would imply it is over 100 years old, but looking at the gun it looks like it is only a maximum of 30-40 years old! - it is very clean and looks like it has hardly ever been fired.
Can anyone point me to some resources which could help me confirm the model and year? If it is in fact a 4th model, are there any links to the history of this model?
Thank you in advance for your help!!!
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11-03-2009, 12:24 PM
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Welcome to the forum.
The best current reference to S&W revolvers is the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson by Supica and Nahas. It's available through Amazon. There are also other printed S&W histories, like The History of Smith & Wesson by Neal and Jinks.
You may well be right in your identification. The .32 Double Action top breaks were manufactured between 1880 and about 1920. The serial number you quote lies in the range associated with the fourth model, which was in production from 1883 to 1909. By interpolation, your serial number would fall around 1884-85. Your gun very well could be about 125 years old.
Guns do survive from the late 19th century in surprisingly good condition. Sounds like you may have one of them. Congratulations.
Any chance you could post a picture or two? That would help confirm the suspected identification.
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David Wilson
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11-04-2009, 05:35 PM
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David,
Thank you for your response and the info. In the meantime I was able to exchange an email with Roy Jinks, who confirmed that my .32 double Action Fourth Model serial number 55757 was sold in January of 1884. I am just amazed at how good a shape this is in! I tried to take pictures but they came out poorly due to the artificial light - so I will try again in daylight and re-post them.
Any idea how much a revolver like this is worth?
Can I shoot it?? If so with what ammunition?
Thanks,
---Reza
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11-04-2009, 07:51 PM
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A local shop has that exact revolver (in not so well condition) for $350.
Of course...I think that's way too high.
The finish is rough and there's a lot of play in the cylinder.
I'd love to learn more about these gorgeous little top-breaks as well.
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11-04-2009, 10:14 PM
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That gun is beautiful. The condition looks to be new. I wouldn't be surprised if it's unfired. Very nice.
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11-08-2009, 10:56 AM
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Appears to be in excellent condition. I'd get a factory letter from Roy authenticating it. Nice find.
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... ed ...
Last edited by raveneap; 11-08-2009 at 10:58 AM.
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11-08-2009, 01:20 PM
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Hello Rezaff,
I agree with most of what is said above, it is a nice old Smith. I just don't agree about getting a factory letter for it. I mean no disrespect to raveneap at all. I know how exciting it can be to find an old treasure. But, what a factory letter will get you with that gun is the exact date it ws shipped ( you already have the month and year) and who it was shipped to. With 99.9% of the old antiques from the 1880s and 1890s, the shipment was to one of the big distributers in NY, Shuler Hartley & Graham or MW Robinson Co. O K I admit, a few went to the big distributer in Chicago, Hibbard Spencer Bartlett & Co . When I first started pulling in as many of the old smiths as my greedy, grasping old gun safe could hold, I too sent for letters on the old ones. At some point one of the long time collectors advised me that for instance in this case S&W manufactured a couple of hundred thousand of this model. Unless it is a rare or special order variation, all of the letters will say the same thing. I bought many letters on guns like this several years ago. Believe me I been there, done that, got the tee shirt. I feel that a much better use of that $50 would be to join the Smith & Wesson Collectors Association. You then have easy access to Roy Jinks and shipping information, and a huge knowledgable network of cooperative and friendly Smith & Wesson enthusiasts. To me that's your best bang for the buck. Sorry to break into this thread, but I see this often and felt compelled to force my opinion on you.
cflier
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Mark Connot
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11-08-2009, 03:46 PM
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Mark,
I assume you don't buy Lottery tickets either.
There's always that one that fell through the cracks and ended up being sent to someone famous. I know the odds are against it, but if you don't buy a ticket, you don't stand a chance of winning.
(I've got my share of MW Robinson letters )
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Dean
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11-08-2009, 04:48 PM
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Rezaff,
Very nice condition piece you have there!!!! Congrats
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03-09-2017, 06:23 PM
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Part for S&W .32 revolver
I have a S&W .32 Double Action 4th Model made from 1883 to 1909. Based on serial # yous was made about 1886 or 7. The part that registers the cylinder after firing is missing. I either need the part or a parts revolver? Any suggestions
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04-20-2017, 06:16 PM
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Cylinder Stop
I have a S&W .32 Double Action 4th Model made from 1883 to 1909. Based on serial # it was made about 1886 or 7. I need a cylinder stop. Anyone know of a parts revolver I could buy or does anyone have a similar parts revolver and would be willing to sell the cylinder stop.
Thank you,
Mike
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04-21-2017, 09:06 AM
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To answer your question, yes it can be fired, and the ammunition is the .32 S&W, (not the .32 S&W Long). It is loaded very mild for these older revolvers. But if it were me, I would not as it appears to be in outstanding condition, and the number of them still in this condition after 125 years is very few. It may surprise you how much it might be worth to a collector in this condition.
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H Richard
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04-21-2017, 09:17 AM
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Anybody else notice this thread is 8 years old?
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Guy
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