Please help! Gunbroker auction with serial #2xxx is listed as never fired. The barrel looks to be one from a double action model after 1909. It has a forged sight, Smith&Wesson on the left side and no patent dates on the topstrap. Patent dates appeared there sometime after #1000. so they should be present on this one. The frame is early as it has the internal strain screw. Owner says that the barrel and latch have the same serial as the frame. The entire gun looks pristine, but I have never seen any reference to any .32 SA barrel so configured. Is this a legit gun?
Bill Gehr 1922

You are correct, that barrel never came on that gun originally. Note also, what appears to be the date code on the left side of the grip frame, indicating the date the gun was repaired/reworked at the factory. Ed.

Thanks Ed, don't know how I missed that. Looks as if it was factory refinished and they put on the new barrel and refinished the whole gun. Appreciate the reply. Bill

I had several email comversation with the seller about his gum. He seems like a nice guy and really didn't know what he had. He knows now, and appreciated the information. Ed.

I noticed he hasn't lowered his price to a realistic level yet.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Yes that is the impression I got from emails. Not really sure he knows what he has. He jumped the starting bid from 1500 to $2200. I think it is a gun that may have laid around with old ammo, then someone fired it twice resulting in a bulge. It was sent somewhere and the barrel was replaced and the gun refinished. He asked questions beyond my knowledge. I know S&W used a star but it was usually on the butt. They usually used three digits in the date; his has four. Did other refinishers/repairers use a star?

S&W stars are usually on the butt, but not always. S&W would put the star most any place you wanted it, however if you didn't specify, then it usually went on the butt next to the serial number. The repair dates are some times shown with the day of the month, as well as the month & year, especially if the repair was done in recent times, like this gun. Ed.

Thanks, Ed. Was S&W the only ones to use the star?

The barrel length, forged sight, and side markings look the same as those for .32 double action fifth model.

If I were the seller I would letter this 1 1/2 and include it in the sale. That barrel was probably the only type available when it was replaced. And it wouldn't have been available in 1878.

You are correct, that barrel was not available until about 1909 when it was used on the .32 DA as well as the .32 Safety hammerless 3d Model.

If he would letter this and it would be possible to prove it was factory rebuilt this way, what would it do to the value? It is not a factory model produced, but re-done in a one of a kind? Somehow I don't believe the factory would do this. But is thei a case of never say never?

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

If I remember some older posts correctly, Roy said that the factory did not keep records about what was done to a returned gun. Maybe he was referring to some particular time frame. It is odd that the return to factory date is 4467 and that there would still be a barrel around for a gun that they stopped producing in 1937.

My guess is that "IF" the factory did the work, it would have been with parts furnished by the owner. And I think it would be a big IF.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244