s&w top break .32 revolver

mfee2079 · #1 10-11-2014, 11:04 PM

I just got an old s&w .32 top break revolver. Serial number 105815. Can anyone give me or point me in the right direction to find out everything I can about this gun. Pearl grips, top break blue at 90%
Model number, manufacturing date, sales info, anything that can be found will be helpful.. thank you

murphydog · #2 10-11-2014, 11:50 PM

Welcome! There are two models that fit your description, one with an exposed hammer (.32 Double Action) and one without (.32 Safety Hammerless). This and photos would help with an exact ID and value estimate.

mfee2079 · #3 10-12-2014, 06:36 AM

It's the .32 double action with exposed hammer.
The pic I have is too large, I will try to change that and post it asap

murphydog · #4 10-12-2014, 06:56 AM

The serial number dates it to the late 1880s. Looking forward to the photo(s).

glowe · #5 10-12-2014, 08:36 AM

Welcome to the Forum. There are 2 books that contain a great deal of information on early models of Smith & Wesson Revolvers. First is Smith & Wesson 1857-1945 by Neal & Jinks and the second is the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, 3rd Edition by Supica and Nahas.

Another good book outlining the history and development of S&W is History of Smith & Wesson by Roy Jinks that chronicles the development

mfee2079 · #6 10-12-2014, 09:25 AM

I can't get the images to post and I have no way to shrink them on my phone. My email is marty1659 AT att DOT net. I will email any pic if putting up my email is a tos violation I will take it down

Wiregrassguy · #7 10-12-2014, 09:51 AM

This is Marty's picture. Doesn't this look like a .38 S&W DA, 2nd Model?

Wiregrassguy · #8 10-12-2014, 09:56 AM

Looks like my .38 DA.

mfee2079 · #9 10-12-2014, 10:51 AM

You guys are wonderful...Thank you. I bought this at a yard sale for. .25 bucks was told it was a 32 but they knew nothing about it. It was granddad was found in. The bottom of a trunk in his attic in the condition you see

mfee2079 · #10 10-12-2014, 11:07 AM

One last question. Do you think it's worth the 50.00 to get the information letter from Smith and Wesson on this weapon?

glowe · #11 10-12-2014, 11:14 AM

I too think you have a 38 S&W caliber and the model was called 38 Double Action, 2nd Model, probably shipped around 1884. There is a fair amount of shallow pitting and the gun has been touched up or reblued at some point in time. The pearl stocks would have been post factory, since factory pearl stocks would have had gold medallions.

There appears to be some alteration made to the hammer stud since it looks much larger on the frame than examples I have of that model.

I would not get a letter, since almost all these went to distributors and there were over a half million of 38 DA revolvers made.

Wyatt p. Tato · #12 10-12-2014, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiregrassguy

Looks like my .38 DA.

I wish S&W a would make one like this today I know it would be expensive and would not sell but I would like one.

Wyatt p. Tato · #13 10-12-2014, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfee2079

You guys are wonderful...Thank you. I bought this at a yard sale for. .25 bucks was told it was a 32 but they knew nothing about it. It was granddad was found in. The bottom of a trunk in his attic in the condition you see

You did well!

Wiregrassguy · #14 10-12-2014, 01:35 PM

Just find an original DA, Wyatt. They aren't rare and are very affordable.

murphydog · #15 10-12-2014, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfee2079

One last question. Do you think it's worth the 50.00 to get the information letter from Smith and Wesson on this weapon?

The pluses would be you would have a history of the model, the day and destination when it left the factory and its original configuration. The bad news is it will cost you twice what you paid for the gun

. No right or wrong answer, personal preference for you.

DWalt · #16 10-12-2014, 05:00 PM

You are likely to be disappointed in the letter after paying $50.. These were and are very common revolvers, and it's highly unlikely that there is any historical connection to it. It's probably still shootable, and .38 S&W ammo is still made, but somewhat hard to find, and expensive. On the upside, it is a legal antique (pre-1899), and therefore unregulated in most jurisdictions.

mmaher94087 · #17 10-12-2014, 07:26 PM

"The pearl stocks would have been post factory, since factory pearl stocks would have had gold medallions." Gold medallions did not appear until the mid 1890's. Smith & Wesson supplied non-medallion stocks but so did many of the S&W distributors. If I had to guess from one photo, I'd wager that these Pearls are from a distributor.