Hello. I have just bought a very nice SW Safety Hammerless 1st Model, cal. .32, 3,5" barrel. The gun is nickel plated and in an excellent order. The serial Number is a very low one, only 906. I would like to know, when this revolver was approximately made and shipped? Owing to its low serial Number I suppose that it should be made in the very beginning of the year 1888, when the production of m/a Safety Hammerless .32 started. This is for me a quite importatnt matter, because in our country there are antique guns only those, which were made before 1890. Further would anyone let me know if I can fire MagTech Ammunition .32 SW (85gr.) with lead bullets? I would really appreciate any help. Many thanks, Jan.

Smith & Wesson revolvers were not necessarily shipped in sequential order; in fact, Smith & Wesson revolvers are notorious for having inexplicably random shipping dates. Your gun probably was made about 1888, however, given the low number.

I would purchase a factory letter on your gun.

I would stick to black powder in this one.

Pictures? We love pictures!

Welcome to the Forum. Your 32 Safety Hammerless, 1st Model would have definitely been manufactured during the first year of production. The 1st Model was manufactured from 1888 to 1902, with over 90,000 made. I would also be very confident that a gun with a 906 serial number would have shipped during the first year of manufacturing. The company did manufacture guns in serial number order, but shipping dates are a little less accurate. A serial number just 4 digit away from yours shipped in 1888 and aht last 32 Safety in the SWCA database that shipped in May 1888 was 23XX. A factory letter would be the only documentation proof of actual ship date.

There were no changes in overall design made in the 32 Safetys during its manufacturing run to address smokeless powder use, so the overall strength of this model did not change. The 32 S&W cartridge is a very mild round and millions of rounds of smokeless loads have been fired in all the quarter million made over the last 115 years. Plus, S&W adopted smokeless powder in the very early 1900s for these guns.

__________________
Gary
SWCA 2515

Hello Gary, thank You for Your quick and sofisticated answer, which I really appreciate and that does confirm what I had thought concerning production date. I am glad that I am allowed to use the factory Ammu .32 SW short, which can be get at us quite easily. I am to use the SW Safety Hammerless for everyday carry. Best Regards, Jan.

Hi mrcvs, many thanks for your replay, I wanted to purchase the factory letter, but the factory was suspended Letters Requests to allow the backlog to be cleared. So I will have to wait. Kind Regards, Jan

Welcome! If you are able to mail a factory letter request soon, the current wait time recently has been about 6 weeks (subject to change).

I gather you are able to carry a firearm for self-defense in the Czech Republic? Any restrictions on caliber of type of gun?

__________________
Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Hallo Alan, here in Czech Republic you are allowed to carry (for self defence) an antique gun (made before 1890) free of licence and nonregisterred. Younger guns only with respective permission. Both must be carried concealed, any restrictions on caliber, but you can shoot only in clubs, nowhere else. This concerns a black powder as well. Automatic guns are not allowed, only with special permitions. If you have an antique gun, you are able to buy ammunition for this respective gun only. There a few types of permitions. Thanks for your info, Jan

P.S. I had just sent the factory letter request so after having an answer I will let you know.

Congratulations on such a low serial number!

A few years ago I picked up the same gun with serial number 53x. Roy lettered it to April 17, 1888. Your gun was probably not that many days behind ... so late April 1888 is as good of a guess as any (without the factory letter).

Sadly, my gun is not in nearly as good condition as yours. Someone tried to start a redneck restoration on it, and I wouldn't have touched it if it didn't have a three digit serial number.

Mike

Hallo Mike, many thanks for your very usable, important and interesting information concerning the production date, because in our country there are for antique guns taken those, that were made before 1890 and such firearms you are allowed to hold in possession and for concealed carry free of licence (as I mentioned above). Late April 1888 sounds pretty good to me. Anyway I am sorry about the worse condition of yours Safety Hammerless. Have a nice day, Jan. P.S. I appologize for my English which I had learnt in school many years ago.