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S&W Antiques S&W Lever Action Pistols, Tip-Up Revolvers, ALL Top-Break Revolvers, and ALL Single Shots


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Old 05-30-2016, 02:41 PM
Tinker Pearce Tinker Pearce is offline
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S&W .32DA FCourth Model shortened barrel S&W .32DA FCourth Model shortened barrel S&W .32DA FCourth Model shortened barrel S&W .32DA FCourth Model shortened barrel S&W .32DA FCourth Model shortened barrel  
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Default S&W .32DA FCourth Model shortened barrel

Last year my wife bought me this as one of a pair of top-breaks, the other in .38. I liked this little gun, but after shooting it and finding it shoots VERY low despite the really short front sight, and the fact that it's obviously not stock led me to put interest n this gun on the back burner, so to speak.

Re-examining it the barrel has obviously been shortened; the second photo shows the new front sight hard up against the text; there is no room for a stock front sight. The barrel now measures 2-5/8 inches. Examining the muzzle it looks like a professional job; it's been properly re-crowned and is nickel plated. Serial Numbers all match (frame, cylinder and barrel) and the gun does not show any overt signs of refinishing.

The bore is bright and nice, likewise the cylinders. Action is heavy but silky smooth and ignition is reliable. It's a rather nice little gun aside from shooting six inches low at 7 yards. I've considered mounting a rear sight on it that would compensate for this, but am hesitant. I'm wondering what the likelihood is that this gun was modified by S&W? If that seems likely I'd be loathe to interfere with it further.


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Old 05-30-2016, 07:16 PM
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singleshot1891 singleshot1891 is offline
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I can almost certainly assure you that S&W did not modify the barrel length on your revolver. Whenever a pistol was sent back to the factory for work, a star was stamped near the serial number.

WB
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Old 05-30-2016, 08:05 PM
mmaher94087 mmaher94087 is offline
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S&W .32DA FCourth Model shortened barrel S&W .32DA FCourth Model shortened barrel S&W .32DA FCourth Model shortened barrel S&W .32DA FCourth Model shortened barrel S&W .32DA FCourth Model shortened barrel  
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Additionally, the factory centered the name/patent dates on the barrel rib. The factory 'short' barrels had the info on the side of the barrel with the exception of a few short barrels that had the patent info on the rib and extending on to the top-strap toward the latch..
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Old 05-30-2016, 08:15 PM
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If your front sight is as low as possible and it still shoots low the only other option is raising the rear. That would be difficult with those sights.
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Old 05-30-2016, 08:42 PM
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Since the barrel has already been cut I would cut it again just as short as possible. It would be a neat pocket gun and you don't need sights at three feet. Larry
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Old 05-30-2016, 10:16 PM
Tinker Pearce Tinker Pearce is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tops View Post
Since the barrel has already been cut I would cut it again just as short as possible. It would be a neat pocket gun and you don't need sights at three feet. Larry
Shortening the barrel would also bring the point of impact up a bit if I used a very short sight like the one that is currently mounted. I've actually been considering converting it to .22, but that might be more work than I care to do.
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