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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 04-24-2017, 07:12 PM
TIRENUT TIRENUT is offline
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Default What Can You Tell Me About This Pistol?

I inherited this little pistol.
It looks like a .25 caliber or thereabouts.
If you can help me identify:
~ Age
~ Caliber
~ Value
I would be very grateful
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Old 04-24-2017, 07:39 PM
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It appears to be a .32 Double Action, 4th Model, which would have shipped from S&W between 1883 and 1909. There were 269,600 of them made. From these pictures I would guess it might rate as Excellent condition, and the value would be in the $300 to $400 range. It should be marked 32 S&W on the barrel, but I can't tell that from your pictures. I have a feeling that on close inspection it might show it has been polished out and possibly refinished at some time, in which case the value would be somewhat less.

Welcome to the Forum, and if you could furnish closer clearer pictures, of the top strap of the barrel, and both sides of the barrel it may be able to be identified a little more accurately.
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Old 04-24-2017, 08:25 PM
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That looks like a Schofield new model no. 3 with the knuckle grip.
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Old 04-24-2017, 08:26 PM
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Agree it appears to be a .32 DA, with some heavy cleaning wear on the original nickel finish with something abrasive, like steel wool. Careful polishing with a light abrasive may get the finish shiny again. It uses the .32 S & W round, still available with online searching.

It is a top-break like a Schofield, but not a single action and without the relatively large cylinder (and bore) of the .45.
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Old 04-24-2017, 09:23 PM
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Welcome to the forum.

That is a cute little .32 top break that has been seriously cleaned at some point as Richard and Alan have stated. Purist collector value is unfortunately diminished by the cleaning so it is basically a shooter. In original unmolested condition I have seen these for as much as $500 but as a shooter it suffers because the market for .32 shooters is not what it once was. Today's younger crowd want black plastic guns that shoot 20 rounds at a clip and usually in calibers greater than .32 S&W.

It might appeal to a cowboy action shooter as a belly gun or hide away gun but due to lack of demand and the fact that hundreds of thousands of these were made value takes a hit.
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Old 04-25-2017, 12:51 PM
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Hey guys, its funny this post was just made yesterday. I, too, stumbled across one of these little pistols at my grandfathers house last weekend and have been researching around for an age and value of the pistol. Its in pretty rough shape so I understand there may not be very much value to it, but would still be interested i learning more about it. I have attached pic below and any help you guys can provide would be greatly appreciated. Serial number is 138341.
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Old 04-25-2017, 01:09 PM
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Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! .32 Double Action 4th Model. Probably shipped in the mid-1890's. Someone with more accurate data will be along shortly. S&W made around 240,000 of the 4th models. Yours is quite degraded. Might be good in a shadow box display.
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Old 04-25-2017, 02:36 PM
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Im amazed at some of the exorbitant values that some members place
on these little, obsolete S&Ws. Parts are few and far between and they are a pain to work on. They are unreliable and expensive to shoot. And
smokey and a pain to clean. You want to shoot? Buy a Mod-10 or 39.
Cheap to shoot and fun. My two cents. No harm. Best
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Old 04-25-2017, 07:27 PM
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andrewbrande; The information given to the OP would be the same as for yours , except value, as it is substantially poorer condition. If it still functions properly, and can be shot it has some value as a fun little shooter, but otherwise just as a parts gun, maybe $75 or so.
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Old 04-25-2017, 08:14 PM
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The original post looks like it has been refinished and might be worth around $100 to $150 depending on the functionality. If the timing is off then closer to $50.

Andrews gun is in poor condition and would be worth $50 to $75 if the timing is good. If the timing is off I'd pay $20 for it.

These old 32's aren't very robust and very frequently the timing is off rendering them unsafe as a shooter and not worth much to anyone else.
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Old 04-26-2017, 09:26 AM
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Finish looks original to me. The nickel looks to have been cleaned with steel wool on the left side, but using some Mother's Mag polish will help a lot.

One simple visual clue to determining whether a revolver is single or double action is to look at the position of the trigger. A single action trigger will always appear near the back side of the trigger guard, as in the Model 3, while a double action revolver will always place the trigger in the center opening of the trigger guard, allowing room for the long pull to cock the hammer.

As for the comment made about how worthless these guns are is a matter of opinion. Prices are low when compared to larger frame contemporary models and offer a lot of fun at the range. All my 32 S&W revolvers work flawlessly and will continue to offer a real change of pace at the range. For me, I cannot think of a more boring day at the range than shooting a Model 10 all afternoon.

Forgot to add that the 32 DA, 4th was shipped most likely in 1893, so qualifies as an antique by the BATF.
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Last edited by glowe; 04-26-2017 at 09:30 AM. Reason: added content
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