This gun came from the estate of a retired Air Force colonel. I posted some more information and a couple of other guns here:
Estate sale Smiths - 1917, .22/32 Kit Gun

This is a .32 Safety Hammerless 2nd Model with a 2" barrel, sometimes known as a Bicycle Gun. In this barrel length the SCSW describes them as "rare". Patent markings are on the left side of the barrel and there is no caliber marking.

Looks like a nifty little gun.

Attached Images

	2017-08-07-17-00_p2510806.jpg (137.0 KB, 1339 views)
	2017-08-07-17-01_p2510808.jpg (78.4 KB, 239 views)
	2017-08-07-17-01_p2510809.jpg (125.0 KB, 1317 views)
	2017-08-07-17-01_p2510809a.jpg (66.0 KB, 233 views)
	2017-08-07-17-02_p2510810.jpg (56.2 KB, 1311 views)

Perhaps it is not visible because of reflection, but the patent data not shown on the top strap but on the right side of the barrel on the 32 Bicycle doesn't appear to be visible.

See the attached example.



These are neat little guns and scarce enough that they do demand a fair premium increase in value.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Nope, patent data is on the left side of the barrel, the right side is blank. I know that's not what the SCSW and your example show but that's how it is.

The one-line patent dates were on the left for the 1st Issue .32 Safety Hammerless. They moved to the right side for the 2nd Issue 2-line patent dates.

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Mike Maher #283

Well they didn't move to the right on this one. The serial is 95488 and the 2nd Model ranges from 91418 to 170000, per SCSW, and it definitely does not have the 1st Model style barrel latch. Maybe this one was early enough in the run that the workman running the patent die hadn't gotten the word yet.

"Never say never..." with Smith & Wesson.

Very interesting 2nd Issue revolver with the 2-line address on the left. I suspect 'operator error'. I have examples of backward serial numbers; the barrel points the other way. Must have been manufactured on a Monday (or Friday; after lunch).

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Mike Maher #283

Knowing what I now know, if I worked in a gun factory I would purposely mix up the roll stamps just to mess with collectors 100 years from now.

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James Redfield
LM #497

I can only guess that the barrel is a left-over 1st Model example, with inventory being used up at the factory. Also, no hard and fast rules clause applies here, meaning that they made some 2nd Models with the roll stamping on the left and some with the stamping on the right. I have seen other 2" 32 Safety, 2nd Models with left stampings. I have a 2nd Model with right-side patents and left side caliber marking.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Still a cool gun to us newer collector wannabes and very good information to know ,thanks for posting .

I know it's kinda off-topic, but I would love to see a modern manufactured gun just like this in .32 auto. There is a huge hole in the revolver market between the J-frame and the NAA Mini platforms.

Taurus makes a DAO .380 5-shot revolver. That'd be about the closest thing I can think of being made today.
Taurus M380IBULSS Revolver | .380 5 Rounds Matte Stainless Steel

I have 95332, which is also a 2nd issue with the two line address on the left of the barrel.

Attached Images

bicycle 5.jpg (109.4 KB, 34 views)

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Peter #2091

I think that we collectors want all things S&W especially changes to have specific date and serial number change points. Unfortunately, S&W was a gun company whose first and foremost goal was to make money and they did that very well most of the time. Certainly the two original founders were the richest men in Springfield in the day and possibly in all of Massachusetts.

When changes were made to the workings of the firearm, it did not necessarily coincide with the change of a specific roll stamping from one side of the barrel to the other. There is also the fact that many parts were made in batches so it is very possible for more or less barrels to be around with more or less frames. Since they were all the same model, it is highly likely for them to be used to make complete guns regardless of which model they were supposed to be on.

Finding guns that don't fit the mold just before or just after these changes were supposed to take place is more the rule than the exception.

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James Redfield
LM #497

Here is a 2nd model, serial 128101, recently sold on GB by David Carroll:





It has the caliber markings in addition to the patent date.

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

Hello Les, that is a right handsome gun at $574. I guess that is the new norm for that model. I was in the pack but dropped out. Best

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

We know that there were 2" guns with no patent stampings on the barrel that have lettered as Bicycle guns, so it's nothing out of the ordinary for S&W to use up all left-over parts that fit and probably to cut some longer barrels as orders come in. Both the guns that show a left side marking, are early 2nd Models. The last 1st Model was made around 91,500, and both these 2nd Models are in the 95,XXX range. I have seen a few 2nd Model Bicycle Guns, including mine, around the 110,XXX to 120,XXX, but they show up throughout the entire 2nd Model run.

What I wish is that someone knew how many of these guns were actually made.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Gary, unfortunately those kind of details were either not recorded or they were lost to time. I know that Roy has worked tirelessly over the years to try to tabulate how many of a particular model were produced but it is a daunting task.

Even the total number of Bekeart shipped .22/32 HFT's was reported in error for years due to mistakes made trying to tabulate the number. Pulling these numbers from the shipping records is extremely difficult as the records are in long hand and sometimes the writing is tough to read. Add to the mix that groups of a given model were shipped over many years sometimes in large batches and sometimes in small batches. Putting these numbers together over the cataloged life of a given model that was produced over a 20 or perhaps 50 year time span is close to impossible.

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James Redfield
LM #497

The first factory shipped original 2 in. .32 Safety was serial number 53252, shipped June 14, 1893, to Dale & Gale Schoverling, NYC. Blue finish. Special order. The patent dates were on the top of the barrel rib as the roll die used was the die for the .32DA and the stamping extend over the top strap. The patent date stamping on the barrel sides did not happen until several 1,000 serial numbers later. Photos of the gun, when in my collection, were posted on their Forum years ago by Dan Meigs . It is my belief that a small number of 2 in. guns were made at the same time in 1893 and placed in the vault, as a two inch.32 safety with a serial number just a few digits lower than 53252 was shipped a year later. Ed.