What is the distinguishable differences between the S&W Second and Third Model besides serial numbers.

I thought the pinned versus forged front sights might be one, until I ran onto a comment that Third Models "usually" has forged front sights.

What caliber?
Model of what?
Circa what?

Without knowing a specific model, that may be true except that S&W never scrapped anything useable especially if they paid for the labor and material to make the part. A barrel with a defective forged front sight would be recycled to make it sellable with a pinned front sight.

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Mike Maher #283

S&W .32, top break revolver

On the .32 New Departure, also called the Safety Hammerless, the barrel on the 3" and 3 1/2" were equipped with the forged front sight and is a quick way of identifying this Model and variation. Things get messy with the 2" barrel as there were both forged and pinned sights. The .32 Double Action, 3rd model only had the pinned sight.

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Mike Maher #283