My father gave me a 32-20 revolver with the following information etched on the top of the barrel: "Smith & Wesson, Springfield Mass. U.S.A. Pat'd Mar. 27, 94, May 21, 95, Aug. 4, 96, Dec. 22, 96, Oct. 8, 01, Dec. 17, 01, Feb. 6, 06. One side of the pistol has "32 winchester ctg" etched in it. The serial number on the butt is 44697. It is a very clean gun and I know that my Dad shot it recently, but I am curious to know a couple things: (1) any information (or direct me to the info) you have on this particular model? Should I shoot it? what is its value, if any? I have no intention of selling it, but am just curious.

Welcome to the forum. S&W made about 150000 revolvers in .32 WCF caliber (.32-20) between 1899 and the onset of WWII, when commercial production was suspended in order to handle wartime contracts. Aside from the caliber, they are mechanically identical to the .38 Special Millitary & Police models that have been the company's single most successful line, with millions made. But the .32-20 was never as popular as the larger caliber revolver, and the line was not reintroduced after the war.

The serial number on your revolver indicates production around 1909-1910.

You probably know that .32-20 ammo was offered in both rifle and revolver loadings. Modern .32-20 ammo is safe for revolvers, but you may find boxes of higher pressure rifle ammo surviving from past decades. It would be a bad idea to shoot that in the revolver.

Can you post pics? A lot of us here like these .32-20 revolvers, which were a little zippier than the smaller guns (and after the war, K-frames) chambered in.32 Long. I have a renickeled gun from 1915 that is fun to shoot.

I believe that revolvers in this caliber were often used by trappers and hunters as small-game sidearms in the woods. There were at least a few police departments (though never many) that thought they were adequate sidearms for law enforcement. My impression is that this caliber was more popular in the south and east of the US than in the midwest and west, but that's not based on any formal study -- just a feeling I've developed after listening to what people say about them.

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David Wilson

My father was from Middle Texas, so at least in my case, the South analysis fits. I will post some pictures when I get a chance. I haven't measured the barrel, but I think it is a 6" or 6 1/2" barrel. As a kid, I remember admiring that gun. It felt great in your hand and my Dad only shot it once in front of me (I was too young when he shot it, maybe 6 or 7 (1970's), so he wouldn't let me shoot it). I think he has only shot it a couple times since then.