I AM LOOKING TO TRY AND PUT A VALUE AND DATE ON THIS REVOLVER. IT HAS SERIAL NUMBER 262225 ON THE CYLENDER AND B 262225 UNDER THE BARREL. IT HAS THE CHECKERED WALNUT GRIPS, IS BLUED AND HAS THE 6 IN BARREL THANKS FOR ANY HELP.

Sounds like it's a k-32.The # on the cylinder should be preceded by the letter K,as well as the butt of the gun.The letter B under the barrel means it is blued.With that serial #,looks like a 5 screw K-32,probably made about 1955.These guns are valuable depending on condition.Some pix would be necessary for evaluation purposes.

Is there a serial number on the butt of the gun as well? Or possibly on the grip forestrap behind the trigger guard?

It is more likely that this is a .32 Hand Ejector from as early as 1918, but possibly somewhat later if it sat on the factory inventory shelves for some time before shipping. The .32 HE is built on a smaller frame than the K-32 mentioned in the previous post. Though most of those small frame .32s had shorter barrels, you could get them with six-inch tubes.

If your .32 has adjustable sights, it would be called a 32 Regulation Police Target. It would also have square butt stocks rather than a rounded grip, and there would be a stamped patent date on the bottom of one grip panel: Nov. 5, 1917.

Value depends on both precise identification and condition. Can you post photos?

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David Wilson

THANKS I WILL GET PICS AND SEE IF I CAN FIND MORE #S

Welcome to the forum, how did you acquire the 32?

I BOUGHT IT AT A SMALL GUN SS&W32lctg.jpgHOP ABOUT 8 YEARS AGO

You have a .32 Regulation Police revolver. Production was from 1917 to 1942, with a serial number range of 260000 - 536000. Yours is very early.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Gil is correct (but he needs an extra 0 in the first number in his serial number range). Your serial number is the lowest one I have ever seen on a .32 RP. I would bet that your gun dates to 1917.

I don't know the exact statistics, but most RPs had 3.25 or 4.25 inch barrels. The six-inch barrels are less commonly seen (though they were standard on the target models, which yours is not).

Very nice revolver.

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David Wilson

THERE IS A NUMBER 4451 CYLINDER ARM THAT FOLDS INTO THE GUN HOUSING PAT #S ON BARREL ARE OCT 8 01 DEC17 01 FEB8 08 SEPT 14 09 DEC 29 14 AND PAT ON GUN BUTT JUNE 5 1917

Those are the patent numbers you see on all the .32 Hand Ejectors and Regulation Police models of that time. Ignore the shorter numbers on or under the crane; they are process control numbers and have no meaning after the gun is fully assembled. June 5, 1917 is the date of the patent for the square butt stocks on the Regulation Police revolvers. If you take the stocks off you will see that the frame is actually rounded, as it is for the other .32s S&W was manufacturing at this time. But it also has a "step" in the backstrap that allows the specially designed stocks to fit tightly to the frame. That is called a "rebated" frame or rebated backstrap.

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David Wilson

Great find! I have one similar only with a poorly preserved nickel finish. It shoots quite well... I especially like the extra sighting radius provided by the 6" barrel. So far mine has had mostly factory Remington ammo through it, but I now have sufficient brass and components to start reloading for it and will look forward to load development.

As an aside, you can put a set of J-frame grips that completely surround the existing grip frame with little if any special fitting... I used a set of smooth finger groove Mustangs and am pleased to have a little more to hang on to. Those original grips were too nice for me to take out and beat around in a carry gun.

Froggie

"Gil is correct (but he needs an extra 0 in the first number in his serial number range)."

Well, DUH!

I fixed it.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Great little guns, the six inch is a bit of a hard find. Here is a picture of mine and a photo of the rebated grip frame and stocks.

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John. SWCA #1586

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR ALL THE GREAT INFO

Have old S&W 32 Long CTG - blue - 3.25in barrel - 6 shot - black rubber grips - last date Dec 29, 1914 - SN on barrel is
B274501 but at base of grip just 274501 - inside plate has number 9206 - no S&W stamp on either side......anyone know model name and approx date of manufacture? Thanks and pics to follow of revolver. Jim

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Welcome to the forum. Your gun is a .32 Hand Ejector, Third Model, manufactured about 1919. Aside from the shape of the butt and the length of the barrel, it is identical to the gun that started this thread.

S&W made about half a million small frame .32 revolvers before WWII; they were much more popular in the first part of the 20th century than they have been in more recent decades. Yours is one of those guns.

Your gun may have been refinished at some point. The current blue seems to be less highly polished than the super-dark high-polish blue that the company put on their guns before WWII. Also, it looks as though the hammer and trigger have been blued. The Factory didn't do that, opting for the muted flowing colors of their patented case hardening process.

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David Wilson

Ref 32 Long CTG --- Thanks David for the info and updates. Got this from my father. He was born in 1902 and had all his life. He may have had it refinished. It shoots fine but I just keep it tucked away. At one time I was going to have it refinished but have since learned that is the way to devalue a piece. Thanks again, Jim

In looking at the photos several times, I am not sure if the trigger and hammer are blue or case hardened. If they are blue, then as David stated, the gun was most likely refinished. If however, they are a metal color with traces of blue, purple and or tan, then they are case hardened. Between camera images and ****** monitors, it is sometimes very difficult to tell without seeing the gun in person.

Welcome to both you and the OP.

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James Redfield
LM #497

Ref 32 Long CTG - I got the weapon out in the good sun and looked. There is alot of wear and alot of bluing is gone. Yet when you pull the trigger back and look...it appears the trigger and hammer were case hardened. Knowing my father, I doubt if he would have paid for rebluing - Ha! Thanks , Jim

Can't believe all the great info here..I have a S&W 32 Cal long, with the rebated butt frame and 3 1/4 barrel.. Looks like the orginal wooden grips with Pat. june 5 1917 on bottom. By following this forum I've learned from you guys it's a Regulation Police. I was just wondering if anyone knew an approximate date of mfg. The serial #s are 351xxx..Thanks for any help, and glad I found this place...There are no S&W medallions on the handles either, but are checkered...

1921/22 -- around there.

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David Wilson

Thanks a lot..

I have a 32 Long CTG with a 4.25 barrel and a serial number of 277XXX it has a walnut square pistol grips. Nickel plated, 5 screw plate, no S&W logo on either side of the frame. Brass S&W logo inset in the top of the pistol grips. The gun looks like new no real signs of wear, any idea as to the year it was made, I was thinking 1918, does anyone have better info on the manufacture dates?

I love the way these ancient postings rise from their graves. Yours probably shipped around mid-1919. Pictures would be good.