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S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 All 5-Screw & Vintage 4-Screw SWING-OUT Cylinder REVOLVERS, and the 35 Autos and 32 Autos


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Old 06-24-2012, 11:04 PM
icarryone icarryone is offline
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32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372  
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Default 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372

Hi all I am new here and I have a S&W 32 cal 6 shot 5 screw revolver serial 596372 I am posting pictures I would like to know when it was made and an a value on it. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me. The pistol is in great shape shoots great has very little wear other than a little bluing gone on the cylinder. I removed the grips and the serial # is the same on them. It has four screws on the right side one is under the grip and the 5 th screw in on the front of the trigger guard
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Last edited by icarryone; 06-24-2012 at 11:13 PM. Reason: more info
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Old 06-25-2012, 10:41 AM
Hondo44 Hondo44 is offline
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32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372  
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Welcome to the forum! A great little carry gun. With that serial number it's an Improved I frame with a coil mainspring. It's a "Model .32 Hand Ejector" round butt 2" that became the Model 30 in c.1957. Value $250 to $300 and varies by location. Probably shipped c. 1953 to 54.

It would be a "Model .32 Regulation Police" if it had a square butt with wood extending beyond the bottom of the steel grip frame and a 4 1/4" barrel.

Here are the serial ranges for the three post war variations and yours is clearly in the #2 Improved I frame category:
1. I Frame: (.32HE and RP up to #550XXX highest # known) leaf spring w/screw in forestrap, 5 screws (4 in sideplate and one in front of trigger guard).

2. Improved I: (.32HE and RP beginning at #554536, lowest # known) coil main spring no screw in forestrap, 5 screws (4 in sideplate and one in front of trigger guard).

3. Model of 1953 I Frames: (the .32s start at about #614XXX) .32 HE & .32RP Pre-Model numbers up until 1957 when they became the Mod 30 & Mod 31 respectively, 4 screw sideplate or later, 3 screw sideplate, (no screw in front of trigger guard on either). Had the larger trigger guard and longer, J frame size grip.
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Last edited by Hondo44; 06-25-2012 at 10:48 AM.
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  #3  
Old 06-25-2012, 10:43 AM
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pharmer pharmer is offline
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32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372  
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Just the info from the SCSW 3rd pgs 127-128: ".32 Hand ejector ,postwar, Round butt, I frame. 1949, introduce 2" barrel. 1953, Improved I frame, delete trigger guard screw. Values (from book, not current) Poor $90, Fair $150, Good $265, VG $300, EXC $365, ANIB $650. HTH. Joe
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Old 06-25-2012, 11:03 AM
Hondo44 Hondo44 is offline
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32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pharmer View Post
Just the info from the SCSW 3rd pgs 127-128: ".32 Hand ejector ,postwar, Round butt, I frame. 1949, introduce 2" barrel. 1953, Improved I frame, delete trigger guard screw." Values (from book, not current) "Poor $90, Fair $150, Good $265, VG $300, EXC $365, ANIB $650." HTH. Joe
Joe,
You'll notice icarryone's gun is not described in your book quote. And there's even another 5 screw version between his and the Model of 1953. It has a ribbed barrel and ramp front sight and sometimes already has the flat latch.

Just FYI, the book confuses these models. In various locations of the book it refers to the true Improved I frame (with new coil spring & still having the trigger guard screw), and the new Model of 1953 I frame (with flat latch, the larger trigger guard and longer, J frame size grip but no screw in front of trigger g.) both as Improved I frames but they are very different.
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Last edited by Hondo44; 06-25-2012 at 11:16 AM.
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Old 06-25-2012, 01:51 PM
Texas Star Texas Star is offline
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32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372  
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Look at the cylinder release. Can that be original on that gun? This style does work better for most people, and I'm thinking it's a replacement. ??

S&W's former sales manager, Fred Miller, told me many years ago that this release became standard on J-frames about 1966.(The Model 60 was introduced in 1965, and I think never had the flat release.)

That ammo looks like .32 S&W regular. The gun will fire .32 Longs, won't it? I've heard that Euro wadcutter ammo in .32 Long is probably the best defense ammo for these little .32 revolvers, being loaded slightly hotter than US ammo. Geco is the brand that I heard about, but Sako and others load the round.

Last edited by Texas Star; 06-25-2012 at 03:58 PM.
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Old 06-25-2012, 03:48 PM
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pharmer pharmer is offline
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32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hondo44 View Post
Joe,
You'll notice icarryone's gun is not described in your book quote. And there's even another 5 screw version between his and the Model of 1953. It has a ribbed barrel and ramp front sight and sometimes already has the flat latch.
Jim, What I don't know dwarfs what I do know. That's not limited to guns. Going off the book and figured it was built twixt 1949 and 1953. If I had waited I would have learned much more from your excellent response. S&W esoterica is humbling often and regular. Joe
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Old 06-25-2012, 04:52 PM
Hondo44 Hondo44 is offline
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32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372 32 cal S&W 6 shot 5 screw serial 596372  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas Star View Post
Look at the cylinder release. Can that be original on that gun? This style does work better for most people, and I'm thinking it's a replacement. ??

That ammo looks like .32 S&W regular. The gun will fire .32 Longs, won't it? I've heard that Euro wadcutter ammo in .32 Long is probably the best defense ammo for these little .32 revolvers, being loaded slightly hotter than US ammo. Geco is the brand that I heard about, but Sako and others load the round.
Yes, it can be original. See post #5 I just posted here:
S&W .32,long, 2.5 in barrel
Nothing S&W is more confusing!

Yes those are 32 S&W (not shorts) which it will shoot as well as the 32 S&W Long that it's chambered for. The best defense load IMO is the semi rim 32 ACP but it is 21,000 PSI (vs 15,000 for the 32 Long) and I only shoot them in tight post war .32s. They have modern self defense bullet designs.
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Last edited by Hondo44; 06-25-2012 at 04:58 PM.
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