I showed this on the member side a few weeks ago, and thought that our friends on the public side would like to see this neat and unusual little gun.
I found it on David Carroll's table at the Tulsa show.
When I had Roy Jinks look up the ship date, he came back with a Dec. 1948 date. He also teased me with the fact that it shipped to the NYPD. Of course, I have sent off for the letter.
It's in about 90% plus condition.
This .32 was most likely partially finished before the war, and sat in storage until after. It has a two inch barrel that is numbered to the gun. Frame's serial number is very prewar, both in stamped characters and in the actual number, 52177x. All the numbers match in all the right places, except for the pearls.
The brand markings are also pre-war.
I can't wait to see what stocks the factory sent with it. The pearl is absolutely stunning and deep, and not all beat up like most you see. If you know your S&W medallion pearl grips, please let me know how they were sold. Ordered separate, or included with special orders?

Let the gun porn begin... excuse my poor photog skills.

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Dave Th.

That's sweet I have a 2" in similar condition but the standard grips, black hard rubber. I can't tell any details as I am about 150 miles a sea from home.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Hello Dave
Neat little .32 hand eject You have there. It was Not uncommon at one time for Police department's to carry gun's of the .32 S&W Long caliber. My Dad was a Policeman back in the late 1950's in a suburb of Rochester New York Named Greece, New York and all of the issued side arms were of .32 S&W Long caliber. He said that they were all Colt's so I suspect that they were Police Positives ? Later on the Greece Police department switched to S&W's of .38 Special caliber but he had all ready bought his own side arm which was a Pre-10 S&W with a 5" barrel on it, and his Bug or off duty gun was a Pre-36 Chief. At that same time span or a little earlier MR. Roy Jink's worked for the city of Rochester, New York Police department as a Snorkel recovery diver for them my dad and him attended school together where MR. Jink's & my Dad were avid swimmer's on their high school swiming team back then. I have seen similar gun's made by Colt in a snub form chambered in the S&W .32 Long Cartridge. Thank's for sharing.. Regards, Hammerdown

Wow Dave, that's a jewel, a real 'screamer'!

A pre war-.32 HE 3rd Model/post war-.32 Hand Ejector, Transitional I frame, 6 screw! Made pre war then upgraded with the post war sliding bar hammer block safety and shipped; patent dates on the barrel.

The pearls appear to be factory pre war w/pre war gold-over-brass medallions if they are sunken or recessed, I can't see for sure, and could be ordered on the gun. But I doubt it in this case, if it was ordered by the NYPD.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Wow, what a great .32! I wish I could find a clean one.

Hello George
Oh, You can they are out there to be had but you had better bring your wallet. Most .32 Caliber S&W's used to be very reasonable in their price Minus the Elusive K-32's but in the past Five to six Year's collector's are showing a new found Interest in the clean one's available out there so it has Pushed the market prices of any .32 caliber S&W's way up there...I have always wanted a S&W M&P chambered in the .32 S&W Long Cartridge but the recent price surge of these .32 revolver's procludes that idea any more for me... Hammerdown

Great little 32! Congrats!

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John
S&WCA Life Member

Well, I found one. My wallet was indeed required.

Thanks Hammerdown and Hondo and all for the comments.

Roy is tall enough to be a good swimmer, that's for sure.

David Carroll was also told it went to the womens bureau, and I have separately read that they were issued .32's in those days. Perfect purse gun, like a fine jewel.
Also, there is a hammer block saftey, but no patent dates on the barrel, or any where. Just the ctg marking on the left barrel and the two trade mark stampings on the right frame. The medallions are sunken into the pearl, like a little dish. And I think they might be gold plated.

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Dave Th.

S&W's gold medallions ARE gold plate over brass. They were used between c. 1910 & c.1920 in wood stocks and from the 19th century forward in premium stocks like ivory and Mother Of Pearl.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Thanks Jim,

Yep, it's a keeper for sure. Can't wait to see the letter.

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Dave Th.

I haven't gotten the official letter from Mr. Jinks as of yet, I hear he is very busy. I did find one of our members that had the copies of the original NYPD sales roster from that time period. The same serial number in a S&W .32 was sold to Police Women Georgette F. Carroll PWB shield # 75, on Jan. 4th, 1949. I've read that the NYPD strongly recommended all of the officers purchase their duty and off duty firearms from them. Of course, I'm sure there was a discount of some sort. There were several more sold around this serial number range on the same date as mine.
Looks like it is going to have some sort of story. I started doing a little research on Officer Carroll, and have some of her basic info. She passed away 15 years ago, and never married, so finding next of kin may be tough. I wrote an e-mail to the NYPD Policewomen's Endowment Association yesterday, to see if they might help me gather any info. Haven't heard back.

Fun stuff. Like working on a college paper with-out the pressure..

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Dave Th.

Very nice, Dave. Thanks for showing this to us!

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Yes. I have never seen a postwar gun with a 2" barrel that had patent dates on the barrel. Someone can correct me if there are some out there, but I've examined lots of them and have not seen one yet.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

I find this to be true also. I got lucky a few months back and found this one (1915) at an estate sale for $420. It had the original box and cleaning rod with it, as well as some paperwork. Not quite as special as yours, but I'm happy!





As you can see, the box needs some restoration work. I plan to do that this winter.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

I haven't seen that many but I have not seen a 2" w/dates either. I do have a post war 3" RP w/patent dates and have seen several others, but that's a horse of another color.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Thanks for sharing that one Jack, pretty darn clean for the age.

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Dave Th.