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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 03-31-2016, 08:57 PM
Ianbond Ianbond is offline
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Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector  
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Post Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector

I just rescued this gun from my nutty father in law. He thought it was a good idea for a 90 year-old to have a 113-year old gun for protection.
From what I've read here this is very low serial # revolver. Thoughts? (Trying to add pics in replies.

Specs:
.32 S&W Long, CTG
-Bottom of grip S # 324
6 round, fluted cylinder
4 ¼ in. barrel
blue
black rubber grips
-Under yoke has # 11181 (but no model or letter-likely a production stamp)

-Barrel has all the usual patent info; the last one listed is: Dec 17, 01. (Looks important since most online listings have 1909 and later patents)

From looking online at blue book, it looks like a .32 HAND EJECTOR SECOND MODEL (MODEL OF 1903) - 19,425 mfg. from 1903-1904. Serial range 1-19425

Condition:
-The grips are cracked, but the double-action works fine.
-Most of the bluing is worn off, and I’d never risk putting a round through it (Some kind of green mold looking stuff down the barrel, and barely any rifling showing)
-There’s a ziplock bag with 40 rounds of Remington “smokeless” lead 32 cal, 88gr, circa 1960s with it. Ready for the zombie apocalypse I guess
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Last edited by Ianbond; 03-31-2016 at 11:41 PM. Reason: Tagging
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Old 03-31-2016, 09:02 PM
Ianbond Ianbond is offline
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Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector  
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Pic 2 serial on bottom of grip
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Old 03-31-2016, 09:04 PM
Ianbond Ianbond is offline
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Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector  
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The gun w grips off
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Old 03-31-2016, 09:56 PM
Skeetr57 Skeetr57 is offline
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That is a M1903, no change, revolver. Although externally it looks very similar to later M1903 guns, the internal parts are entirely different and not interchangeable. The last time I saw one of those combination trigger/rebound/hand springs for sale, it listed for 100 bucks, so don't break anything.
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Old 03-31-2016, 10:06 PM
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Absalom Absalom is offline
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Yep, I believe you did a good job identifying it yourself. It is indeed a Model 1903 no-change, the first iteration of this model and the second model of the .32 hand ejector after the Model 1896. Yours would have been made definitely in 1903 with that serial; I have 67xx which shipped in September 1903. I'm not much of a collector of these, but I got mine a few years ago for less than $300 if I recall correctly, and in the condition yours is in, don't expect a lot of value. I've also been warned not to break any internal parts since the next change in the model changed a lot internally, and parts for this model are hard to come by.
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Old 03-31-2016, 10:16 PM
Ianbond Ianbond is offline
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Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector Very early model 1903 32 cal. hand ejector  
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Thanks Guys. I never expected any value, except historically. It's cool to have a 3 digit s#, in any case.
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Old 03-31-2016, 10:20 PM
jessebogan jessebogan is offline
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Try cleaning it. The green funk is probably really old copper fouling... I am really developing a thing for the "turn of the last century" guns...I really like that.
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