I have two S&W hand ejectors in this category and was wanting assistance in determining DOB and any other information available on them. Thank you in advance.
First pistol:
Hand ejector
4" barrel
Nickel finish
Hard BLK rubber grips/factory
Serial number 265XXX on butt
Fixed sights
Second pistol:
Hand ejector
6" barrel
High polish blue finish
Walnut target grips/factory
Serial number 445XXX on front of grip strap
Fixed sights
Thanks again
Edward

Welcome to the forum. I'm too new to try this without a photo. Someone will be along to sort it for you.

Can you tell us the calibers?

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All Rights Reserved

Sorry! Both are .32 CTG

First pistol:
3 line address on top of barrel with last pat date sept 14 '09
5 screw frame
Second pistol:
2 line address on top of barrel with last pat date dec 29 '14
5 screw frame

Here are pictures of the two pistols

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Here is the second pistol; wouldn't let me post both at once

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Without immediate access to my reference materials, I'll jump in first and think that the first one is a Model 1903 from the 19-teens, and the second one a Regulation Police from the 1920s. Others will have more precise years.

Welcome to the forum.

I would say the first is a .32 Hand Ejector Third Model with red mottled hard rubber stocks not black from around 1917/18 and the second is a Regulation Police from around 1933.

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James Redfield
LM #497

These models aren't my forte, but did the RP not change the stock pattern in 1930, or did these sell so slow by then, like other models too, because of the depression, that one could expect 1920s style stocks still to be used in the 1930s?

What makes it a regulation police? I thought police pistols were usually 38 and 4" barrels

"Regulation Police" was a model name Smith & Wesson gave that particular model to market it to police officers. Just like the larger-frame "Military & Police" or Colt's "Police Positive", that had nothing to do with who actually bought it. In the early 20th century, when open belt holsters were not common for city policemen and most carried small handguns in a pocket, the .32 caliber guns were quite commonly used in law enforcement.

This second pistol is the older of two identical S&W's in my family. It's twin is owned by my twin and is later vintage with more of a matte blue finish and darkèr walnut grips but identicàl in every other way except higher serial number and more pat dates on barrel. How long was this model in production?

In the same form, from their introduction in 1917 to the beginning of WW II, 1942. They were produced again in the same general form but with the new post war sliding bar hammer block safety and matte blue finish from 1946 thru 1952.

In 1953 they were reintroduced on the New Model I frame, and were designated the Model 31 in June 1957, thru 1960. They were then reintroduced on the J frame Jan 1961 and eliminated in 1991.

There were later versions made chambered for the 32 H&R Magnum cartridge which also fired the original 32 Long.

Although the similar but round butt 32 Hand Ejector Model (introduced earlier in 1896) followed the same evolutionary production path.

Do the "twins" both have a mainspring tension screw in the forestrap of the grip frame, and the same size extractor rod knob?

Yours was produced in the 1926/27 period, and likely shipped just after that. If it was still in inventory after Black Thursday's 19269stock market crash, it could have shipped years later.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Does your 32 Hand Ejector have the S&W on the left side of the frame? If not, it was produced and shipped between WW I and ~1920.

Its "Gutta Percha" hard rubber red mottled grips are an earlier vintage not normally available on that gun. Check the back side of the right grip for the serial and it should match the gun # if they are original. But likely they will not match, because of their probable earlier vintage they fit poorly at the butt of the grip frame.

Just FYI, you actually have two revolvers, pistols only chamber one round at a time. Your revolvers chamber 6 at a time. And although the term pistol used to be generic for a handgun (like Kleenex for tissues), when most were still pistols. Semi autos and single shots are still pistols, of course. Although there's no 'pistol police' to tell you what to do, you'll sound less like a S&W 'newbie' these days.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Yes, possibly, but see my above post for probable manufacturing period of this gun. The grips were ordered changed back to having medallions in 1929.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

[QUOTE=Hondo44;139091546]

Do the "twins" both have a mainspring tension screw in the forestrap of the grip frame, and the same size extractor rod knob?
Mine has screw in fore part of grip strap and knob as pictured.
The S&W symbol is on left side of RP but neither side of hand ejector; gutta perch grips are chipped at bottom.

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Here are pics to go with txt

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The final one

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The "twin" RP serial # is 460XXX, has same size ejector rod knob & has tension screw on fore aspect of grip strap

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The twin is a little later s/n but so close to yours, It's the same vintage as yours. If I recall correctly, you said your twin brother's has a matte blue finish. One would think it would have a bright finish like yours. But it may have actually been produced earlier than yours. S&W didn't produce their guns in order of the serial #. Therefore it may have the post WW I matte blue finish that followed the war for several years.

The other possibility is that it went back to the factory for a refinish in the period after WW II, when again, matte blue was standard until the mid 1950s. To verify a return to the factory in that period, ask your twin to check for a date stamped on the left side of the grip frame, under the grip. Also ask if there is a star following the s/n on the front strap of the grip frame.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

No star after serial number; grips look like they've never been off revolver