I have my grandfathers S&W .32 long, with a 2 5/16 inch barrell.
Model # on butt is E23 with the #2820 below that. It is a 5 shot ejector with 4 screws on side plate and 1 in front of trigger. I have a box of .32 long colt cartridges. Any help with dating this gun would be appreciated, and are those cartridges OK to use with this gun? Thanks PS the number 820 is stamped on the yoke, and 2820 on the barrell.

Welcome to the Forum. We need more information. Your serial number indicates a first year 32 Hand Ejector, Model 1903. Since you have a screw in front of the trigger guard, it would not be a Model 1896 Hand Ejector revolver. Neither model, however, would have that short barrel as you listed. Remember that the barrel measurement is from the front of the cylinder to the muzzle. The shortest factory barrel was 3 1/4"

The E23 on the butt is curious, so to make sure you have a S&W, can you add some photos of an overall profile, the butt where the numbers are located and the barrel flat above the ejector rod? We are here to help!

Forgot to mention that any manufactured standard 32 S&W Long ammunition will work fine in your gun if it is fully functional and in good condition, but I cannot answer on the 32 Long Colt ammo. It will fit and work, but I always try to shoot only what is stamped on the barrel. Barnes Cartridges of the World states that 32 Long Colt is not nearly as accurate as S&Ws 32 Long. 32 Long is available at some online ammo sellers. Just do a search to find some proper ammo.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

.32 Long Colt is not the same as .32 S&W Long. It is smaller in diameter in both bullet and case, so will fire in a .32 S&W long chamber, but every time I have done so the cases split and accuracy was poor. Colt later loaded a cartridge called the Colt New Police that is fully interchangeable with The .32 S&W Long.

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Tom
1560

When did S&W make a five-shot hand ejector in 32 Caliber?

Guy

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Pardon me, Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass, nemcclure! Does your gun look like this one?

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

I thought 32's had six holes and 38's had five...

Is there a possibility it is a top break "auto eject"?

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

With the screw in front of the trigger guard? It's either a top break that he's not counting the screws correctly, or it's another manufacturer's gun. Or it's a hand ejector that he's not counting the chambers on the cylinder correctly.

Guy

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Those were only chambered in 32 S&W, not 32 Long.

32 S&W Long was introduced with the 1st Model 1896 32 Hand Ejector.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

I have seen the E prefix used by H&R and Spanish revolver makers. Given the above info, I have to doubt that it is in fact a S&W. We all (should) know that 2 5/16 was not a standard length for any 32 long I frame. Although, many S&W barrels were cut.

The 32 Colt chambering also points towards a Spanish revolver. These often would have something about "smith and wesson" on them, often the barrel, to sell them to people in Europe who had not seen a S&W. Although, I'm not sure that the ones that I have seen that said something about Smith and Wesson were in Colt calibers. The 32 Colt chambering makes some sense because the British had Webleys in 320, which was identical to 32 colt, sans the rim. I believe ".320" revolvers were fairly common in Europe at one time.

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}-----Jim----->
~SWCA #2732~

We still need more information . . .

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Here are some pictures. More on the way.

Attached Images

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Unfortunately that is not a Smith & Wesson. I'm not sure who made it.

Guy

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

More pictures

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Any ideas as to what it is?

I would hazard to guess a Rohm/RG revolver since its made in Germany.

R"ohm Gesellschaft - Wikipedia

But, I will admit as to not recalling an RG with an underlug in front of the ejector rod, so I could be off track.

Oh well, shoot and enjoy it, looks like good enough condition.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

I don't have the best search skills, but I found a post from a learned gentleman on another forum that confirmed this is Rohm revolver. EIG was the American importer. From what I can tell from other EIG gun references out there, they came up with their own model numbers, such as E15 & E23.

Also found this:

EIG .32 CAL REVOLVER SERIAL 2910
E23

Fifteen bids, so fairly lively bidding. Hammer price: $60.

Having had an unpleasant experience with an RG .38 Spl revolver, I wouldn't want to shoot this one, even with the correct ammo.

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TEAM DNF

Looks very similar. I posted some pictures

Thanks for the info

No offense, but rohm's are junk. The true Saturday night special. They were made to buy, shoot whoever you needed to shoot and throw into the nearest body of water. I wouldn't shoot it.

...the word "Germany" was kind of a dead give away...

Herbert Schmidt/ EIG .32 S&W Long. Five shot revolver. West Germany. For Sale at GunAuction.com - 7082827

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A Country Boy Can Survive