I found this revolver in a small town gun store. The price is certainly within my monthly allowance for guns and I've been advised to look for rust under the rubber grips.

I'm a real novice on things like this so I'd like some professional opinions. I wouldn't be buying it to shoot because I have a LOT of newer guns but instead it'd be a safe queen / investment.

If it's clean under the grips, isn't beat up on the other side and the bore is decent is the price a steal, an OK deal or retail?

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I'm single, so I buy guns.

An overpriced shooter grade gun in my non expert opinion.
The barrel has been cut and it has recent rubber grips,so no safe queen or good investment there.

PDX - it's price seems pretty high to me. Especially with rubber grips, etc. Also, I think they were relatively common, so I think there's not much of a rarity factor. The barrel is an unusual length - perhaps shortened?

Not an expert on .32s but that barrel doesn't look right. According to the 3rd edition of the SCS&W Smith only made the .32-20 Hand Ejector Model of 1905 - 4th change in 4", 5" and 6" barrels.

Based on the serial number the cylinder was heat treated. They only made about 79,000 of them and none since 1940.

I don't think the price is too bad for a shooter (maybe a touch high) but if that is not the original barrel I don't think it would be much of an investment.

Maybe the 4th edition of the catalog has more info.

Again I don't know .32's very well.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

Agree, a cut barrel .32-20 M & P. I've seen plenty of these with bulged barrels from squib loads and this one may have been "fixed" as a result of a similar incident.

If you have .32-20 ammo handy and it checks out mechanically (note the cylinder is not locked in battery in the photo), perhaps a $250 shooter.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Keep looking!

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

Run away! Price is at least double it's worth.

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Living a dream - S&WCA #2364

Plus one on that.^^^

definitely not a safe queen.........you can do better...i'd pass........

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There's nowt so queer as folk

Yea that's high for Oregon where guns tend to run a little higher anyway. Keep looking - heck I have seen nice .38s (various models) in original condition for about that or a little more.

Thanks everyone for your expert opinions & recommendations. I don't have any .32 WCF ammo & would only have bought the gun if it was a decent deal that could appreciate.

We've all probably bought & sold guns that we've kicked ourselves later for so here's one of my many examples:

I bought a 2-1/2" SS Model 63 in about '91 - '92. It had a red ramp front, adjustable white outline rear sight, etc. & I took it to Bill Davis in Sacramento & had him chamber it in .22 Mag. I moved to CT in '93 and for some dumb reason sold it to a co-worker. About three years ago I was reading somewhere (I think on this forum) about a special run of about ~650 Lew Horton specials & mine was in the s/n range listed so I sort of groaned and got dizzy. I've seen a couple in that configuration on GB for approx. $1200 BNIB but they were later serial #'s.

I started buying / collecting again in mid-2013 after I retired & at last count I've bought 57 guns (mostly handguns), sold two & gave a few as gifts to my son & grandson.

I'm a S&W slacker. I only have 4 - a .45 1911Pro Officer size, a 1986 Model 36 that was inexpensive but pitted beyond an economically prudent refinish so I had it Cerakoted in Satin Black, a BNIB 637 and a 1982 Model 34 that's in real good condition and they're all RB's which is my favorite. When I bought the RB 34 there was a SB for the same amount ($500) and I should have bought both.

Hindsight - how we learn the hard way.

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I'm single, so I buy guns.