.32 long S&W

Meltz · #1 03-24-2017, 12:39 PM

I picked this up in a trade any help would be greatly appreciated. I have a .32 long looks like 5 and half inch barrel. Number on yoke is 168887. Number on cylinder matches number on bottom of handle under wooden grips. 104869. It has fixed sight. It is a 5 screw gun and also has strain screw.

DWalt · #2 03-24-2017, 12:56 PM

It's a model of 1903 hand ejector, fifth change, ca. 1910. Grips look home made.

Meltz · #3 03-24-2017, 01:01 PM

I kinda thought the same things about the grips. Could I get original grips anywhere?

Meltz · #4 03-24-2017, 01:08 PM

What kind of value would be on this.

DWalt · #5 03-24-2017, 01:20 PM

Regarding value, not much. If it's in shooting condition, as-is, someone might pay $100 for it, maybe a little more. Look on eBay for grips. Originals were black hard rubber. Also there are several sources for replica grips. Actually, you will find that those on it will be better for shooting than the correct grips, as they are longer and easier to hold.

glowe · #6 03-24-2017, 01:20 PM

Stocks would have been hard rubber diamond service type. Check the photo below for help. The I frame revolver stocks are one of the most common found out there today. The same size stocks from 38 Double Action, 38 Safety will also fit your revolver. Check ebay from time to time. You can also get reproduction stocks from a few sites by searching around.

For proper dimensions, check out this link. http://smith-wessonforum.com/blog.php?b=111

Hondo44 · #7 03-24-2017, 02:23 PM

Welcome to the forum.

The number 104869 on cylinder that matches number on bottom of grip frame butt under wooden grips is the serial #. The # on yokes 168887 is the assembly #.

Your hand ejector is built on the I frame and has a 6" barrel. Any I and J frame grips up to 1953 will fit including these mini Magnas:

Pre 1953 I frame:

Photo by SDH

Pre 1953 “Baby” J frame:

Photo by bmcgilvray

Regulation Police I frame square butt grips will fit with only slight wood removal from the back strap area inside shown 2nd photo:

These post 1953 I/J frame target grips will fit perfectly:

linde · #8 03-24-2017, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hondo44

. . .
Regulation Police I frame square butt grips will fit with only slight wood removal from the back strap area inside shown 2nd photo:

. . .

Here is an example of what Jim described . . . someone very talented removed that sliver of wood turning these Regulation Police extension stocks for a rebated back strap into an ideal pair of extension stock for the standard I-frame grip.

Russ

linde · #9 03-24-2017, 04:08 PM

And here are those modified RP extension stocks on a .32 Hand Ejector Model 1903 5th with 6" bbl very similar to the OP's

Russ

smithrjd · #10 03-24-2017, 07:36 PM

Here is my 32 Long Hand Ejector, it has the black rubber target grips, which would be correct for yours as well. They come up from time to time but are a bit expensive. They are easier to get a good grip as opposed to the smaller stock ones.

Hondo44 · #11 03-24-2017, 09:29 PM

Slightly modified RP stocks to fit round butt without the rebated back strap:

glowe · #12 03-25-2017, 11:00 AM

Wow - all the options, but almost certainly incorrect stocks for your revolver. You have a 107 year old vintage S&W and if you want to put it back to original as it left the factory, put on a set of black hard rubber stocks. If not, try something else, but this fallacy that the 32 Long will shoot better with bigger stocks needs to be put to rest. There is literally no recoil with this caliber and you can shoot these 32 HEs very accurately in original factory configuration. Here is a 25 yard target with Fiocchi WC and with PPU LRN AND with factory stocks! Besides, blacked-out guns and cars are all the rage out there, why not join the crowd?

DWalt · #13 03-25-2017, 04:52 PM

"... but this fallacy that the 32 Long will shoot better with bigger stocks needs to be put to rest."

I did not say it would shoot better, at least from the standpoint of grouping capability. What I said was "Actually, you will find that those on it will be better for shooting than the correct grips" And there can be no argument and no fallacy that it will indeed be far more comfortable to hold and shoot with the larger grips on it rather than the tiny factory standard I-frame grips.

smithrjd · #14 03-25-2017, 05:01 PM

For myself with XXXL hands I can not get a decent hold on an I frame with the factory black rubber grips. The factory optional black rubber target grips do afford me a decent grip. I also believe that the factory offered walnut target grips as an option as well. To me either optional target grips are 'Factory" .

JP@AK · #15 03-25-2017, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smithrjd

Here is my 32 Long Hand Ejector, it has the black rubber target grips, which would be correct for yours as well. They come up from time to time but are a bit expensive. They are easier to get a good grip as opposed to the smaller stock ones.

Those look great.
Here are some pics of the same style stocks on a .22/32 Target model shipped in October 1925. As the result of a thread I posted a while back, we collectively here agree they likely came with the gun, even though they have no serial number inscribed on them.

I'll add that S&W at the time referred to them as "extension" stocks but they definitely were the "target" stocks of their time.

Here is a picture of a .32 Hand Ejector from March, 1916, wearing the standard round butt hard rubber stocks. These do number to the gun.

lebomm · #16 03-25-2017, 05:33 PM

Is it just my eyes, or has your backstrap been welded up into a square butt? If so, no factory stocks will fit well.

Larry

Hondo44 · #17 03-25-2017, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lebomm

Is it just my eyes, or has your backstrap been welded up into a square butt? If so, no factory stocks will fit well.

Larry

Piece of wood filler at the butt to make grips longer.

glowe · #18 03-25-2017, 06:39 PM

Jack, did you ask Roy about those stocks? As I read the "Book", it states walnut stocks only? Your HFT would have been made before 1928, and I have not seen documented rubber stocks on these guns. Have you considered lettering the gun? I would love to find a documented 22/32 with hard rubber target stocks, but I am thinking it does not match the thoughts of the master.

H Richard · #19 03-25-2017, 07:57 PM

I have only seen the hard rubber target stocks on a Single shot. Could have easily been re-purposed.

JP@AK · #20 03-25-2017, 08:17 PM

Gary
Take a look at this thread, starting at Post #12:
Beakert value?

Note especially Jim's Post #13 and my followup pictures in Post #14. Then read James' Post #21.

I have not yet lettered the gun (I just acquired it in January), but I have it on the list to be lettered. At this point, I fully expect to learn that it left the factory wearing these stocks, given what both Jim and James contributed to the discussion.

Added: I just noticed that you posted on that thread (Post #28). See Jim's reply to my post just after yours (Post #29) and your reply at Post #30. Of course, as James states later, we may never know the answer to any of these questions, but there is a bit more than a little coincidence in finding three HFTs that shipped in October, 1925, all wearing the hard rubber extension stocks.

Skeetr57 · #21 03-25-2017, 09:42 PM

I have a 1903 with 6" barrel that I bought just because the long barrel is not common. It came with home made larger wooden grips, and felt fine in my large hands, but when Numrich offered take off RP stocks cheap a few years ago, I bought several sets, and I removed a little bit of wood from one set to make them fit the round butt frame. I think the gun both looks better and feels better with the larger stocks. I can shoot the shorter barrel 1903's just fine with the round butt stocks.

glowe · #22 03-26-2017, 01:21 PM

Thanks for the link Jack. I guess my eyes sometimes glaze over when confronted with all the minutia about Bekeart HFTs. As I review your posts, there is a question of whether the factory might have been using up inventoried hard rubber stocks in 1925? I have a 1923 22/32 HFT that has the same style walnut stocks as the Regulation Police revolvers of the era. Move that one higher up your lettering list and see what happens.

Hondo44 · #23 03-26-2017, 01:40 PM

Gary,

That's a beauty!

• By ~1920 the stocks changed to rounded, convex stock circle RP stocks w/o medallions and rounded, convex stock circle target stocks w/o medallions as optional until 1923. Above serial number ~258000 (right after WW I), the standard grips became Regulation Police stocks on a rebated grip frame, at first with deep dish gold plated brass medallions in the late 'teens. Checkered two-screw extension target stocks with gold plated brass medallions in ‘dished’ stock circle tops were optional. Previous to WW I, .22/32 Heavy Frame Target models were supplied with two screw extended target stocks as standard. (see “

• May 8, 1920 change order, grip frame front toe left sq for easier grip fitting of I frame .32 & .38 RP stocks.

• Aug.29, 1923 change order, replaced .22/32 HFT sq butt RP convex top stocks returning to 2 screw target stocks as standard but with convex tops, and w/o medallions. And from the original Paine bead front sight w/U-Notch to a Patridge w/square notch rear.

glowe · #24 03-26-2017, 02:18 PM

Thanks Jim. Something unusual happened to that one decades ago. It has what appears to be a nice original blued finish on much of the gun without much edge or muzzle wear, but some small areas of concentrated pitting on the barrel, butt-frame, and above the trigger on both sides.

So am I to assume that there were not a lot of HFTs with the RP stocks, since they only ran for three years? I have one from 1917 with the gold medallions, but nothing beyond my 1923 gun.

Hondo44 · #25 03-26-2017, 03:33 PM

Yes, HFTs with factory RP stocks and rebated grip frame back straps are a bit scarce. I would not go as far as saying rare; they are probably 10% or less of production if I had to guess.

JP@AK · #26 03-27-2017, 03:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glowe

Move that one higher up your lettering list and see what happens.

Will do, Gary. I will try to get the request out this week.

glowe · #27 03-27-2017, 08:59 AM

Interesting that another HFT was just posted from the 20s. Old 22/32 HFT shooter

This one is from 1926-1927 and shows the 2 screw non-medallion walnut stocks.