Folks - love this forum. My FIL has had this S&W for over 50 years - a family member owned it and passed it on to him. He never shot it. We were talking about my new Glock and pulled this out it's been in this holster for as long as he has owned it. Thanks to this site I believe it is a 1903 hand ejector .32 Long CTG I Frame.

The serial number is 1018x with a star after it. I believe that means S&W did something to it after it was manuafactured - like it was sent back for a part replacement. Except for the S&W stamp on the frame and the PAT markings I see no other numbers on it. The grips appear original and there is some gun use look at the top of the barrel. Overall n very good shape.

Any other thoughts about the weapon? I guess I read only 19K were made. I would never sell this gun ever but I guess it may have a small value. Thanks for the help!

RamWesson

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That is a nice gun. I recently bought s/n 351. Here are a couple pictures of it.





There were actually 263,000 Model of 1903 guns made. The Collectors have categorized them into six (6) groups. There were 19425 of the early original Model of 1903. The remaining 5 groups represents various engineering changes. Following the 263,000, the 32 Hand Ejector Third Model was introduced, and their serial numbers ran from 263001 to 536684.

Regards, Mike Priwer

Welcome to the Forum, RamWesson. That is a nice looking .32. I've owned a number of them and they are all fun to shoot.

Mike, how many of these had the pinned front sight?

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Ok thanks! I am learning so much from the forums about this weapon! Congrats on your s/n 351! That's an outstanding collectors piece! I just love how solid the gun is and the craftsmanship is outstanding.

RamWesson

Thank you!

RamWesson

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! You must live in a dry climate. We generally discourage gun storage in a holster because it can lead to rusting. It would be better to put it in a silicon sock or rug for storage. If you haven't shot it yet, you are in for a treat. These little .32's are sweet shooters. You can shoot modern .32 S&W or .32 S&W Long without a problem. I have several from the 1920's to enjoy.

.32 Hand Ejector


.32 Regulation Police

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Thank you! I appreciate your thoughts. I need to take it and get it cleaned up for my FIL. You are correct - it's been in a leather holster for 50 years at least. Needs to be oiled. What a neat surprise this has been!

RamWesson

Your gun was made Nov. 2, 1903 as part of a lot of 50 blue guns with black hard rubber stocks. You should find the serial number on the butt, back of the cylinder, on the back of the right stock panel and on the barrel under the extractor rod. If all parts are original , the numbers should match. If the trip back to S&W, as indicated by the star stamp, required a part replaced, then the new part may not have a serial number. On the left side of the grip frame , under the grip, will be the S&W date code for when it was repaired, such as " 6.34" meaning June 1934, for example. The gun would probably have been refinished at that time also. You might find a "S' stamp, either by it's self or inside a parallelogram shaped stamp, on the grip frame somewhere. The "S" stamp is for the service Dep't. where the repair was done. Ed.

Gil

I don't know much about these pinned front sights, particularly on the standard (fixed sights) guns. I assume all the targets would have had pinned sight blades. I also don't know how many 1903's were target models, particularly the early 1903's . I do know that there was an extra charge of $1.75 for adjustable sights.

Regards, Mike

OMG - you are amazing! Wow so cool! So get this - I swore there were no other numbers but now I see the same serial number under the butt, under the barrel and back of the cylinder! I am an idiot! So where is the right stock panel I think I know what that is but I don't see a number.

So while I examined this I found the number 327 4 inside the frame of the gun like where that extracto rod assembly locks into the frame. I see nothing on the grips and they definately look original. Am I looking in the wrong place? Thank you x 1 million!

My FIL will be so excited!

RamWesson

The stocks are the grips. You have to - carefully - remove them. The right panel is the
grip on the right side of the frame. That is the one that would have the serial number.

The grip frame consists of the butt, and the two grip straps; the front strap and the rear
strap. The front grip strap is the one that your fingers go around. The rear grip strap rests in the palm of your hand. The grip panels rest on the sides of the grip straps.

When you remove the grips, look for numbers/letters that might be stamped on the
grip straps - particularly the side of the rear grip strap. This is where you might find
a date. There will be some numbers/letters stamped around the stock pin, which goes
through the butt of the frame, and centers the grips. These are not important.

Mike Priwer

Thank you so much Mike. I don't want to mess up the gun. With my luck I would break something. I'd love to get the gun cleaned up and look as good as yours and display it. Thoughts on should I bring it to a gunsmith to get cleaned and oiled or just do that myself? I don't have anything historical and don't want to mess it up.

I am actually thinking of paying the money for S&W to give me the history of the gun - my FIL would love that!

RamWesson

You have a very nice family heirloom to be handed down to your grand children and GG children with its provenance and history as known to you, written down and kept with it for future generations.

OLD GUN CLEANING AND SAFETY CHECK PROTOCOL FOR HEIRLOOMS & NEW GUN OWNERS:

Simply put, the only usual issue with these marvels of yesteryear is they are gummed up and dirty. Old oils of its time do not match the quality of these old guns nor the science of today, and actually dry up and harden to the point of impeding operation and accelerating wear. The simple solution does not need a gunsmith or removal of the side plate. Just one of many premium modern gun care products from any sporting goods, gun store or hardware store.

Most are both cleaning and preserving agents; Breakfree, Kroil & M-Pro7 are some of the best, and there are others, but do not use WD-40. Disassembly is not necessary. With grips removed and a spray can version of the product, flood and flush the revolver thru every opening and crevice until the black gunk stops flowing out, let it drain for an hour and wipe it down thoroughly with the same product.

Scrub barrel bore and cylinder chambers with a simple cleaning rod kit found at the same places as the cleaning agents above; patches cut from rags is all you really need. And scrub any observed exterior and crevice crud with an old toothbrush with bristles cut off short for stiffness.

You have a quality made, very well engineered, assembled with skilled craftsmanship, and hand fitted revolver, no longer affordable to produce on a competitive market basis, and the likes of which we'll never see again, ever.

To remove grips: loosen the grip screw completely and carefully push down on the screw head until the bottom grip separates, then remove. Now carefully push the top side grip off with a finger or toothbrush from the backside thru the grip frame.


An application of wax, Renaissance wax is a popular one, will enhance and protect the finish if you want something to do while watching the news!

Once cleaned and lubricated, with a few simple checks you can determine if it’s safe to use; no need to waste time and money on a gunsmith, especially if you don't know one. Open the cylinder and verify the barrel is unobstructed. Cock the hammer in single action mode. Gently push on the hammer to confirm that it will not drop w/o pulling the trigger. Cock the hammer slowly and confirm the cylinder locks in position for each of the 6 chambers about the same time the hammer cocks. If satisfactory, now operate the gun in DA pulling the trigger slowly; again confirm the cyl locks before the hammer drops. After each cycling of the action, confirm that the cyl is still locked in position.

Cylinders can have fore and aft movement and rotational movement. Check rotational movement with the hammer cocked just to make sure it won’t skip to another chamber. That's all that is really important from a safety concern. Then unless you experience 'spitting' at the barrel/cyl gap when fired, you have no reason for concern.

You have a quality made, very well engineered, assembled with skilled craftsmanship, and hand fitted revolver, no longer affordable on a competitive market basis, and the likes of which we'll never see again, ever.

Shoot it to your hearts delight, and it will delight you with its fine accuracy, and comfortable recoil.

Any current off the shelf ‘standard’ factory loaded ammo is loaded safely for use in these old guns.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

32 HISTORY

The .32 Hand Ejector and its cartridge, the 32 S&W Long are both historical. The .32 HE is the first side swing out cylinder produced by S&W, built on the first I size frame, and introduced as the 1896 Model (1st Model) along with its new cartridge.

It went thru several evolutionary changes until it became the 32 HE 3rd model in 1917 when a sq butt version was introduced as the 32 Regulation Police beginning at ~ #258000 in the same serial range as the 32 HE. The more common barrel length is the 4 1/4".

Target models were available with 6" barrels as well as very rare 4 1/4" barrels, and with 2 screw extended target stocks.

The 3rd Model had a hammer safety block added around 1919 used thru WW II.

By 1920 the cyls received a heat treatment for additional strength as did all S&W revolvers.

Both were reintroduced after WW II in identical form except for the change to the much more fool proof post war sliding bar safety. They went thru more evolution in the 1950s, and in 1957 became the Model 30 w/round butt and the Model 31 w/square butt, and finally in 1961 were upgraded to the slightly longer J size frame with added -1 to the model #s.

Eventually both versions were combined as just the Model 31-1 in 1976, until discontinued in 1991. Various iterations were later introduced using the 32 H&R Mag and/or the 327 Fed Mag, both of which still use the 32 Long as well.

Any currently available 32 Long ammo in standard loadings is perfectly safe to shoot in your 32.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Pre war fixed sighted guns had the front sight base and blade forged integral with the barrel. Some exceptions as usual may apply.

Target models had the 1/2 moon front blade milled off, a mortise milled into the base, and a target blade pinned in place.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Thank you so much Hondo! You are the best! I will clean it up and take some pics to show you all! Thank you!

RamWesson

A 1903 model actually made in 1903 is totally different inside from ones made only a bit later, although they appear the same externally, so I would not advise shooting it much, if at all, as parts are very hard to find. The last trigger return spring that I saw for sale was priced at $100.

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Tom
1560

Ok thanks Tom. As much as I would love to shoot this I'll probably just save it for display. My FIL is 91 and not much into these things today and I would love to hold onto this and pass along to a future grandchild. What a great gun though!

RamWesson

Welcome to the Forum. I would shoot it and enjoy it. All guns can break,, but don't think you have to worry much about it. I have a "no-change" 6" 32 HE, with serial number about 900 higher than yours and shipped in January, 1904. It shoots great. Standard factory 32 Long ammunition will, be fine for your revolver.

If the 327 was on the metal under the left stock, it will be the month and year the gun was sent back to the factory. The right stock was originally numbered to the revolver, mostly done in pencil. Look closely, with a light source from different angles and you might see the pencil marks. There were lots of this model made as noted above, so value is not too high, but as you said, you will never sell it anyway.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Thank you Gary for the advice. I'd love to shoot a few rounds through it after I have cleaned and oiled it. I will take someone's suggestion and document everything I know and was told about the pistol. This surely is a keepsake and I hope a future grandchild will find as much joy out of it as I have. I think spending the $75 will help fill in the blanks about how my wife's family got ownership of the gun. Y'all have a great 4th and God Bless America.

RamWesson

Over the years, here on the Forum, I have seen a number of fixed sight revolvers with pinned front sights. Most seem to be the I frame .32s.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

My curiosity has been piqued. How are you able to precisely determine the date on which the OP's revolver was made?

Ok, I used my usual cleaning supplies on the .32 Long - the blue is a rich blue that does not show well in the photo. I used Ballistol and my gun cleaning patches and a silicone towel to shine her up. Just a super pistol and keepsake!

RamWesson

Ed may not see this. He has the factory production logs from that time period.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Ok, how about a 1903 with 4 1/2 inch barrel, 4 screw blue finish double action serial # 54923 says 32 winchester on the barrel,any idea when this left the factory?

Korkrust, .32HE # 54923 was made Oct. 20, 1906. You can find out when it left the factory by obtaining a factory historical letter from The S&W Historical Foudation as they have the shipping records. If your gun is stamped 32 Winchester, it can't be a .32HE, as they are .32S&W Long caliber. Ed

Ed:

I think the poster (he never showed up again after one post) may have been confused about the model and the 4.5” barrel length.

He says the barrel says .32 Winchester. So I think he didn’t have a Model 1903, but a .32-20 M&P, at serial 54923 likely from 1912/13, with a 4” barrel.

Ed

I have absolutely no doubt that what you wrote is true. However, Korkrust does not seem to have a .32 Long Model of 1903. Note this: He has a K frame M&P chambered for the .32-20, probably made in about 1912. It probably has a 5" barrel and he only measured to the front of the frame.

Edit: Well! I guess it took me a dozen minutes to write my post. Absalom beat me to the punch.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

On second thought, I think you‘re right. If he measured it, he‘s got to have a 5“ barrel.