Gents,

I humbly admit that I am unfamiliar with the early and pre-war to early post war .32 Hand Ejectors and .32 Regulation Police models, although I own several.

In the SCSW4 I looked for characteristics to distinguish between the 2, very similar models but did not find what I sought, e.g. identifying characteristics between the 2 models.

I am, however, familiar with the .38 Regulation Police which has a roll stamp indicating "Regulation Police" having one in the 7xxx range and another in the 46xxx range.

I have always gone under the premise that if it is not so marked "Regulation Police" then is it NOT a RP.

2, .32s I have are .32 LONG CTG marked. Are the .32 RPs also .32 LONG or are they .32 S&W ?

Are all the .32 Regulation Police models / series so marked "Regulation Police" on the barrel ?

__________________
ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

Sal,
The .32 Regulation Police and .38 Regulation Police have a rebated (stepped) backstrap to permit flush fitting of extended round-to-square butt stocks. About 3/4 of the backstrap is exposed and all the front strap while the extension covers the bottom of the grip frame like target stocks. The SN is stamped on the front strap instead of the bottom. Only the .38 RP is stamped "Regulation Police" on the right side of the barrel. S&W did not make a hand ejector that was .32 S&W only.

Here's what the grip and frame looks like on these guns:

Attached Images

rebatedgrip.jpg (103.4 KB, 45 views)

__________________
Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Guy, thanks very much for that pic. As much as I had looked at these online (including the RB-SB grips) I had never noticed that feature on the backstrap. I have a pre-model 30 HE in .32 Long and it is on the J frame. I mounted a set of Altamont grips to convert to a square butt and love them. My backstrap is not rebated as shown on the gun in your photo. Steve

Steve, S&W dropped the rebated backstrap after WWII...there were a few .32 RP targets made up on pre-war frames, IIRC. But it was never carried into the improved I frames or J frames. Instead, S&W introduced the square butt J frame. As you have discovered, round to square butt conversions can occur without the rebated frame. For example, here are a pair of .32 Hand Ejectors from the mid '20's. The top one is a Regulation Police with RP stocks. The bottom one is a .32 Hand Ejector with a Jay Scott round to square butt adapter stocks.

__________________
Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Regarding the .32 Long vs. the .32 S&W, the latter is shorter and has a shorter case, in addition to being less powerful than the .32 Long. The .32 S&W cartridge's origins go back well into the 19th century, and it was used principally in the various top break revolvers (as well as similar revolvers made by others). The .32 Long cartridge was used only in the later S&W hand ejector revolvers (swing-out cylinder), starting with the Model of 1896 First Model (as well as similar revolvers made by others).

Note that any revolver chambered for the .32 Long cartridge can also use .32 S&W ammunition, sort of the same idea as firing .22 Short in a .22 Long Rifle chamber. The reverse is not true. .32 Long cartridges cannot be used in a revolver chambered only for the .32 S&W.

There are also several earlier S&W K-frame revolvers chambered for the .32 Long. Just not very many of them.

As I now understand it, a .32 HE with a stepped back strap is a "Regulation Police" but it would NOT be so indicated by the roll stamp on the barrel like the .38 RPs, correct ?

Thanks for the solid input, guys. I'm not embarrassed to admit I do NOT know it all nor am I embarrassed to ask. That's why we have this great forum.

THANKS, Lee & Roy, for this great forum which give us all the opportunity to consult with other members to LEARN !!

__________________
ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

Hi Steve,

If you have a pre model 30, it's not a J frame. The pre model .32s began with the Model of 1953 New I frame. The Model 30 was also the New I frame. The 32 J frame began in Jan 1961 with the Model 30-1, the -1 indicating the engineering change to the J frame.

The Model of 1953 New I frame was the demise of the old rebated sq butt on the Reg Police models. The 1953 New I and New J frames were introduced with 1/8" longer rd butt grip frames and new 5/32" additional length (over the rd butt) sq butt grip frames.

The sq butt grip frame also became an option on the 22/32 Kit Gun New I frame and 38 Chiefs Special New J frame. It was standard on the Model of 1953 new I frame 22/32 Target and the Model of 1955 22/32 Airweight Kit Gun new J frame.

__________________
Jim
S&WCA #819

Yes, that's correct.

Guy

__________________
Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629