Hi all
I seen a S&W 32 long snubbie for sale. 2 inch barrell.
Half moon front sight.
Grips are the short ones like the early terrier but they are wood
Guess the blueing in the low 90%
I believe it's a I frame.
Didn't get the serial number I was trying not to spend money, but now I can't forget about it.
I never seen one in person, not sure if I seen this gun posted here in pics.
Is there a ballpark number anyone can throw me?
Is this gun rare? Scarce? I'd guess it's collectable.
It would look good next to my 1952 terrier 38 S&W.
Guys asking 450
Thanks
Mike

Just to provide you with a frame of reference I paid $350 for my ca 1949 example about 5 years ago at a gun show in Roanoke, VA. It's my favorite EDC (by a slight margin over my Baby Chief) and they are scarce enough (not really rare) that they command a slight premium over the longer barrel variants. If yours is early enough to have a leaf mainspring (look for the strain screw) that will also generate a little extra value.

Froggie

Make sure it is not a cut barrel gun. If it early 32 HE, missing or chopped barrel address and/or obviously cut-in/pinned front sight are telltale signs of modification.

There are no pre-WWII I-frames with 2" barrels that I can think of??

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Well, I went back and looked at the old threads, and it turns out that little post-War I-frame snub was bought a little over seven years ago. The rest of the story remains true. It seems when you get old you begin to lose time in chunks of a year or two at a time (or is it decades?)

Glowe, are you saying there were no 32 cal snubs pre-WW II? You know of course that there were some in 38 S&W (both the Terrier and Post Office models) and I would not be surprised to hear of a 22 Kit Gun with a short barrel. I have to admit that I've never encountered a snub length 32 pre War I-frame, but to be honest I can't remember looking for one. Maybe Hondo44 will chime in and solve this conundrum for us.

Froggie

PS It was nagging at the back of my mind, so I went back and checked. If SCSW 4th is to be believed, the first 32 snubs came out in 1949 and the 22 Kit Guns may not have been shortened down to snub length until the Improved I-frame or even the J-frame... it's kinda hard to tell!

Green Frog and Glowe are both right, the 2" model wasn't introduced until after WW II.

W/o the serial # we'd have little idea when it was produced but the 2" barrel and round sight pin it down to between '49 and '52.

However we still can't tell if it's a 32 Hand Ejector Pre war/post war or post war Transitional Model both with leaf main spring or a 32 Hand Ejector Improved Model with coil mainspring.

Either model is in the $450 ball park, more so for the earlier Transition Models.
If it doesn't have the sliding bar post war hammer block safety it's a Pre war/post war Transitional, the scarcest of the three possibilities.

And the 22/32 did not have an Improved I frame Model. So the first 2" Kit Gun was the Model of 1953 New I frame (the Pre Model 34).

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Great info.
I will report back but it may be a few weeks.
It looks almost like my 53 terrier but in 32 long.
I will try to strike a deal it seems to be scarce.
Thanks guys
Regards
Mike

Hope that one works out for you. I think that price is good.

Here's one from '49.

Attached Images

32 HE snubby ca. '49.jpg (90.7 KB, 176 views)

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

It looks like the one in your pic but the grips are not up as high. They stop at the half circle.
Thanks

Ah, ha. Those are called service stocks. Even better, from my perch. The third one from the top in my .32 family photo has those. It's a 4¼" barrel from the early postwar era.

Attached Images

S&W .32 Long family portrait.jpg (102.4 KB, 127 views)

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

Probably looks like this



Ser# on this one is 53940x. I have no idea when it was made/shipped.
Has the flat mainspring. Grips (RH) match with deeply stamped numerals.
The pic shows the finish as better than it actually is in real life!.

I got it at a show a few yrs back as an 'as-is' purchase for $70 IIRC.
It didn't work DA at all and the SA was out of time.
It was just real dirty inside and the DA strut spring was missing. I saw that it worked DA most of the time while looking at it if you tipped it muzzle down.
Lots of hand wringing by the G/S experts gathered around as to the problems inside awaiting me and the costs, ect. Not to mention putting my safety in question even handling and attempting to shoot such a thing.

Actually it and it's I frame cousins are terribly fun to shoot. I carry it a lot just cause it's handy. Reloading is easy and ammo is very cheap that way.

Nice pistola. Those are kind of hard to find. First 2" 32 introduced after WW II.

It's a ".32 Hand Ejector - Post War Transitional I Frame", 6 screw, with the very early Double pinch Thumb Piece and pre war Service grips, shipped, ~April 1950.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Thank you for the info on my 32! I appreciate it very much.

Thanks for posting all this info and pics.

Hello
It looks like the picture of your gun.
Not sure about the mainspring.
Thanks

If it has the screw at the bottom of the front grip strap shown above, it has the leaf mainspring and is one of the Post War Transitional models.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Hi Jim
Yes I have two old k frames like that.
I don't remember if this gun had the screw.
Thanks for the pinpoint info

Offered $425 out the door, seller said no.
Thanks for taking the time.
Regards
Mike

Yeah, sometimes if the seller isn't willing to work with you, it's almost beneath ones dignity to acquiesce.

$450 is not a bad price if the gun is fairly decent. Where are you going to find another one? Not making them anymore. What's $25 bucks these days? Just sayin

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Dan
Ps 96 SWCA 2930 SWHF 524

I guess 25 bucks is just as important to the seller.
He has had it for sale for months I guess it's show and tell.

To be honest Mike, I'd grab that one for $450 especially if it has the flat spring and screw on the forestrap!

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Jim
S&WCA #819

[QUOTE=Hondo44;140009786]To be honest Mike, I'd grab that one for $450 especially if it has the flat spring and screw on the forestrap![/QUOTE

Hi Jim
Took a look it has the screw on the front lower grip. the seller said it was 1949
Had a 6 digit serial number if I remember correctly
450 here in florida is 486 out the door.
It was calling me but not loud enough, probably still there

Thanks again
Mike

Hello everyone
Well I upped my offer to 450 OTD and now I own this neat little piece.
32 long.
Serial # 550774
Grips match as do all the numbers.
Flat mainspring.
Any info is appreciated, it's pretty clean the blast shield looks like a new gun.
Front site is not as tall as my 1952 38 S&W terrier.
I really appreciate this one any idea on the age?.
It's pretty tight all around. Take a look.
Thanks
Mike

Attached Images

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	20180908_172333.jpg (96.4 KB, 77 views)

Well, let's see... IIRC, about 7 or so years ago I paid $350 at a gun show for mine in not quite as good shape but it was what I wanted, and the seller was set fast on that price. Do I regret buying it? Not even a little bit. It's one of the most frequently used of my EDC pistols and would probably be near the last I would consider selling. I hope you enjoy your newly acquired one even half as much as I have mine, and you will soon forget the price and just remember the fun!

Regards,
Froggie

Mike, you did very well! That's a very nice example of a pretty scarce version: a "32 Hand Ejector Post War Transitional I Frame", a 6 screw and with the new 2" barrel. It's almost identical to a Pre War I frame, except the 2" barrel was not available pre war. Also it has the post war sliding bar hammer block safety, rd top Service stocks, and 4 line address. The front sight is lower than your Terrier because the .32 is flatter shooting with less recoil.

Based on its S/N 550774, it very likely shipped in the last half of 1950.

The next evolutionary change is the coil spring Improved I Frame 5 screw from early 1952. It was renamed the Model 30 in June of 1957.

Great acquisition, enjoy!

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Jim
S&WCA #819

That's a sweetheart. Enjoy shooting it, a lot.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Hello all
Is this called a hand ejector?
Terrier?
Thanks again.

Yes, its official name was/is .32 Hand Ejector. The .38 S & W version (5-shot) is the .38/32 (.38 on the .32 or I frame) Terrier. Cool gun, and good job wearing the seller down on the price for the last 4 1/2 months .

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

This one has the coil spring mainspring, but the older round front sight, it shipped in 52.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Hello all
I want to purchase a hammer that will fit this gun so I can bob it or maybe I can find one with a broken spur to work with.
What different guns would have a hammer that will work for the leaf mainspring this gun has?
I like to have the original and a bobbed hammer it's a nice option.
Thanks
Mike

Mike,

Th same vintage .38/32 is the only other model with a hammer that will drop in your 32. Bobbed hammers are not hard to find because most people replace them with an original spur hammer.

Here's the pre war version of your hammer:

Smith & Wesson Model 32 Hand Eject Parts | Numrich Gun Parts

Hammer Assembly, Later Style Blued
Manufacturer: SMITH & WESSON
Model: 32 HAND EJECT, 32 REGULATION POLICE
Product #: 1364670

You just need to add the hammer bloc safety notch below the firing pin like on this one:

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Hello Jim
so the correct hammer from same model ( probably elusive)
or a 1364670 will work if i dremmel out a cut for the hammer block.
thank you for the information.
Mike