.32 HE Third Model or .32 HE

Jimmyjones · #1 10-05-2018, 11:06 PM

Stopped by my LGS at lunch. As I walked in R said "Jim, I know (you don't collect .32s), but, I've been sitting on this for you."

It's a beauty, one owner, all numbers match. The owner passed last year and his wife was getting things in order.

I'm out of my comfort zone here, so I can use all the info I can get.

Nickel .32 HE Third Model ? .32 HE ? 5 screw sn 518536

It has a star by the grip frame sn, factory return ? date on the grip frame is 10 54.
Barrel and grip frame have a large O stamped.
There is an N stamped on the grip frame.
The blade of the front site looks to be in the white, or brushed nickle, its pinned.

I'm guessing 1949><1953

I was suspecting it was returned for the nickel, but with the pinned site I'm wondering.

What do think, $500

.32 HE Third Model or .32 HE-left_side-jpg

.32 HE Third Model or .32 HE-left_side-jpg

.32 HE Third Model or .32 HE-right_side-jpg

.32 HE Third Model or .32 HE-cylinder-jpg

.32 HE Third Model or .32 HE-grip_frame_sn-jpg

.32 HE Third Model or .32 HE-rwk_date-jpg

Jimmyjones · #2 10-05-2018, 11:08 PM

I also noticed a 30 stamped on the grip frame and on the back of the latch.

The stocks are stamped Pat June 5 1917

Muley Gil · #3 10-05-2018, 11:30 PM

That is a .32 Regulation Police. It dates to around 1940 or so.

Jimmyjones · #4 10-05-2018, 11:48 PM

It's a round butt with the notch, I thought the Regulation Police were square.

Muley Gil · #5 10-06-2018, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmyjones

It's a round butt with the notch, I thought the Regulation Police were square.

The RPs used round butt to square butt conversion grips. That's what are on your revolver. The small frame square butt revolvers were introduced after WW II.

Absalom · #6 10-06-2018, 12:52 AM

Did they make RP snubbies? I'm not up on these, but find that I'm always learning

Of course, if the front sight seems irregular in some ways as the OP indicates, could it be cut? Given that the barrel underside and serial look proper, might it be a custom factory modification?

Jimmyjones · #7 10-06-2018, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muley Gil

The RPs used round butt to square butt conversion grips. That's what are on your revolver. The small frame square butt revolvers were introduced after WW II.

I just looked at the book again, the last pre war sn was 536684 in 1942 this one is 51xxxx so your right on the date.

Hondo44 · #8 10-06-2018, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muley Gil

The RPs used round butt to square butt conversion grips. That's what are on your revolver. The small frame square butt revolvers were introduced after WW II.

The sq butt 'grip frame' was introduced on the I frame with the Models of 1953. On the last Baby J frames just prior to the Model of 1953 J frame.

Hondo44 · #9 10-06-2018, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Absalom

Did they make RP snubbies? I'm not up on these, but find that I'm always learning

Of course, if the front sight seems irregular in some ways as the OP indicates, could it be cut? Given that the barrel underside and serial look proper, might it be a custom factory modification?

The snubby barrels were first available on the 38 RPs in 1936 and became 38 Terriers with round butts. Also the 2" barreled RP with sq butt were special ordered by the post ofc.

The 32 snubby wasn't available until the after WWII in 1949 on the 32 Hand Ejector w/rd butt.

But we see some snubby barrels retrofitted on all I frames to earlier guns by the factory and aftermarket. In this case the retrofit was by the factory, as indicated by the 'O' stamp on the barrel, probably corresponding to the 10/54 rework date. The 'O' is for Outside Svc Dept. because at one time the S&W Svc Dept. was outside the main factory campus.

We also see 32 RPs special ordered with 2" barrels following their introduction in 1949.

raljr1 · #10 10-06-2018, 11:20 PM

32 RP Snub (2).jpg

Here is mine with a rework stamp on it from the 1952.