How about an Ode to the 32-20? Whip 'em out.

Art Doc · #1 10-09-2018, 09:15 PM

I have one S&W and one Colt in 32-20. Shooter grade for sure I bagged this for $250 a couple years ago. I love the 6.5" barrel with a round butt.

shawn mccarver · #2 10-09-2018, 09:17 PM

Well, that is one of many that left me because I thought I needed something newer or better. It is a 6 inch, square butt, fourth change, originally sent to Shapleigh Hardware. The .32 W.C.F., as it was marked, was and is a neat little cartridge.

Texas Star · #3 10-09-2018, 09:26 PM

An ode? Maybe a rhyme?

I had a .32-20. It was so loud that it blew my eardrums right up to the nearest cloud!

22hipower · #4 10-10-2018, 11:00 AM

Fun to shoot, easy to reload. Hard to find in really nice condition. Would love to find a target version.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

bigwagon · #5 10-10-2018, 11:34 AM

I picked this one up a couple weeks ago. Haven't picked up any ammo yet to shoot it, but should soon.

red9 · #6 10-10-2018, 12:13 PM

I have two. Excellent bores, which seems to be unusual in that caliber. Both targets, but unfortunately I don't get out to shoot anymore. It hurts too much knowing what the gun can do and what I used to be able to do.

Bob

FifthWheel · #7 10-10-2018, 01:50 PM

My 5" nickel from 1921.

Jtown · #8 10-10-2018, 02:28 PM

Mine has been nickel plated but I still enjoy it.
Walt

Cmccullah91 · #9 10-10-2018, 02:31 PM

Hi I’m new to this forum just have a question about a 32-20 smith serial number on the bottom of the grip is 60155 and 2961 under the cylinder it is nickel just looking for some info like year and etc don’t know much about it any help is appreciated thanks again

Muley Gil · #10 10-10-2018, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cmccullah91

Hi I’m new to this forum just have a question about a 32-20 smith serial number on the bottom of the grip is 60155 and 2961 under the cylinder it is nickel just looking for some info like year and etc don’t know much about it any help is appreciated thanks again

Welcome to the Forum.

Someone will be around soon to give you a date. I've had at least one .32-20 revolver around since 1975. Since then, I have owned S&Ws, Colts, Cimarrons and Ubertis, and a Marlin lever gun and a re-chambered Martini.

They were all fun guns.

Ivan the Butcher · #11 10-10-2018, 03:56 PM

I have a S&W Model 1902, made 1902 4" round butt, blue. One of my favorite revolvers! I also have a Colt Police Positive Special 6" from 1919 also blue. Along with a 1980's Marlin. I owned the Marlin first then the Colt and just had to have a Smith. I think the perfect small caliber revolver would be a 5" or 5.5" length target model in 32 WCF.

My best friends grandfather was known to move things for hire on his H-D during Prohibition, his comment about S&W's in 32-20 was "They were very accurate but tended to shoot right through a man." (I think he used the High Velocity rifle ammo) we just being teens at the time (early 1970's), neither of us ever had the nerve to ask the who? or the why?

Ivan

Art Doc · #12 10-10-2018, 04:33 PM

C91- I would take a wild guess and say 1912-15 on your revolver. The number under the cylinder crane is an assembly number.

Drm50 · #13 10-10-2018, 06:58 PM

I'm fresh out of S&W 32/20s. I've had several fixed sight 1905s in nice shape. The last on was a 6" and I traded it off before I
ruined it by installing adj sights. Past spring I saw a 95% + target model at a show. Guy was asking north of $2K. I can't say
I found it. At over $2K I don't believe it was lost. I will find one
sooner or later and it won't be $2K.

jkingrph · #14 10-10-2018, 08:03 PM

I have one, serial number 109xxx. The gent I bought it from found the factory letter he had and sent it. Turns out this one was shipped from S&W in Nov of 1922. When I read production numbers I would guess yours was pre WW1, but am by no means an authority on these.

CptCurl · #15 10-10-2018, 08:32 PM

My .32-20 Target shipped in December 1909. Here it is with a companion Model 1892 Winchester.

Curl

Walter Rego · #16 10-10-2018, 08:59 PM

jkingrph: here is another one from 1922. This is in the mid-108,000 serial number range and shipped to a hardware store in Buffalo, NY on 6/22/22

THE PILGRIM · #17 10-10-2018, 09:01 PM

I never had one.
But my Mother did.

bracebeemer · #18 10-11-2018, 08:45 AM

I’ve posted these before but since the OP wants to see them , here are 4 that I have. The first is a round butt from 1905 with 61/2”. Then a 5” square butt from 1911. The third is a 6” target from 1917. The last is a Colt 6” Police Positive from 1926. Bill

J. R. WEEMS · #19 10-11-2018, 09:22 AM

Have never been lucky enough to find a target version but do have these two. This one has been redone but I realized the other day I have a supply of triggers and hammers so I might change the nickled ones out if that's the case.

Picked this one up some time back. Didn't care for the plastic stocks it came with

so I changed them out for a old pair of stags I had laying around. Both shoot jus fine although I am not a real fan of the round butts.

And yes, I have a ample of brass & bullets for my reloading.

jkingrph · #20 10-11-2018, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walter Rego

jkingrph: here is another one from 1922. This is in the mid-108,000 serial number range and shipped to a hardware store in Buffalo, NY on 6/22/22

Mine is a 1091xx range, and it shipped in Nov/1922 so around 600 in that five months. They must have been fairly popular then.

Kinman · #21 10-11-2018, 05:56 PM

Here is where my wife keeps hers, she calls it her "kitchen gun."

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tndrfttom · #22 10-12-2018, 09:49 AM

I've shot a lot of cast bullet reloads through this one.

jsfricks · #23 10-12-2018, 01:23 PM

Here’s mine, nothing special, but in good shape.
It shipped 6/21/30.

bengal fan · #24 10-12-2018, 07:26 PM

Here mine that’s been modified by King wearing some Ropers that came on it.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Gunnut.38 · #25 10-14-2018, 04:27 PM

A LGS took in a collection of Smith and Wesson revolvers from an estate. I had seen a 6" 1905 .32/20 in with them last week and went in to buy it yesterday. On close inspection it had a badly pitting barrel and had all the barrel markings removed during refinishing. So I bought the other one, a nickeled ,I believe 1902,1st. change with a 4" barrel. Bore and chambers are very good with a small patch of minor pitting in the middle of the bore. Rifling is sharp and bore bright. I will guess it was not shot much and exhibits no wear of the mechanical parts. Plating has minor scratches with some dark or thin spots. All serial number match. I can not wait to shoot it. I plan on handloading for it with my home cast bullets.

Am I correct on the model as a 1902,1st. change and approximate ship date of 1903 to 1905 ? The serial number is 121XX

Are these grips correct for this era?

Wiregrassguy · #26 10-14-2018, 04:34 PM

I believe you're correct on the time frame. The grips are from the 1930s. They are the correct round butt grips but should not have medallions.

Guy

Muley Gil · #27 10-14-2018, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiregrassguy

I believe you're correct on the time frame. The grips are from the 1930s. They are the correct round butt grips but should not have medallions.

Guy

Agree. The correct grips would have concave tops without medallions.

handejector · #28 10-14-2018, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunnut.38

Am I correct on the model as a 1902,1st. change and approximate ship date of 1903 to 1905 ? The serial number is 121XX

Are these grips correct for this era?

Yes, you are correct about 1902-1st and 03-05.
Your gun most likely shipped with Black Hard Rubber grips.

Gunnut.38 · #29 10-17-2018, 12:57 AM

Thank you for your help everyone. Advertised for some .32/20 brass for my new revolver purchase on a local forum. Bought some from a local shooter and ended up coming home with a companion rifle for it in .32/20 that he wanted to sell.

Muley Gil · #30 10-17-2018, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunnut.38

Thank you for your help everyone. Advertised for some .32/20 brass for my new purchase on a local forum. Bought some from a local shooter and ended up coming home with a campion rifle for it in .32/20 he wanted to sell.

Don't forget the pictures of the revolver and the rifle together.

Vulcan Bob · #31 10-17-2018, 02:27 PM

Ya got good one, round butt and six inch barrel, whats not to like! I only have one a four inch M&P. Load develop was tough with this one but finally did find what it likes to eat.

glowe · #32 10-17-2018, 05:08 PM

Here are most of mine. I prefer the early ones and have four Model 1899 in 32 Winchester and a Model 1902 in 32 Winchester. There were only 5300 32 Model 1899s made and 4500 32 Model 1902s manufactured.

nutsforsmiths · #33 10-17-2018, 11:29 PM

Here's the only one I have. Shipped in 1907.

bruce5781 · #34 10-18-2018, 10:06 PM

Here is the first 32-20 I found. Great shooter.

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bruce5781 · #35 10-18-2018, 10:11 PM

Original nickle 5" target. Has been re-nickled sometime in the past and maybe 10% of the refinish remains. Still a pretty cool shooter.

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bruce5781 · #36 10-18-2018, 10:14 PM

32-20 Pennsylvania Railroad Police that I recently found.

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Gunnut.38 · #37 10-19-2018, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunnut.38

Thank you for your help everyone. Advertised for some .32/20 brass for my new purchase on a local forum. Bought some from a local shooter and ended up coming home with a campion rifle for it in .32/20 he wanted to sell.

Here is a picture of the Savage Sporter model 23C along with my 1902 1st change Hand Ejector. Also a 1923 add for the rifle. My rifle was made between 1923 and 1933 according to my research. The butt plate is new as well as the magazine. The magazine is not original style. Otherwise the rifle is unaltered.

oddshooter · #38 10-19-2018, 01:27 PM

I just picked up a 32-20 and 32 H&R mag convertible Ruger Buckeye with 6 1/2" barrel from a friend in Bullhead City, AZ. Lots of reloading now for the 32-20 and loving it. My first outing saw 1330fps with my handloads in the 32-20. No signs of pressure.

These Buckeyes are sweet shooters. They are Ruger strong and can withstand the hot 32-20 loads and even the 327 Federal Magnum. You can bore out the 32 H&R Federal Magnum to 327 Fed Mag or get a new 327 cylinder. I'm planning on leaving it as is because the 32-20 can get right up to and beyond that 1400fps.

Prescut

buckeye long.JPG

buckeye top.JPG

buckeye left.JPG

adowns · #39 10-22-2018, 07:45 AM

I have three of these. Good: When cocked they lock up very tightly with just about zero cylinder play, like a Colt. Bad: The rear sight indentation is so shallow that it's practically non-existent. It's difficult to line up the sights.

Muley Gil · #40 10-22-2018, 11:17 AM

I had a .32-20 target for a few years. It shot OK, but the sights were so fine I could barely see them. I wound up selling it.

Don't tell any body, but I shoot my fixed sight 5" Colt Official Police .32-20 much better, mostly due to the easier seen sights.