I have a neat little .32 S&W Long Hand Ejector.
It is a 5 Screw, and appears to be a long action.
Firing pin on hammer, beveled or chamfered leading edge of the Cylinder
Strain Screw on the Front of the Grip Strap.
I believe this is an I frame but may be a J frame.
S/N is on front of Grip Strap and under Ejector rod on Barrel.
6 digits with no letter - 351206
It is Blue, Fixed sight, 3-1/8" BBL, 6 shot.
The yoke has a 5 digit number not related to the S/N.
Anything anyone can tell me, especially date of manufacture, would be appreciated.
I have pictures on my Phone, I need to get them on this computer in order to post.
Thanks for all help.

You have a .32 Regulation Police revolver from sometime around 1920. The serial number on the front strap is the giveaway.

It was built on the I frame. J frames didn't exist until about 1950. The RP didn't migrate to the J frame until c. 1961.

Hondo44 can probably nail the date down more closely.

__________________
Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

bigalbrown,

Welcome to the forum!

Your #351206 likely shipped in 1920 as Jack already posted, based on other serial #s in the vicinity of yours with known ship dates.

We can tell more by the guns features when we see it.

Yours is a long action, all I frames have long actions, they were not changed to the Short Cocking Action after WWII.

32 HISTORY

Many things seem puzzling with old guns. It takes a historically contemporary mind set and some historical knowledge. What seems very strange to us like an unlabeled cartridge on the gun, in reality is quite normal especially for S&W back in the day. Because each gun was typically sized and chambered for only one cartridge, the caliber was expressed in the model name, and there was little need for a marking. Of course it will also shoot an earlier iteration of the 32 S&W Long which is the 32 S&W, retroactively labeled unofficially, the 32 short. The "Model 1896 32 Hand Ejector" came along at the tail end of that practice. The very next evolution of it, the Model 1903, was cartridge marked.

The .32 Hand Ejector and its cartridge, the 32 S&W Long are both historical milestones. 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 ".32 Hand Ejector Model 1896 (1st Model)" along with its new cartridge. Production of this model extended to serial #19,712.

Available barrel lengths were 3 ¼”, 4 ¼” and 6”. 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 for the RP is the 4 1/4".

Target models with adjustable sights 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. About ½ million were roduced before 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. You’ll be happy with its accuracy and light recoil.

__________________
Jim
S&WCA #819

Add PicuresJK and Hondo44:
Thanks for the info! I really am happy with this little jewel.
1920's puts it after the Theodore Roosevelt era so it probably was never in service in NYC, but I can wear it with a Fedora Hat and feel in style! It will be a fitting Back Up to my .38-44 Heavy Duty 4"!
I wonder, since it has a heat treated cylinder if handloads kept under 15,000CUP would be acceptable. have read a few in the online Handloads manual. I am thinking a 98 gr SWC at about 950F/S. This would be by new hiking and fishing pistol. Do you know if anyone makes snake rounds in a .32, or does any make the shot capsules for reloaders?
I am trying to get the pictures off my phone and onto the computer, when I do I'll post them.
Thanks again!
Big Al

Attached Images

	Left View 1.jpg (83.0 KB, 94 views)
	Right View.jpg (87.6 KB, 110 views)
	BBL Serial no.jpg (55.0 KB, 85 views)
	grip serial no.jpg (66.0 KB, 88 views)

I'm even sure of the 1920 date now:

It has the logo on left side of frame, and no MADE IN U.S.A. on right side.

__________________
Jim
S&WCA #819

According to Hondo on another thread, heat treating began at number 321000.

Buffalo Bore has a 98 grain wadcutter load that claims 935fps from a 4" S&W Hand Ejector, so I guess it can be done. My standard is a 98 grain wadcutter with 2.2 grains of HP-38, which gets about 840fps.

Sage has shotshell kits right here.

6 digits with no letter - 351206

I have it's younger brother... SN 351857

Al,

Of course. The 32 Long SAAMI max pressure is 15,000.

__________________
Jim
S&WCA #819

Thank everyone that posted for the valuable information, dates, and thanks for the shotshell direction!
I'm enjoying my visits to this forum!
I'm seeing a lot of beautiful old S&W's that make my mouth water.
Thanks once more!