Hi,

I just picked up a Hand Ejector in 32 S&W (serial 161xx) and I have the SCSW book so was able to look it up and get a lot of information about it. However, I would like to disassemble the pistol to give it a good cleaning.

Which way (CW or CCW) does the ejector rod knob turn to unscrew it, looking at the end of the knob? I think it's CCW with a normal right hand thread and S&W didn't go to a left hand thread until much later.

Anything else I should know before backing the screws out? I have cleaned other S&W's so I know how to remove the side plate without damaging it. This is my first time with a pistol this old.

Thanks!

Hi garandsarus,

These would be like the K Frame "1902"s, Mechanism wise, so, different somewhat from later Mechanisms, and a lot more involved to dis-assemble.

I'm pretty sure Ejector Unscrews CCW, like normal Nuts-n-Bolts do, and I'll dig mine up here in a bit and double-check this.

Fine to gently remove the Stocks and soak the whole thing in your favorite Penetrating Oil or Kerosene for a few days, first..before pulling Side Plate, etc...the old ones can be mighty gummed up inside sometimes with old Lube being like a glue

Post us some nice pictures of the little .32?

I'd enjoy seeing it, and I know others here would also.

That's correct, that vintage would be CCW, just like any normal nut & bolt.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Thanks for the help! I will start taking screws out this evening. Here are a couple pictures. It would be interesting to find out what caused most of the bluing loss, but since I am at least the 4th owner, I never will. There is no rust or pitting. I bought it to shoot it, so I am fine with it like this. Honest wear for a pistol that is 116 years old.

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Welcome to the forum.

It'll be a fine little shooter. They're fun and accurate. Looks like just normal handling and carrying wear from all those years.

I agree with the above, CCW, and all the way to the early post war years until ~ 1950.

Not a bad pair of home modified factory target grips from after 1910 thru 1920, with recessed gold plated over brass (now showing thru after years of wear) medallions:

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Welcome to the Forum.

Put some empty cartridges in the chambers before you loosen the ejector rod. It takes stress off of the ejector star.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Thanks for the responses!

I did put empty cartridges in the cylinders. I have taken a number of K and L frame revolvers apart to clean them, but this is my first I frame. It was a little different, especially with the second spring.

I was able to remove the end of the ejector. It was pretty tight. I wasn’t able to remove the ejector shaft to get to the springs, but I didn’t try too hard since they worked fine. I assume those have a right hand thread also, but don’t know for sure. The insides were really caked with dry grease and dirt. It is all cleaned up now and put back together.

Since this pistol doesn’t have a transfer bar, Is it safe to carry with a cartridge under the hammer? I assume it is not.

Yes the rod is CCW also. Guns that old sometimes need soaking to get the rod out. Or just let it drain and don't take the rod out. It got cleaned and lubed enough in the soaking. Just no WD 40! It turns to shellac.

No, it doesn't have any safety, not even the hammer foot/rebound slide semi-safety. It has a primitive hammer rebound feature but you can push the hammer forward against it with just your thumb. Load six, but only when shooting it, never carry with six.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Next, let's have a range report! We always like to hear about shooting these wonderful revolvers. Congratulations on yours!

Curl

Welcome. Just a quick note here - the caliber is 32 Long, not 32 S&W. You can shoot 32 S&W in the I frame revolvers, but accuracy will not be that great in most cases. If you intend to strip the insides, it is different than later models with rebound slides. First images are a No Change and the last has the rebound slide.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Thanks... I am not sure how I screwed the caliber up. I bought the pistol because it was 32 S&W Long. I had bought a Model 16 a month or so ago and it is too nice to take into the woods or spend much time in a holster. This one doesn’t have the same issue! I have shot the 16 and liked the caliber so when this became available, I picked it up.

I also have an Iver Johnson, second model, in 38 S&W that is rated for black powder, so that is what I loaded for it. I haven’t shot it yet though.

I went from no .32 cal pistols to 3 in a month or so!

Thanks for the pictures. The rebound slide picture is what I was familiar with from my K and L frames.

They do tend to multiply - I have three hand ejectors including an improved I frame pre-model 30. I shoot the following handloads in my Model of 1903 32 HE no-change, in my 32 HE Fifth version, and the improved I frame - all 4": 32 S&W Long
my own testing
Bullet: 98 grain lead semi-wadcutter

S&W 32 Hand Ejector 5th Change
98 grain lead swc:
fps
2.0 grains - Bullseye = 659, 642, 665
2.1 grains - Bullseye = 694, 681, 689
2.2 grains - Bullseye = 625, 757, 760
.........
Store bought factory Fiocchi Wad-cutters = 560, 587, 597, 608

Did I mention that I was glad I cleaned the 1903? Here is the before and after.

Sorry, I don't know how to rotate the photos here.

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I got a chance to shoot this today. Worked great! I went through 50+ rounds pretty quickly.

Garandsrus, you’ve made two of the same discoveries about the little 32s I have... first, they tend to multiply and second they have voracious appetites. There’s not much you can do about the former, but a good reloader that is set up for the caliber and one or two good moulds will help a lot with the latter. I personally like to have plenty of rounds of both a nice wadcutter and a semi wad cutter style bullet available to keep mine happy.

Welcome to the madness,
Froggie

I bought a .32 once, then another and another.......








(it's a sickness).

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

“it’s a sickness.” And there doesn’t seem to be any herd immunity. It is at least endemic and approaches pandemic!

Froggie

Had a dozen or so for a while..i might be down to 10 of these 32s

Robert

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

I was reading another thread about a hand ejector and it’s condition rating and was wondering what the mine would be based on the pictures I posted. I am pretty sure it is not above “good” but am not sure it is that high. There is A lot of blue loss but no pitting so I would guess it is “fair”, but I really have no idea and am trying to get a little more educated.

Thanks in advance!

garandsrus,

The very best way to to get a handle on judging % of finish is to pick up a copy of "The Blue Book of Gun Values", even an old used version as long as it has the pictures that are graded by finish in the front of the book or center of the book in the newer versions. They're published every year.

Just compare the various levels of finish with the % labeled, to the gun you want to grade. Easiest learning curve you'll ever have.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Remember two things, first, a formal grading of condition really only matters when buying or selling, and second, that gun is old enough to justify grading on the “NRA Antique Scale.” I’d give it good or better in that regard just from the pix you’ve shown us.

BTW, since you’ve expressed your interest in the gun as a “shooter,” I would suggest you might want to look for a set of “Regulation Police” grips for it. I find them to be a nice compromise satisfying feel, proportion, style, etc... they make your I-frame look like a miniature K-frame, which it kinda is! I’ve even got them (original from the factory!) on my HFT and Reg Police Target models. Your cleanup photos cut off just about where you would see the notch on the back strap, but I’m guessing it is there to accommodate those two screw target grips.

Let the fun begin! (Continue?)

Froggie

[QUOTE=Hondo44;140799447]garandsrus,

The very best way to to get a handle on judging % of finish is to pick up a copy of "The Blue Book of Gun Values", even an old used version as long as it has the pictures that are graded by finish in the front of the book . . . [/QUOTE

Let's not forget that SCSW4 has two grading systems detailed, NRA and Nahas/Supica complete with pictures. I also think SCSW4 offers better narrative for S&W collectors.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

From your pics which is not a reasonable way to make an estimate, but just to give you some idea, I judge it at between 30 to 40%. Although there appears to be a lot of blue showing, it's very dull. Compare to the gun in post #5 of how it used to look.

From thw SCSW 4, it qualifies as NRA "Good" in the 1890 to 1920 period, pg. 28, which is 30% finish. So the two grading systems are compatible, but you do need percentage of finish to arrive at the 30% finish grading determination.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

The notch or rebate on the backstrap did not come about until ~ # 258,000 on the .32s. The 2 screw target grips do not need the notched backstrap as they predated it by about 3 decades.

Regulation Police square butt grips that require the rebated rd butt grip frame:


Photo credit: handejector

This shows special grip frame for Reg Police grips; notice the notched area on the bottom half of the grip frame backstrap:


Photo by handejector

Rear view:


Photo by handejector

I rather prefer the modified factory 2 screw target grips on the gun now.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Thanks everyone.... the pistol does not have the notch on the frame. I am happy with the current grips. They are different than the K frame grips and variety is good!

I have a couple older S&W in almost new shape so I am familiar with what a very nice one looks like. That’s part of the reason I bought this pistol. A month or so ago, I bought a Model 16 that is almost too nice to shoot (I have shot about 100 rounds through it) so wanted something in 32 S&W Long that was just a fun gun.

I do cast and reload for the 32 S&W Long. My normal mold is the Lee 311-93-1R, which is 93gr. I use the same bullet for the 32 S&W in an Iver Johnson top break but I load 3F powder for It with black powder lube in the bullet grooves. I haven’t shot the Iver Johnson yet.