I haven't even had a chance to look up info on it. I'm excited!

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Yours probably shipped in the early to mid-1952 period. Its price was about $60 at that time. It's the Regulation Police model.

So, in collectors terms, this is a "pre model 30"...correct? I read a post about one that looked very similiar to this & one of the commentors stated that this era had "improved heat treat, coil spring design & to consider this to be a modern gun", if that is true, could anybody elaborate about the heat treat? it's kinda cute, it looks like a shrunken M&P Service Revolver.

No, it is a Regulation Police model, not a pre-30. A pre-30 is cataloged as the ".32 Hand Ejector." Heat treating of the cylinder began back after WWI. Not really necessary for a .32. If it has the coil spring it's an "Improved I-frame." If anything, yours would be a pre-Model 31, but calling it a pre-31 isn't very common.

The .32 Regulation Police evolved into the Model 31. The difference between the Models 30 and 31 is that the 31 has a square butt - the 30 has round.

You will also fall in love with how they shoot, mild and accurate.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Actually, that is why I bought it. I have a lot of boomers & I got on a kick of the early, classic automatics which tended to 32 auto & they were so pleasant to shoot.

Great small game gun to have along on a deer hunt.

I don't think I've welcomed you before.

Welcome aboard from ol' Wyo.

I deplore some collector jargon (i.e., "pre-model").

S&W never called it a pre-model. In 1952 the company didn't
know they were going to assign model numbers in 1957. Yours
is a ".32 Regulation Police."

Neat, neat revolver you have there. And the company likely
shipped it during my birth year. Yours appears to have a 4¼"
barrel -- my favorite for the .32 RP.

Great shooters. Lots of fun.

Enjoy.

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

They started making the grandfather of that gun prior to WW I and with a couple of brief breaks for wars built it pretty much continuously on up to the modern era. The main changes were from leaf to coil mainspring and from a modified set of “stocks” that covered up a modified round grip frame to a true square grip frame. Somebody at S&W figured it out that they had a good thing!

Lately there’s been a real rise in interest (and demand and price) in these baby versions of the S&W revolvers. Congratulations and welcome aboard.

Froggie

The whole "pre-Model XX" is pure collector speak as S&W never used it. And some like me don't use it either. Best to call it what the manufacturer called it when it was made, in your case, a ".32 Regulation Police."

There was also a Regulation Police chambered for the .38 S&W cartridge, and it became the Model 33. Generally, model numbering didn't begin until 1958, but I am not sure when the new nomenclature got to the RPs, probably later than 1958.

I would like to get a Regulation Police in a 38 S&W with around a 4" Barrel, I already have a nice Terrier. They seem a little more scarce.

Is it round butt or square butt?

If round it is a .32 Hand Ejector. (later known as the Model 30)

If square it is a .32 Regulation Police. (later known as the Model 31)

I just purchased a 4" Model 31-1, c. 1969. I can't believe just how good it feels in the hand.

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Only a cold warrior

Congrats, that's a fine piece in fine condition!

The Regulation Police models have a round rebated back strap grip frame with sq butt extended stocks.

Yours is an Improved I frame 1st variation (with round front sight). When the 2nd variation Improved I frame was introduced with a ramp front sight and barrel rib the barrel was standardized at 4", the same as the .38 RP was since it's introduction in 1917.

By ~1920 the order for heat treating all cyls was implemented. But by 1945 all cyls except Magnums were ordered to no longer be heat treated. The new steel S&W began using in 1945 negated the need for heat treating.

The round top Service style sq butt stocks were used on the Reg Pol until the 1953 Model NEW I frame.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Thank you guys, I appreciate the education!

In the "never completely trust rigid specifications" department, I'll just mention that I have two early post-war 4" .38 RP specimens with round butt frames. (Serials 54804 and 58470.) As expected, they say "Regulation Police" on the barrel -- only the .38 RPs got this marking. They basically look like Terriers with four-inch barrels. Both were shipped in July 1951.

Both letter as .38 RPs despite the round butt. This variety of RP is not often seen.

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David Wilson

They sound pretty dandy!

That model/configuration, was THE first handgun I ever shot. I was eight or nine. It was my newly sworn in Uncles issue off duty gun. I took a dozen of the empties to school the next week , me and a few buddies lined them up on our desks. Until the Nun took them away from us.

I did buy one for myself but just a few years back. Thay are fun too shoot.