32-20 1905 4th change surprise

dwh · #1 11-04-2020, 09:29 PM

I bought a 4in shooter 32-20 to use a woods loafing gun. The bore and chambers are nice and bright. I’m kinda fond of the finish challenged guns. The serial number is in the 141xxx range. When I started the break it down for detailed cleaning. I found the grips didn’t have the serial number on them. But a persons name a city. I think it says. E G Holmes falkville Alabama.

DWalt · #2 11-04-2020, 09:36 PM

Your SN would put it as being manufactured in the late 1920s, and the grips now on it are correct for that same 1920s period. For some reason they may have been swapped. Or not. Grips of that period were usually serial numbered in pencil on the back of the right panel, and the SN is often very difficult to make out. I wouldn't be a bit surprised that the SN is there, but you just can't see it. Move it around to get different viewing angles, use different light sources, and you just might be able to see it. I have 1920s grips that I have never been able to make out a SN on.

bigmtnman · #3 11-04-2020, 09:36 PM

A quick Google brought up this .....

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/...olmes-cemetery

"Cemetery is grown up and snaky.
Directions: Take Hwy 31 south to Lacon. Turn right on Old Hwy 31 and go about one mile. Turn right on Lacon Road. Go about 1½ miles. Cemetery is on the left behind a residence on the old Holmes homeplace."

Kansasgunner · #4 11-04-2020, 09:52 PM

Cool old M&P in a fun caliber. The holster with it is also very nice. Could you please post some holster photos?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Muley Gil · #5 11-04-2020, 10:18 PM

"Cemetery is grown up and snaky."

Iffn' you go to visit Mr Holmes' grave, you might want to carry his old .32-20 and a .38 loaded with shot cartridges as well.

The .32-20 is one of my favorite rounds. I've owned at least one since 1975. I currently have 1 S&W, 2 Colts and a Martini action rifle in the old.32 WCF.

merl67 · #6 11-04-2020, 10:27 PM

Fairly certain this is your guy Edward Cyrus Holmes born 1898 died 1983 lived in and around Morgan Co Ala and Falkville in particular. I used Ancestry to track him down I have a bit more, but still digging yet though. Here is one photo of him.

Waveski · #7 11-04-2020, 10:33 PM

Nice old gun , beautiful grips - and a neat discovery.

Well worth sharing , thank you.

dwh · #8 11-05-2020, 12:02 AM

Gentlemen, thank you all for your responses. I never expected to potentially have a picture to go with the name.

Gil, I love the 32-20 as well 2 smiths( 1 target 1 m&p)2 Winchester’s (1 92 1 highwall) and a Remington #2.

I provide more holster pic when I get a chance.

dwh · #9 11-05-2020, 12:59 AM

Here are some better pictures oh the holster. The horse head is what struck me when I found it. Its was a lgs junk box find. I’ve ridden since I was kid,so horse on your holster always makes you cooler.

Muley Gil · #10 11-05-2020, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwh

Gentlemen, thank you all for your responses. I never expected to potentially have a picture to go with the name.

Gil, I love the 32-20 as well 2 smiths( 1 target 1 m&p)2 Winchester’s (1 92 1 highwall) and a Remington #2.

I provide more holster pic when I get a chance.

Please post pictures of the rolling block, either in this thread or over the "Firearms and knives-other brands" section. My 1st centerfire rifle was a .43 Spanish RB carbine. I've looked for a Remington .32-20 for YEARS and have never found one that I could afford. Lucky you!

merl67 · #11 11-05-2020, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwh

Here are some better pictures oh the holster. The horse head is what struck me when I found it. Its was a lgs junk box find. I’ve ridden since I was kid,so horse on your holster always makes you cooler.

That is a beautiful holster can't imagine why it was in their junk box. At my local shop all you find in the junk box is well junk...

dwh · #12 11-05-2020, 01:52 AM

It a number2 rolling block from about the 20’s or 30’s. It weighs 5.5 pounds with a 24in octagon barrel. Pictured with it is the
32-20 target model.

DWalt · #13 11-05-2020, 12:33 PM

Around 3 or 4 years ago I bought a nicely refinished .32-20 M&P at a fairly good price, but therein lies a tale. When I got it home, on the back side of the grips (don't remember whether it was LH or RH) there was also a penciled name and address of a former owner. The really strange thing was that he had the same last name as mine, which is not very common. I couldn't find anything indicating that he was a relative, in fact I couldn't find anything at all about him on the ancestry sites. The address was in Denver, and I don't think any of my relatives were ever in Colorado, nearly all were east of the Mississippi. Further back, I bought a Colt OP in .32-20 which also had a former owner's name and address written on the back side of a grip panel. He was from someplace in Louisiana, and I could find out some information about him, but nothing particularly interesting. Turns out he had died a few years before I bought that OP.

dwh · #14 11-05-2020, 02:19 PM

One of greatest thing about being a gather of guns is finds like this. I was just looking for a fun trail gun. The enjoyment I’ve gotten from this purchase has far exceeded its price, and I haven’t even fired a shot yet. I had no plans of lettering the gun, but may as well and see what that brings.

22hipower · #15 11-05-2020, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merl67

At my local shop all you find in the junk box is well junk...

You might start a whole new thread with that comment. Yes, usually pure junk. . . .although I found a really nice set of Colt Python grips in one of those once and paid $25 for them.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

handejector · #16 11-05-2020, 02:30 PM

Great holster!
Neat old HE.
That Target is very neat. Nice gun.
The old RB ain't bad either.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DWalt

When I got it home, on the back side of the grips (don't remember whether it was LH or RH) there was also a penciled name and address of a former owner. The really strange thing was that he had the same last name as mine, which is not very common. I couldn't find anything indicating that he was a relative, in fact I couldn't find anything at all about him on the ancestry sites. The address was in Denver, and I don't think any of my relatives were ever in Colorado, nearly all were east of the Mississippi.

Did you have any relatives that were ramblin' men?

DWalt · #17 11-07-2020, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by handejector

Great holster!
Neat old HE.
That Target is very neat. Nice gun.
The old RB ain't bad either.

Did you have any relatives that were ramblin' men?

None that I am aware of. I have tracked down every single known paternal relative for at least the past three generations and that guy from Denver was definitely not one of them. Very few of my relatives ever left Ohio since they arrived from Germany in the mid-19th century.

Eddie Southgate · #18 11-07-2020, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muley Gil

"Cemetery is grown up and snaky."

Iffn' you go to visit Mr Holmes' grave, you might want to carry his old .32-20 and a .38 loaded with shot cartridges as well.

The .32-20 is one of my favorite rounds. I've owned at least one since 1975. I currently have 1 S&W, 2 Colts and a Martini action rifle in the old.32 WCF.

Not likely to be found in the cemetery listed above as it seems to be graves that are pre 1900 .

Eddie Southgate · #19 11-07-2020, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merl67

Fairly certain this is your guy Edward Cyrus Holmes born 1898 died 1983 lived in and around Morgan Co Ala and Falkville in particular. I used Ancestry to track him down I have a bit more, but still digging yet though. Here is one photo of him.

I think you are correct . I am on Ancestry and did a little looking myself and this man is the most likely person I found . Is there a Find A Grave listed for him ? I did not find one . Faulkville is about 30 minutes away from our house in Madison Alabama .

This is his WW1 Draft info .He is buried in the Jones Cemetery.He is fourth from left in the photo of his brothers and sisters .

Muley Gil · #20 11-07-2020, 12:31 PM

E C Holmes is buried in Jones Cemetery, Falkville, Alabama. I went to findagrave.com and put in E C Holmes with no dates and then did a bit of scrolling.

Edward C. Holmes (1898-1983) - Find A Grave Memorial

dwh · #21 11-07-2020, 01:33 PM

Again thank all of you for help and input. I still can’t see the sn# on the grips. After using different light sources, filters and angles, I can make out 2 rfd on the grips as well. The draft form was also a big help with that. Now it’s time to load it up and shoot it.

Eddie Southgate · #22 11-07-2020, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwh

I bought a 4in shooter 32-20 to use a woods loafing gun. The bore and chambers are nice and bright. I’m kinda fond of the finish challenged guns. The serial number is in the 141xxx range. When I started the break it down for detailed cleaning. I found the grips didn’t have the serial number on them. But a persons name a city. I think it says. E G Holmes falkville Alabama.

In the fourth picture from the left , left hand side of left grip , I see writing that looks like numbers in pencil . Backstrap side of the grip just left of the screw hole . May be my imagination .

dwh · #23 11-07-2020, 10:12 PM

That’s Mr.Holmes name on that grip as well. He wrote his name on the inside of both panels, but name and address are only one right one.