Please...info as date of manufacture. Came w/Bauer Bros. F15 flap holster. Info on holster? No marking on grips. Ser. #358618 bottom grip frame & cyl. Barrel & cyl. clean. Safe to shoot .32 long WC's? Appreciate any info.

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And so it goes...

I have a target model with SN 439824 that the letter says shipped in 1927 so perhaps yours was a year to two earlier. Looks nice, should be just fine with any 32 Long loads you find. Enjoy.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

I wouldn't hesitate to shoot commercial ammo in it if you can find any.

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That's just somebody talkin.

32 Long is at all the local gun shops so it's really easy to find. The local shops seem to be flooded with Magtech wadcutters and LRN ammo. It's really mild and will be pleasant to shoot in your old Smith.

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

Nice looking .32 HE. It is wearing target grips. It probably was shipped with hard rubber grips.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Yea, but those two screw single shot targets look very cool, Gil.

Thanks Gil. This is first S&W i've seen with this style grip. Did checking & found more. Did they ship revolvers with this stye grip or were they an after market?

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And so it goes...

Those I frame target stocks were also standard on the .22/32 heavy frame target models and optional on any I frame.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

I bought my first .32 in 2006. It is a .32 Regulation Police made in 1940, 4” nickel with some plating worn away and the rest of the finish from a little cloudy to shiny. Mechanically very tight with a bright shiny bore and original numbered to gun stocks. This was an impulse buy. The LGS had a $90 price tag on it. So I bought it along with some Federal 98 gr WCs. I later picked up some Remington and Aguila 98 RN. I shot all of it off and put the gun and brass away. I few years ago I bought a set of RCBS Cowboy dies ,1000 pcs of PPU brass and about 600 Acme 98 grain SWC, and a pound of W231. I later bought an RCBS RNFP mold 98gr. When I finish the 1000 Missouri Bullet co 98 RNFP I will start casting. The data that I am using is from the Speer manual and I am trying to approximate the published data for factory.32 Long with 98-100 grain bullet.

If factory ammo is available at a reasonable price buying up as much as you can and saving the brass is a good idea. This will give you some paid for components if you ever decide to reload.

Until I bought that first .32 I had never fired a gun in this caliber. They are a lot of fun to shoot and despite the age of you gun you should be able to fire any modern factory round or any reload that does not exceed factory spec. Reloading this round is very easy and is just as economical as a .38 Special once you are set up for it. Both Magtec and PPU make excellent ammunition and may be easier to find right than US made stuff.

Since I have gotten interested in .32s I have added another.33 RP. This one a 3.5” blue with a really beautiful original finish made in 1924 and a 2” blue pre model 30 Hand Ejector made in 1955. Looking for a J frame or Colt .32 next.

Yours is a very nice revolver . Have fun shooting it.

The Acme bullets and RCBS Cowboy dies work very well. That's what I use. My powder is SR 7625. Can't remember exactly why I have it but's perfect for 32 Long. It has about the same burn rate as Unique but meters a lot better.

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That's just somebody talkin.

I bought several cans of 7625 about 15 years ago to use in my 25-20 cal 1892 Winchesters. I have only used 1 can and haven’t opened another one yet. As soon as I use up the last of my 25-20 I will do another run. This powder has worked well in the 25-20.

I started reloading in 1972 with .38 Special loaded with 148 gr WC and a midrange charge of Bullseye . Later came .45 ACP and AR, 44 Mag , 30 Carbine and a whole lot more.

I do see 7625 listed in published data for .32L. The 2 most important característics are even metering and thorough combustion in 2”-3” barrels. W231 meters well and burns clean. AA5 was ok but I am saving this for .38 Spl & .38 S&W.

While the powder situation around here has improved there are certain powders that still have not shown up. Our LGS has recently received AA5 , AA2, Titegroup, W244 and IMR 4227. This covers my Bullseye, Unique and 2400 applications.

I am really great full for the level of support that RCBS has provided to those of us who are trying to keep older calibers alive.

Except for .351 SL, .38 S&W and 25-20 all of my dies are RCBS. While I have a few Lee molds the rest is a nearly even split between RCBS and Lyman.

Another caliber that I am working with is .38 SW. I am ready to start a run of 500 of these with the Missouri Bullet Co 146 gr RN.

Cool little pistol, love the grips. Magtech 98 wadcutter ammo has been pretty easy to find lately. I just bought a box two weeks ago while ordering a case of speciality .223 ammo with a specific varmint bullet I was looking for. I will enjoy shooting the Magtech and then reload the brass over and over. They last a long time with mild loads.

Mine was made in 1904, and I shoot it with the Fiocchi wasdcutters no problem. Mine has 2 flat leaf springs in the grip. It's only around 20,000 serial number. It's amazing how well revolvers this age will still shoot tight little groups.

.32 S&W cartridges can be used as well if you run across any. I believe it is still available. Not highly recommended, but .32 ACP cartridges are also usable if you cannot find anything else.

It is entirely possible that the OP's revolver shipped with those stocks. Problem is that it will cost $75 to find out. A historical letter should tell if it left the factory with those stocks or not.

I had a 38 Perfected that shipped in 1919 and it came to me with target stocks, but I never lettered it. Discussing the target stocks with Roy Jinks, he stated that the gun could have shipped with them and that there were many out there in that configuration. The reason given for the likelihood of shipping with targets was that those with larger hands needed the stock extension in order to fit properly in-hand.

Attached Images

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Yes .32 S&W & .38 available. Got box couple wks back. Price crazy high tho.

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And so it goes...

I loaded .32 Long using .32 ACP dies for awhile. It worked OK. Later I found a VG RCBS .32 Long die set at a gun show for $10.
Also loaded ..45 Colt with a .45 ACP die set until I found a .45 sizing die for $2 at another gun show and bought it. I continued to use the .45 ACP neck expander and seating dies though.

Mention was made above of shooting 32 ACP in 32 S&W Long guns. 99% of the time you are OK with that. DO NOT do that in top break 32 S&W guns or preheat treated 32 Long even. Some European manufacturers loaded some hot 32 ACP rds for use in submachine guns like the CZ. I would not put those in any older revolver.

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SWCA 3417 HF 642 NRA-TC

DO NOT attempt to fire .32 Long Colt cartidges in your .32 S&W long pistol. They are differt size bullet and case. I acquired a .32 S&W Long and the previous owner gave me colt long ammo with it. The cases bulged and I don't even know where the bullet went.

A long time ago before I knew the difference between the two .32 calibers a neighbor asked me to take a look at a revolver that he got from his late grandfather. It was a blue long barreled H&R break top in .32 S&W long. He had a full box of .32 Long Colt and partial box along with a bunch of bulged and split up the middle cases.

I ended up with the ammunition for my collection.

The Colt 32 ammo that is interchangeable with.32 S&W long is the Colt .32 New Police.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

BE SURE TO CAREFULLY CHECK THE TIMING TO BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THE CYLINDER LINES UP PROPERLY !! Otherwise you’ll experience lead spitting, which in some circumstances can be dangerous. If you’re not certain how to check the timing / cylinder alignment, either do a Web search or let me know & I’ll explain how. Good Luck

Best, Dom P.

I believe that Colt is a heeled bullet, while S&W fit inside the case. Notice that the bullets are the same diameter, but the case is much smaller than 32 S&W Long. I have read that 32 Long Colt enlarged their cases to accommodate an inside lubed bullet, but SAAMI still shows a heeled case??? This would explain split cases when shot in S&W revolvers.

32 Long Colt

Bullet diameter .312 in
Neck diameter .313 in
Base diameter .318 in
Rim diameter .374 in
Case length 0.92 in
Overall length 1.26 in

32 S&W Long

Bullet diameter .312 in
Neck diameter .337 in
Base diameter .337 in
Rim diameter .375 in
Rim thickness .055 in
Case length .920 in
Overall length 1.280 in

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Gary
SWCA 2515

The Colt New Police .32 is Colt’s modernized .32 cartridge with inside lubed bullet when their cylinders were changed from having charge holes (bored straight thru like cap and ball cylinders) to chambers with shoulders.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

No change was made in the 32 Long Colt case. The change was from a heel type bullet to a hollow base bullet, enclosed in the case like the bullet in the S&W round. The idea being that the hollow base would expand to fit the bore, much like a Civil War Minie ball. While this works it is not quite as good as a proper sized bullet starting out as the correct diameter does. The 32 Short Colt round retains the heel bullet design and in my own experience is usually more accurate than the Long.

The Colt rounds were never as popular as the S&W rounds (which many other makers adopted) and eventually Colt decided to offer their own version of the 32 S&W Long called the 32 Colt New Police round. The only real difference was Colt specified a flat nose bullet for their "new round" to make it different and thus their design.

I have a S&W revolver that is much older than yours (serial number 33XXX) and have shot both modern factory and many handloads with no difficulty. I also have a Colt Police Positive chambered for the 32 Colt New Police cartridge, which of course is identical to the 32 S&W Long. I find them to be great fun to shoot, easy to reload, and great conversation pieces at the range as no one else seems to have anything chambered for that cartridge. The only other thing I can say is enjoy!