Welcome to the Forum. You have a .32 Hand ejector, 1st Model or also called Model of 1896. This is an I frame revolver that would have been shipped around the turn of the century, probably from 1899 to 1901, so it is not an antique by BATF standards.

These revolvers had the patent dates stamped on the cylinders. There were only about 20,000 made from 1896 to 1903 and are quite collectable. I have been trying to buy one at a reasonable price for some time now and most are selling for $500 or more if in good condition.

Yes, welcome. Somehow I missed your post to this thread or I would have replied before now.

There is a good chance that you have what glowe describes, a .32 HE Model of 1896, but there is another possibility too. It could be a .32 Hand Ejector Second Model. Your gun is one of a series in which S&W actually reset the serial numbers from one variety to the next, so number 13665 could be either an 1896 or a 1903. If the latter, it probably shipped about 1905 or 1906.

The quickest way to tell them apart is to look at the ejector rod. Does it hang under the barrel with an unsupported front end, or is there a locking lug under the barrel with a pin that snaps into the end of the ejector rod to support it? Lug absent means first model (Model of 1896); lug present means Second Model (Model of 1903).

Please follow Froggie's invitation and start your own thread with photos of your gun. I'm sure you will get some useful replies.

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David Wilson

Copy that, I was more interested in the dating of it than the value, just thought I'd throw that part in out of curiosity. I'm the kind of guy that purchases them rather than selling them. I'm a hoarder in that aspect.

Hi all! I'm new to the forum and thought I'd ask for some help dating a hand ejector with SN# 5480. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Welcome shiangti. Please reread the previous three threads about the confusion your question will bring. You will need to describe it more completely and/or post a picture or two before a definitive answer can be given as your revolver falls in the range of numbers that S&W used twice. We need to know whether or not the barrel has a lug underneath to catch the front of the ejector rod. It would also help to know barrel length (measured from front face of cylinder to muzzle) and grip type. Of course caliber and number of chambers in the cylinder would be good. Again, welcome aboard.

Froggie

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shiangti/8724260286/

It is disheartening to see this gun so neglected. It belongs to a friend who found it cleaning out an estate. Again thanks for any info.

IT has a 4.25 in. barrel and I included a picture of the lug. SN# 5480. Thanks again for any info.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shiangti/8938730621/

Based on your pictures, it is a second model, and from the SN it is fairly early to that model. Condition means a lot in determining value, and as you observed, your friend's gun has some real neglect issues, but if mechanically sound could still have some value as a fun shooting companion. You might be surprised what some gentle cleaning with a soft cloth and some Flitz™ or Mother's Mag Polish™ can do to improve its appearance. It appears to be chambered in 32 S&W Long and is probably so marked on the right side of the barrel. Once you have it certified safe and sound you can shoot any modern factory ammo in that caliber with perfect safety. They've been around for over 100 years and don't seem to go away!

Froggie

Thanks Froggie! so if I am understanding what I've read correctly this was revolver was made ~1903? I may try to clean it up for my friend so he can shoot it. Thanks for the info and the advice.

shiangti, if I am reading my Standard Catalog of S&W correctly, you do indeed have a Model of 1903 (32 Hand Ejector, 2nd Model) probably made in 1903 or very early 1904. Since it is over 100 years old and you don't know where it's been, PLEASE have it checked by someone knowledgeable before you shoot it. After that, you'll be able to shoot any factory ammo for it and have a great time doing it.

Regards,
Froggie

Thanks again Froggie, I appreciate the help. I will have the gun checked out, especially since it hasn't been taken care. Honestly I wish it were mine so I could enjoy it. It is nice just to be around a piece history though I really like this kind of thing. I hope my friend will have the same appreciation for it.

I have a 32 long ctg serial number 131378 not in great shape was wondering if anyone could possibly tell me when it was made i can only make out 13 mar on the top of the barrel also it has the lug on the ejector rod i will try at a later date to post pictures thak you in advance for any and all help

I'm at an event away from my books right now, but if somebody doesn't get to you before I get home this evening, I'll look it up for you. I'm going to say it is right much later than the example in the previous post, but with your condition issue, you need to look a little deeper, though. Does the cylinder release and swing out smoothly? Do the hammer and trigger work properly? Will the chambers and bore (of the barrel) brush out fairly clean? If the answers to those questions are yes, You might have a good shooter regardless of external appearance.

Froggie

Did everyone call their brother, cousin, neighbor to join S&W forum and post about their .32 CTG?

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Memory of Randy Freas-Rimfired

The trigger and hammer work great the cylinder release is good the swingout kind of sticks and you have to exert some pressure with your fingers to get it to come out and also i found another number behind the ejector and it is 2566

If the swing out is 'sticky', you may want to check that the ejector rod is screwed all the way into the cylinder. If this begins to back out the cylinder can either stick or completely jam closed. If it does jam, DO NOT force it open. This will likely bend the ejector rod.

Yep.

Took mine out and shot it today. Great fun and more accurate than my Dan Wesson model 14 at 20 yards.

No, this is just a small sample of the 32 S&W revolvers out there. Now do you believe how significant this caliber really is? There are those of us who are aware of it, and those of us who still haven't seen the light. Come out of the darkness and become a true believer!

BTW, to grizorca, your serial number of 131378 puts its production at about 1911 or so and makes it a "32 Hand Ejector Model of 1903 - 5th Change." It was made in this variation until WW I, then came back only slightly changed as the "Third Model."

Froggie

Thanks so much until now all i knew about the gun was that it was the only object my father had of his mom and that it was a nickle plated 32 s/w. It has alot of sentimental value. I also have a good friend who is a gunsmith so my next step is to have him look at to see if it is safe to fire and i will keep the four updated it has given me a great amount of info again thanks so much Froggie

Looks I hit he wrong thread with this post.

Pre-War K-Frame Large SILVER Medallion Stocks

Sorry. Still getting the hang of this.

Hello, i have a Smith & Wesson 32 Long CTG. Serial 361828. It was of my father and i need to know the aprox. year of production. Thanks

This is a bit of a zombie thread... come on over to where those of us in the highly disorganized "32 Brotherhood" are playing;

A group for 32 lovers?

"Come over to the dark side, we have cookies!"

Froggie

Here's a pretty clean .32 H.E. Third Model shipped 10/29.

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Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446

Gentlemen - I just signed up here after reading a wealth of great information on the .32 Hand Ejectors. I have one with a serial number of 123625* on the butt of the grip frame - it has a star after the number which I understand means it was sent to the factory at some point for repair, refinish, etc. The serial is also on the barrel and cylinder without the star. It also has stamped on the bottom of the left side grip frame the number 1.16 stamped that I'm curious about. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass, Steve! The number 1.16 was stamped by S&W at the time of the repair/refinish along with the star. It means the work was done in January 1916. Look under the barrel on the flat where the ejector rod docks and see if a B is stamped there. If so, the gun had a blue finish originally. From the looks of your sideplate and the S&W cartouche, it may have been refinished again after 1916, but probably not by S&W.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

I looked under the barrel on the flat where the ejector rod docks and there is only the serial number - no "B" is there. I would venture to say the refinishing job on this one is really not up to S&W standards.

Picked this one up at a little show last week. Late '49 or early '50. The pre-war style stocks got my attention.

Attached Images

32 he.jpg (104.0 KB, 62 views)

Yeah. The refinished guns I've seen that S&W did had the sideplate polished in the frame. But, if that finish has been on there from 1916...wow!

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Here are some pictures of the revolver I mentioned earlier.

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	Butt Plate Zoom.jpg (44.6 KB, 51 views)
	Full S&W Zoom.jpg (75.1 KB, 55 views)
	Under Barrel Zoom.jpg (60.2 KB, 45 views)
	Patent Zoom.jpg (26.1 KB, 43 views)

I'm newly registered but have been browsing the site for some time for information about the .32 CTG Long that was handed down to me from my father. From what I gather by reading it's an early 1900's SN 225XXX. Serial number found at the base of handle, the wheel and on the underside of the barrel. I think it's in fair to good shape. I cleaned it today and am taking it to the range tomorrow for the first time. I have some 100gr FIOCCHI 32 WAD CUTTER ammo that I'm going to try out on it. Here are some photos. Can't seem to keep it clean of fingerprints

Read this To IDENTIFY your Gun > and start your own thread and you'll get the help your looking for.

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Get off my lawn!

Welcome Mojosaki,

From the pictures, it looks like you have a pre-War 32 Hand Ejector Model which uses the 32 S&W Long Cartridge (CTG.) I would rate it at better than the "fair to good" level you mention if the pictures are giving a fairly accurate representation of its condition... the fingerprints are only temporary of course, and wipe off with an oily rag.

The black, hard rubber grips look like they are in very nice shape, which is good, as they frequently have suffered with age and are often chipped or cracked. You have made a good choice for ammo to shoot in it and should find it lots of fun to shoot. At this point I always extoll the virtues of reloading for this cartridge/revolver. It is perhaps the very easiest and cheapest of all ammo to reload. Be sure to save your brass as you shoot it, as brass is the only thing reused and is thus the most expensive part of the process. Once-fired Fiocchi brass is quite desirable for this job.

As jsfricks mentioned above, you may want to start your own thread with a little more info (serial number, etc.) to get some more responses with specific information about age, etc of your revolver.

Regards,
Froggie

By pre-war, I assume you are referring to WWI. There are a couple of characteristics that point to an early example. There is no MADE IN USA stamping on frame, which puts it before 1922, plus there is no SMITH & WESSON barrel stamp, indicating the probability that the revolver is earlier than 1920.

Welcome to the Forum Mojosaki. It is usually better to start a new thread for a new gun because it gets lost in the 80 plus posts on this one. If you can supply the serial number, we can get a close approximation on the age of your revolver.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

glowe, I was 100% sure it was pre-WW II, but I didn't want to stick my neck out on "the Great War" as I'm thinking it could be from either side of that by a couple of years. Like you, I need a SN to do much else beyond the current speculations.

Froggie

Wow, I didn't expect to get so many informed responses so soon. Thank you all for sharing your knowlege and thanks for the link. That is great information.

I really just liked the comment thread here so wanted to post it here with the other great photos.

The S/N 225905. The top of the barrel reads; Smith & Wesson Springfield, Mass U.S.A.Pat'd March 27.94 Aug 4.96 Dec 22.96 Oct 8.01 Dec 17.01 Feb 6.08 Sept 14.09

The yoke has the numbers 669

The grips are pristine and probably the most well preserved feature of the gun. I just like cause my dad gave it to me and it's got history. Plus I like to shoot.

Here are a couple more photos. The one of the number in the yoke is really hard to get so you just have to take my word for it. It's 669.

Any ideas what to sell this 1903 for? There's a small chip in the grip, and someone along the way files down the hammer a bit- most likely for quicker draw when concealing.

Attached Images

	IMG_20140328_140038_179.jpg (32.9 KB, 44 views)
	IMG_20140328_135453_713.jpg (94.5 KB, 51 views)
	IMG_20140328_135957_839.jpg (56.2 KB, 50 views)

It has been refinished outside the factory and the hammer mutilated. I'd guess $100-200 as a shooter.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Welcome to the forum.

The hammer spur was broken off, at least 1/4" is missing, and then filed smooth; probably in the same drop that chipped the grip. I agree, $100 to 200.

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Jim
S&WCA #819