Model 631 as a "shooter"

[smitholdtimer]

I'll post the question here although I'm not sure of the dates of production. Do any of you shooters appreciate the S&W long cartridge enough to purchase the Model 631 for its versatility? After seeing some photos of the 631 I am convinced that it may be a worthwhile acquisition although not inexpensive to shoot. Have any of you experienced shooter experts used one for shooting instead of collecting? There were fewer of this model made but I especially appreciate the adjustable rear sights in place of the fixed sights on the model 30's and 31's. The model 16 K-32's are already at premium price levels and beyond my means. Any thoughts on the idea? It may be too expensive to seek this model as a shooter, your thoughts, please and thanks for looking.

 

[toroflow1]

I use mine as a shooter, and take care of it so it remains in high condition. I use 32 Longs only, as that's all I need. As for expense, you should reload for the 32, as I have my costs down to less than $5 a box/50. The 4" 631 is tough to find, and usually expensive when you do, but I lucked into this one a couple years ago for $575 on auction. If you're patient and scour the online auctions, you will run across a deal.

 

[peyton]

The 631 4 inch is my go everywhere gun. It has good sights, easy recoil, and not real loud. I reload as well. I did not own a .357 until I bought two this year and do not own a .38 special. I also use the 2 inch snub nose for CCW, 6 in the chamber, and less jump from recoil means I am back on target quicker.

 

[M29since14]

Do any of you shooters appreciate the S&W long cartridge enough to purchase the Model 631 for its versatility?

Have any of you experienced shooter experts used one for shooting instead of collecting?

It may be too expensive to seek this model as a shooter, your thoughts, please and thanks for looking.

Well, that kind of went around in circles, but I think I follow you.

Oldtimer, some years ago, after despairing of ever finding a .32 RP Target, Hamilton Bowen put together a knock off of sorts for me using a Model 31, a rebored .22 Kit Gun barrel, and Kit Gun adjustable sights. (This sounds a lot worse than it really is.) The gun is quite nice, except for its oversize chambers, which are typical in S&W .32s.

I shot the gun for a couple years, and then happened to luck into a 631 Target. They're both terrific little shooters. I use the RCBS Keith-type cast bullet, sized to .314". They are both a pleasure to carry when out rambling around. You can carry about twice as many .32s as .357s for the same bother.

But to get back to your questions, if you are like me and live where there are no big, bitey things, .32s are just about perfect centerfire trail guns: cheap enough to reload and plink with, more authoritative than a .22, very accurate - just a lot about them to like. If I did not reload, I would probably make do with a .22 or .22 Magnum.

I think you already understand my answer to your second question from the rambling above.

As to the cost of the gun, yes, the model is overpriced, IMHO, but the market takes no note of my thinking. I have always found the whining over differentials in price that I see here on this forum a bit curious. How many 631s will you buy? (= probably one) Is the gun $100 more than you want to pay? (= probably yes) On the other hand, when I get into this argument with myself, I always say, well, I will go through that $100 on junk food, soft drinks, junky foreign-made tennis shoes, and/or other frivolous nonsense and have nothing left to show for it. So I temporarily cut back on the little knick-knacks and justify putting the money into a good firearm, have fun with it, and try to maintain it. Only the buyer can say whether the price increment is enough to quell his interest in the item, or affect how he will feel about, once purchased. I guess sometimes the whining I see is just misery loving company - and there is no harm in that.

 

[NFrameFred]

As to the cost of the gun, yes, the model is overpriced, IMHO, but the market takes no note of my thinking. I have always found the whining over differentials in price that I see here on this forum a bit curious. How many 631s will you buy? (= probably one) Is the gun $100 more than you want to pay? (= probably yes) On the other hand, when I get into this argument with myself, I always say, well, I will go through that $100 on junk food, soft drinks, junky foreign-made tennis shoes, and/or other frivolous nonsense and have nothing left to show for it. So I temporarily cut back on the little knick-knacks and justify putting the money into a good firearm, have fun with it, and try to maintain it. Only the buyer can say whether the price increment is enough to quell his interest in the item, or affect how he will feel about, once purchased. I guess sometimes the whining I see is just misery loving company - and there is no harm in that.

+1 on the above. I have a nostalgic affection for the little .32 caliber as it was the first center fire handgun I can recall being allowed to shoot. A pre-lock 32. Mag is one of the few on my "watch list" that I'm always on the look out for that I currently don't have in my collection. Reloading for my .32 S&W longs with cast lead is economical and they are just fun to shoot.

Not so much the folks here, but I'm constantly amused at my acquaintances who 'whine' about paying a little more for a quality handgun, and then I observe the things they DO spend their money on that I consider to be frivolous and useless. ESPECIALLY smokers ! I won't get into that debate here ( if that's your vice, best of luck to ya) but I had an employee one time who was an almost two-pack-a-day smoker and whined to me that he just "couldn't afford as nice a gun as my Colt 1911". When I did some simple math for him and showed him he could have bought two of the Colt's within a year with the money he'd save if he didn't smoke, he lost interest in the conversation . . . .

 

[smitholdtimer]

Model 631 for shooting

You guys are great, you ever notice how we really appreciate folks agreeing with us? Yep, I surely do want one without the internal lock. I also want to reload although many years have passed since I have reloaded. The next problem is to find something already in possession to trade for the new wish item. May be that someone on this forum who owns one could be looking to trade for something I have. I'll continue my search for the 631 and thank each of you very kindly for reinforcing the opinion I have concerning the versatility and accuracy of this fine little revolver.

 

[peyton]

I agree with M29since14, the price of the 631 is out of sync with the rest of the market. S&W could remedy this by getting the new 632 in .327 federal on the market instead of being vaporware. It would help if they dropped the idea of the port and the IL. I have spent all of my 632 cash on other revolvers while waiting for the 632 to arrive!!

 

[Gun-runner]

.32 H&R mags are fun guns. I almost had a 63 converted to 32 h&r but it was cost prohibitive. A J frame in 32 H&R or .327 would be a great trail gun.

 

[Beaver]

I bought a Model 31 last year w/ a 4" barrel. I reload a Penn 95 gr. Keith over a warm load of Unique. The load is one Skeeter recommended in one of his books, it's in an old Lyman book. It is absolutely wonderful. I wouldn't want to stand in front of this little jewel at 25 to 50 yards if somebody who knows how to shoot is holding it. It has fixed sights and I had to have my buddy Stoney move the front sight over a scoych. He's a graduate gunsmith and used blocks of lead to persuade the front sight. It shoots 2" groups at 25 yards, dead on. I love 32 SWL's. I would love to have a 3" Model 30/31. IMHO, the Model 30's through 36 are the fun guns for Smith. Someday I hope to own one of each. The Model 631 is a rather inflated revolver now, in my view. I would love to have the 4" model, but not for $900. It seems to me to be a $500 to $600 gun. Later.

 

[Hammerdown]

I'll post the question here although I'm not sure of the dates of production. Do any of you shooters appreciate the S&W long cartridge enough to purchase the Model 631 for its versatility? After seeing some photos of the 631 I am convinced that it may be a worthwhile acquisition although not inexpensive to shoot. Have any of you experienced shooter experts used one for shooting instead of collecting? There were fewer of this model made but I especially appreciate the adjustable rear sights in place of the fixed sights on the model 30's and 31's. The model 16 K-32's are already at premium price levels and beyond my means. Any thoughts on the idea? It may be too expensive to seek this model as a shooter, your thoughts, please and thanks for looking.

Hello SmithOldTimer


The .32 Caliber has always' been my Pet Peeve. I did own a Nice model 631 Snub that shot very well, but traded it off a few years ago to a member on this forum. I carried it daily for about Four Years but it grew heavy being all stainless,so it was replaced with a 431 shown. I simply love the 431 being an Air-Weight you can Pocket carry it and not even know you have it.



I do re-load for all my .32 S&W Long Caliber revolver's along with my Magnum as ammo is so high and very Underpowered as to what you can get out of the .32 H&R Magnum I have Chronographed some of my Hand loads out of my Model 16-4 with a 6" Barrel close to .357 Magnum Velocity level's with supreme accuracy.I also have expanded much on the .32 S&W Long Caliber and found out that it too can show Tack driver results out of a 6" Barrel with Velocities of 1100 F.P.S.



I Lucked into a pre-16 K-32 masterpiece which shipped in 1951. Oddly enough, it has the Narrow rib barrel and is very accurate when hand loaded for. I at One time had the Model 631 4" Target Kit Gun, but let it go due to poor accuracy issues. I tried all different kinds of hand loads for it and could not get it to come around to tight groups as Magazine Writer John Taffin wrote about this new model back in the Early 1990's when they came out. According to Taffin his finding's on the 4" Target Kit Gun were much like mine and he him self was not happy with the groups shown by this revolver.



The 631 Snub was a whole different revolver. It was a Tack driver and shot at Point of aim, but as I said, The weight of it for daily carry soon became a burden so the 431 replaced it. Below is a few of my .32 Caliber favorites that I have managed to keep over the years. The Pre-30 High Polished Chrome revolver was a project I Purchased and sent off to Ford's in Florida for a refinish. At their suggestion of me sharing with them it would be carried daily, we went with the High Polished Chrome finish of which shows no wear at all. In my eyes you can not go wrong with any .32 caliber S&W revolver, we all soon forget that they were once the daily side arm carried by most Police departments across the United States..Regards, Hammerdown






The Model 631 Target Kit Gun I swapped

The Model 631 Snub I swapped

The Model 431 That I carry in the Summer Months now

Model 30 No Dash 4 screw Circa 1958

Pre-16 K-32 Masterpiece

Pre-30 Ford's Refinishing Project "Before"

Pre-30 Snub Ford's Refinishing Project "After"

Model 16-4 K-32 Magnum

 

[smitholdtimer]

.32 cal. beauties

Hammerdown, your taste in sidearms is impeccable, my compliments to you sir. I was unaware that the newer Mod. 16-4's are capable of Magnum loads until today but they continue to be a hard item to find as is the Mod. 631. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the .32 cal. and your experiences with the many choices in your possession. Since I don't know I'll ask, do the Mod. 16-4's have the lock or are they pre-lock? ( I see now that the photo of your 16-4 shows no lock, sorry for premature question) Each opportunity I have to hear from the forum membership on any subject renews my faith in mankind, never get bad advice and always learn something new. Thank you sirs for the insight and please continue to allow me to pick your brains.

 

[Hammerdown]

Hammerdown, your taste in sidearms is impeccable, my compliments to you sir. I was unaware that the newer Mod. 16-4's are capable of Magnum loads until today but they continue to be a hard item to find as is the Mod. 631. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the .32 cal. and your experiences with the many choices in your possession. Since I don't know I'll ask, do the Mod. 16-4's have the lock or are they pre-lock? ( I see now that the photo of your 16-4 shows no lock, sorry for premature question) Each opportunity I have to hear from the forum membership on any subject renews my faith in mankind, never get bad advice and always learn something new. Thank you sirs for the insight and please continue to allow me to pick your brains.

Hello Smitholdtimer
Nope, The Model 16-4's were made in 1989-1991 and all were No Lock, Old School hammer and trigger, But that would not matter to me as I carry a Lock Model with the MIM action daily and it is Far smoother than the Old School Models... Hammerdown

 

[Dale53]

I bought one of the first 631's to hit the market around here. I still have it and have shot it from day one. I cast my own bullets and my favorite for the .32 S&W Long and .32 H&R Magnum is a Group Buy 100 gr Keith SWC. I mostly shoot target level loads in S&W Long cases. That load does extremely good work with edible small game and makes a very pleasant "working load" for local woods rambling.

I have also shot about a bushel basket of Horady bulk 90 gr HBWC's ahead of a small charge of Bullseye or Win 231 with excellent results. Shooting standing, I can often shoot 95x100 or better on the 25 yard Timed Fire Target.

I am so enamored of the .32 S&W Long and .32 H&R that I also have a 6" S&W Model 16-4 and a Ruger Sp101 (4" barrel). Here is a picture of the 16-4:

This target was shot standing at 25 yards with the 16-4 with it's new sighting system (it now wears a Red Dot sight for less bulk).

Dale53

 

[animalmother]

That is one damn impressive collection of sweet 32s, Hammerdown.