S&W .32 Long revolver info needed

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FightinTitan

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I have in my possession a S&W .32 Long six-shot revolver. It does not have a model number anywhere on the revolver, at least that I can see. Number locations are as follows: bottom of frame between grips - 571620; underside of barrel - N 571620; inside of frame next to yoke - W 29273; inside of yoke - 29273; left side of barrel - "Smith & Wesson," with stylized ampersand between the words; right side of barrel - "32 Long Cartridge," with stylized brackets on either end of designation. Does anyone know the specific model of this revolver?

The former owner now long deceased was one of the engineers at the Packard Motor Car Co. who modified the Rolls Royce Merlin engine to fit the Army Air Force's A-36 Apache dive bomber - converting the aircraft into the better-known world-beating P-51B Mustang. I'd like to know something about this revolver, he was already dead when my aunt, who knew him, gave the weapon to me. Apparently he gave it to her knowing his end was near. I'm not sure of the age of the revolver and chose this forum at random thinking it was likely given his age he may have acquired it sometime in the 1950s - but I may be wrong. This is one way of finding out. Thanks in advance!
 
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That serial number puts it into the post WWII period. If it has a square butt, it would be a Regulation Police .32. Round butt would make it. .32 Hand Ejector. In 1957, they were given model numbers, 31 and 30. Since it is not model number marked, it must be before 1957ish.


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Welcome aboard from ol' Wyo.

I have .32 Hand Ejector, round butt, serial number 637539 and it
shipped on June 1, 1956, so yours likely shipped before that.

Building on NovaJoe's info, here are photos of my .32 HE and
my '58 shipped Model 31 (.32 Regulation Police).

They're dandies. My grandmother taught me, at age 7, to shoot
her Model 31.
 

Attachments

  • '56 32 HE - L.jpg
    '56 32 HE - L.jpg
    97.6 KB · Views: 61
  • Model 31 TT TH.jpg
    Model 31 TT TH.jpg
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Have you taken the grips off yet? With that serial number, it probably is an early coil spring variant, but again with S&W "never say never" and it might be a late leaf spring model. I hope Hondo44 comes on soon and gives you the full story on it. BTW, this late with factory nickel (as can be determined by the N under the barrel) is a little less common. The 571620 number is the serial number and the other number is an assembly number to keep parts together after "soft fitting." After it left the factory it ceased to have meaning except perhaps to tell whether there has been some parts swapping... or in your gun's case not! :cool:

Pictures would be nice (we love pictures here) and a barrel measurement (from the cylinder face to the muzzle) would be questions some of us would ask.

Regards,
Froggie
 
The closest SN I have to yours on my list is 586848 which shipped in 2/53. Post-WWII production began at SN 536685. Yours is very likely from 1951-52. At that time is was called simply the ".32 Hand Ejector." Model numbering did not begin until the late 1950s. Is it Nickel plated, as the N prefix to the SN on the barrel suggests?
 
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Hi guys, and thanks for getting back so quickly. Answers to some of the questions:

Yes, it's nickel-plated.

I get 3&1/4 inches in barrel length using the criteria you outlined for me.

And yes, the revolver has a rounded butt. Sorry, my mistake.

Are parts interchangeable between the '31 and '30?
 
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yes, the revolver has a square butt
Click to expand...
So, it is a postwar .32 Regulation Police.

A 3 1/4" barrel would be correct; one of the standard lengths at that time.

The matching serial number on the barrel flat would have the N in front of it to indicate the factory nickel finish. It isn't part of the serial number. The serial number should also be on the underside of the extractor star, the rear face of the cylinder and the rear edge of the yoke. Most of those went away in the mid-1950s, before model numbers were used.
 
Those 3"+ Hand Ejectors are great shooters. Don't try to hot rod it. Until
S&W switched to the J frame with the Model 30-1 and 31-1, they weren't what you want to load up to magnum velocities.
 
Can you shoot .38short ?in a gun chambered for .38 long

Does anyone know if you can shoot .38 short in an old gun chambered for . 38 long?
 
Drink2full said:
Does anyone know if you can shoot .38 short in an old gun chambered for . 38 long?
Click to expand...

Please do what Gil suggested; post your question in a new thread.

BUT, you might want to clarify what you mean. .38 Short and .38 Long are Colt's cartridges. Are you actually referring to .38 S&W and .38 S&W Special ammunition? Is the gun at issue a Colt's or a Smith & Wesson? Big difference.
 
two-bit cowboy said:
Welcome aboard from ol' Wyo.

I have .32 Hand Ejector, round butt, serial number 637539 and it
shipped on June 1, 1956, so yours likely shipped before that.

Building on NovaJoe's info, here are photos of my .32 HE and
my '58 shipped Model 31 (.32 Regulation Police).

They're dandies. My grandmother taught me, at age 7, to shoot
her Model 31.
Click to expand...

Nice Cowboy. I really like the hammer/trigger on those. How common/uncommon is that?
 
FightinTitan said:
Hi guys, and thanks for getting back so quickly. Answers to some of the questions:

Welcome to the forum.

Yes, it's nickel-plated.

I get 3&1/4 inches in barrel length using the criteria you outlined for me.

And yes, the revolver has a rounded butt. Sorry, my mistake.

Are parts interchangeable between the '31 and '30?
Click to expand...

Your #571620 .32 Hand Ejector is what's known as an "Improved I Frame" by collectors who classify the several evolutionary changes during the 1950s. That means it has the coil mainspring change from the old flat leaf main spring (seen with the grips removed).

With the 3 1/4" barrel of yours it's an "Improved I frame - 1st Variation" which means it has a 1/2 round front sight. The 2nd Variation would have a 3" barrel with a rib and ramp front sight.

From my database of serial #s with confirmed shipping dates, it was very likely shipped between Dec 1951 thru Jan 1952. However, there are examples that were held in inventory and shipped as late as 1957.

Yes the Models 30 and 31 have completely interchangeable parts except for the grips.

These are known as Dingbats and can resemble Iron Crosses: "The right side of barrel - "32 Long Cartridge," with stylized brackets on either end of designation."

You'll enjoy the accuracy and comfort of shooting this little classic S&W.
 
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raljr1 said:
Here is #596038 that shipped in January of 1951.
attachment.php
Click to expand...

Robert,

That may not be the photo you intended to post with that text; the serial # and shipping date are relative to each other, but the gun is about 20 years newer.

#596038 would be an Improved I frame. The gun is a post 1968 J frame.

Or could the serial # have been misread?
 
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Hondo44 said:
Robert,

That may not be the photo you intended to post with that text; the serial # and shipping date are relative to each other, but the gun is about 20 years newer.

#596038 would be an Improved I frame. The gun is a post 1968 J frame.

Or could the serial # have been misread?
Click to expand...

Thank you, Jim....you are correct. I changed the photo.....

32 HE 2 inch.jpg
 
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