Completed auction - .32 M&P?

[Tom K]

The auction for this gun closed a few hours ago. It looks to me like the description which labels it as a Regulation Police is incorrect, and I think it is a pre-war .32 S&W Long M&P. Opinions as to whether it is or not, and on the hammer price?

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Item 921233884
Description: "Smith & Wesson .32 Regulation Police (post war) Pre Model 31 revolver chambered in .32 S&W long. Serial number 677992 matching on butt, cylinder, barrel and inside right grip panel. 6" barrel. 90% blue remains with wear on muzzle, high spots and cylinder ring. Freckling on front strap. Back strap finish has truned to gray patina. Case color on hammer and trigger very good. Checkered walnut diamond grips with S&W medallions are in very good plus condition with nicks to butt. Locks up tight and functions as it should. Timing is correct. Shiny bore. Please see photos."

 

[JP@AK]

Definitely NOT an RP. Looks like a K frame to me.

Not postwar either. Look at the extractor rod knob and the matching machined notch in the barrel flat. The hammer is also prewar. That hammer continued into 1948 on the M&P. The barrel shaped knob lasted until about February, 1947. But the postwar M&P had S prefix serial numbers.

Stocks are from the 1930s, and the serial number likely is also (late in the decade).

 

[hkcavalier]

I mean, if that gun is worth $1390...I might be retiring tomorrow with an empty safe and a big boat on a trailer. See you in the tropics!

 

[DCWilson]

That serial number is listed in Neal & Jinks as a K-32 First Model, but the absence of adjustable sights makes me wonder if there is an inconsistency in the shipping records. It would be interesting to know how it is described on the invoice. I was not aware that any K-frames in .32 Long were being produced with standard sights in the late 1930s, but as we often hear, S&W would assemble whatever a customer wanted if the customer was willing to pay the quoted price.

There are several other .32s known from company records with 677xxx serial numbers that have been assumed to have target sights. Even with fixed sights this seems to me an interesting and presumably uncommon specimen.

 

[murphydog]

If original, it is similar in build to the fixed-sight prewar K-22s ordered by the Coast Guard. Hopefully the new owner will post up more information here.

 

[raljr1]

I knew it wasn't an RP, but did not know it was a K frame. As a K frame, and an unusual gun, I don't think the price is too crazy based on other prices I am seeing. Had I been sure it was a K frame, I would have been interested at that price.

 

[handejector]

WOW!
That was a bargain. Note the pinned front sight.

 

[Club Gun Fan]

What Lee said!!!!

 

[glowe]

Just look at the barrel, as it clearly says 32 Long Ctg. I would actually say that the price is way low for that S&W and the seller left a lot of money by not properly identifying the gun. As noted above, N&J stated that this was a target revolver, manufactured from 1936 to 1941, made in the serial number range 653,388 to 682,207. Of course this is also the serial number range for the standard 38 M&P. There was, of course, a 32-20 M&P, but that serial number range was separate and ended with 144,684 in 1940.

There are no examples of either the K32 Target or the 32 Long M&P in the 600,000 serial number range in the SWCA database. As David stated there were a "few" made and my guess is that the 32 Long M&P in that 600,000 serial number range may have been made in single digit quantities, so not "uncommon", but very rare!!!

I wanted to add a page from a 1941 Catalog showing the K-32 Target and K-22 Masterpiece. The only catalog I have with that listing. This catalog also lists the 38 M&P, but no 32 Long M&P caliber options.

 

[Club Gun Fan]

What Gary Said!!

 

[Club Gun Fan]

My only comment is WOW!!!! I wish I'd seen this. Whoever bought should be wearing a mask, and not the one covering his mouth!

 

[wheelgun610]

Pretty sure the winning bidder - and the runner up knew exactly what they were bidding on.

Mark

 

[raljr1]

No one is registered here with the winning bidder's user name so we may not see anything from the winner...

Robert

 

[DWalt]

"I was not aware that any K-frames in .32 Long were being produced with standard sights in the late 1930s, but as we often hear, S&W would assemble whatever a customer wanted if the customer was willing to pay the quoted price."

My guess also is that it is likely to have been a special order, possibly unique.

 

[Club Gun Fan]

Pretty sure the winning bidder - and the runner up knew exactly what they were bidding on.

Mark

Mark
I sorta disagree. If they really knew, I think it would have gone a lot higher.

 

[wheelgun610]

Mark
I sorta disagree. If they really knew, I think it would have gone a lot higher.

Hard to really say for sure. I still think the winning bidder knew. He didn't get in on the action till there was less than a half hour left. I believe at least he had a pretty good idea of what he was doing. I also believe the #2 bidder thought he was pretty safe with his bid from 10 days prior to the close date. His bid was quite a bit higher than the other bidders in the early stages.

But, who really knows for sure?

Mark

 

[gmarshall99]

Having watched Gb and other auction sites, I've concluded that many listers simply don
't know what they are selling

It's also common for bidders to show up in the last 10 to 15 minutes. I recently bought a 32 RP that was not listed as such. Their loss.

 

[delcrossv]

Hmm. Here's a prewar .32 I frame for comparison. Note locations of the screws and pins

 

[delcrossv]

Now , note location of the cylinder release of the subject gun relative the hammer stud to that of a 1st model K32.

Photo courtesy of RIA

 

[AKtinman]

The worst case scenario for the buyer was that someone had taken a .38 Special M&P and installed a pre-war K32 barrel and cylinder. The purchaser would still have a nice and unusual shooter.

This serial number, 677992, is listed in the S&WCA database as a First Model K32, which it clearly is not. That means that there is one less First Model K32 in existence than previously thought, but begs the question - "are there more pre-war M&P .32 S&W Longs waiting to be found?"