Info request for old S&W revolver

[Ken W]

I just acquired this a couple days ago. It's not in the best shape but I always enjoy giving old guns like this a new home.
From what I have gathered by looking at a few threads on here it's a small frame (I frame?) Hand Ejector from the early 20th Century. It's chambered in 32 S&W Long, 6 round cylinder, has a nickle finish with a 6in long barrel with fixed sights. It has 4 screws on the side plus a Strain Screw. I would love to know when it was manufactured. I assume the Mother of Pearl grips are an after market item or were they a factory option? Also looks like the extractor rod head is a replacement, being that it's the only part that blued on this gun and it looks much newer.
Any and all assistance would be appreciated.

 

[Papa Lee]

It is nickel plated, and looks like an I frame hand ejector model .32 second model of 1903 and probably made prior to 1904.

 

[Alk8944]

The blued extractor is proof that the Nickel plate was original to the gun. S&W Nickel plated guns always have blued extractors if they have not been re-finished after-market. Yes, those MOPS are after-market too. S&W factory MOPs have medallions.

 

[steelslaver]

You don't see many with long barrels

 

[Ken W]

It is nickel plated, and looks like an I frame hand ejector model .32 second model of 1903 and probably made prior to 1904.

Very interesting. I noticed the last Patent date listed on top of the barrel was July of 03. That would make this one of the very early ones made. The fair amount of pitting inside the barrel suggested that it was probably used with black powder rounds.

I know that H&R revolvers were not rated for smokeless powder until 1905 and Iver Johnson not until 1909. When did S&W revolvers become safe with smokeless?

The blued extractor is proof that the Nickel plate was original to the gun. S&W Nickel plated guns always have blued extractors if they have not been re-finished after-market. Yes, those MOPS are after-market too. S&W factory MOPs have medallions.

I never would have guessed that about the blued extractors. Do you have any idea why that was the case? Good to know that the nickle finish is original. I'm quite obsessed about keeping everything I have original as possible.
The grips are really nice looking but I would like to find a set of original grips for it as well. Also, I've heard that these old MOP grips can be a bit fragile.

You don't see many with long barrels

I've always preferred the look of a long barrel on most guns. Any idea of what percentage of this model were made in this length?


Thanks, everyone, for the info.

 

[Muley Gil]

There is a good chance your revolver shipped with hard rubber stocks.

Corrosive primers caused as much damage as black powder residue.

 

[4K2022]

You don't see many with long barrels

You don’t see many with 5 digit serial numbers

 

[Ken W]

There is a good chance your revolver shipped with hard rubber stocks.

Corrosive primers caused as much damage as black powder residue.

Good point. Plus, those types of primers were used for quite a while, giving it plenty of time for that sort of damage to occur.
More than likely correct about the grips too.

You don’t see many with 5 digit serial numbers

I wonder how many were made that way? Especially if it was more of a special order option rather than a set amount in that configuration made each year.

 

[glowe]

That revolver is a Model 1903 (No Change), likely shipped in 1904. The finish is rough, with nickel plating loss. The knob is not blued, but rather case hardened. With age, the colors is lost and often turned darker, but it could have been cold blued at some point in its life. MOP stocks are not original factory and likely installed by a distributor. I had 11163 and it shipped Jan 1904. My "No Change" is below. Sold at auction 3 years ago for $400. THis model had the 2 spring design before the rebound slide, one for the trigger and one for the hammer.

The 6" is not that uncommon and are found for sale quite often. I believe some were holster guns used in law enforcement.

 

[glowe]

Just went through my old database for the Model 1903 and found the following percentages of barrel lengths from 1903 to 1930.

3,25". . . 24%
4.25". . . 46%
6.00". . . 30%

 

[Ken W]

That revolver is a Model 1903 (No Change), likely shipped in 1904. The finish is rough, with nickel plating loss. The knob is not blued, but rather case hardened. With age, the colors is lost and often turned darker, but it could have been cold blued at some point in its life. MOP stocks are not original factory and likely installed by a distributor. I had 11163 and it shipped Jan 1904. My "No Change" is below. Sold at auction 3 years ago for $400. THis model had the 2 spring design before the rebound slide, one for the trigger and one for the hammer.

The 6" is not that uncommon and are found for sale quite often. I believe some were holster guns used in law enforcement.

Just went through my old database for the Model 1903 and found the following percentages of barrel lengths from 1903 to 1930.

3,25". . . 24%
4.25". . . 46%
6.00". . . 30%

Thanks, Gary, for all of that information. Makes me feel even more excited about my most recent acquisition.
I keep a record of all the specifics I can find on everything in my collection.