32 Regulation Police?

[CKPOMEH]

Hi gang -

I bumped into this old S&W revolver and from my research, it looks like .32 Regulation Police in 32 S&W Long.

Can anyone confirm please? Selling for $600 - I would think fairly priced or a little on the high side - do you guys see it as VG condition or less (see the barrel scratch) and some spotting on the left side of the frame above the grips.

SN 327446

Thank you a bunch in advance!

 

[CKPOMEH]

Adding a couple of more pics I took...

 

[TJm15.38]

I think it is a little on the high side. It's a nice gun, but wouldn't be worth $600 to me.

 

[STCM(SW)]

It would be worth if you convert to H&K magnum...

 

[D Brown]

It would be worth if you convert to H&K magnum...

The I Frame cylinder is too short to accept the .32 H&R Magnum.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Can anyone confirm please? Selling for $600 - I would think fairly priced or a little on the high side - do you guys see it as VG condition or less (see the barrel scratch) and some spotting on the left side of the frame above the grips.

Yes, a 3-1/4" Reg Police. Guns with serials nearby were shipping in August 1920. I would rate it in VG condition. In the SCS&W, 5th Ed., VG is valued at $600. I tend to be a little liberal and others may rate it more critically. I will point out that the SCS&W lists 60% finish as VG for this era and this gun is above 90%, IMO.

 

[max503]

I would consider it if they would come down to $550 only because I really want one and that is a nice one. If it was local I would be sorely tempted.

 

[mtgianni]

I have a post WW II I frame 32 long that is a wonderful shooter. That gun appears to be very well taken care of. I would be dickering.

 

[CKPOMEH]

Yes, a 3-1/4" Reg Police. Guns with serials nearby were shipping in August 1920. I would rate it in VG condition. In the SCS&W, 5th Ed., VG is valued at $600. I tend to be a little liberal and others may rate it more critically. I will point out that the SCS&W lists 60% finish as VG for this era and this gun is above 90%, IMO.

Thanks for the notes, and the note on the date - I could not pin the date as accurate as you did. And, yes, if 1920 indeed, this gun may fall into the Fine category (per the SCS&W 5th Ed) - 90%..

Do the stocks look original? I read in the SCS&W that they should have medallions and a stamp at the bottom of the left. I do not recall seeing the stamp with the patent date on the bottom, but I was not looking for it. Aside from that, the stocks fit very well, and are in excellent condition...and they are the square but conversion ones, just fitting a lot better than many of the later production ones I have seen...

 

[CKPOMEH]

I have a post WW II I frame 32 long that is a wonderful shooter. That gun appears to be very well taken care of. I would be dickering.

Yep, this is what I am leaning towards as well - call in and offer $500 and go from there...(it is a consignment revolver).

 

[CKPOMEH]

I would consider it if they would come down to $550 only because I really want one and that is a nice one. If it was local I would be sorely tempted.

Yes, this is what I am thinking as well - call in, offer $500, and go from there, with the goal to purchase in the $500-$550 region.

Seems too nice and well taken care of (for an over 100 revolver) to pass...

 

[Model19man]

Hi gang -

I bumped into this old S&W revolver and from my research, it looks like .32 Regulation Police in 32 S&W Long.

Can anyone confirm please? Selling for $600 - I would think fairly priced or a little on the high side - do you guys see it as VG condition or less (see the barrel scratch) and some spotting on the left side of the frame above the grips.

SN 327446

Thank you a bunch in advance!

It looks like a nice example. The saying is "Start high - you can always lower the price". I think it makes sense maybe at $575 out the door.

 

[Muley Gil]

Thanks for the notes, and the note on the date - I could not pin the date as accurate as you did. And, yes, if 1920 indeed, this gun may fall into the Fine category (per the SCS&W 5th Ed) - 90%..

Do the stocks look original? I read in the SCS&W that they should have medallions and a stamp at the bottom of the left. I do not recall seeing the stamp with the patent date on the bottom, but I was not looking for it. Aside from that, the stocks fit very well, and are in excellent condition...and they are the square but conversion ones, just fitting a lot better than many of the later production ones I have seen...

The stocks on the 1920s revolvers didn't have medallions. Look on the inside of the right one for the serial number, written in pencil.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

The stocks look original. The patent date is June 5, 1917 and is in very tiny font on one panel. Like Gil said, the serial is written in pencil on the back of the right panel. Based on the overall condition I see, I have no reason to suspect the grips aren't original to the gun. WRT acquiring it, you should ask yourself "when will I see another RP in this condition at this price?" I'm fortunate to have my paternal grandfather's .32 RP from 1924 that was burned in a sharecropper's cabin fire. Naturally, the finish and grips are not original.

 

[Rodan]

Honestly, if I had walked into a local shop and found an RP .32 in that condition at that price it would have gone home with me. High condition early RPs aren't all that common, and that one is really nice.

I may be a bit biased, as I have a really nice, first year RP .38 and that would make a very nice companion...

 

[CKPOMEH]

Honestly, if I had walked into a local shop and found an RP .32 in that condition at that price it would have gone home with me. High condition early RPs aren't all that common, and that one is really nice.

I may be a bit biased, as I have a really nice, first year RP .38 and that would make a very nice companion...

Yep, I hear you! I was definitely drawn to it, and noticed how nice it was...since I am mostly DA from the postwar era (1950-1970s) guy, I did not know what it was - I suspected it was a pre model 30 or 31, but I since I do not have neither of of those, I could not even confirm. And the store owner could not confirm either - they did not even have the model name on it either on the label...

After 15-20 mins of research in the SCS&W and online, i narrowed it down...and we confirmed here! Yes, my plan is to go in early next week, do a little bargaining on it (as it is part of the research and buying process...), and plan to bring it home.

Thanks again for the note!

 

[CKPOMEH]

The stocks look original. The patent date is June 5, 1917 and is in very tiny font on one panel. Like Gil said, the serial is written in pencil on the back of the right panel. Based on the overall condition I see, I have no reason to suspect the grips aren't original to the gun. WRT acquiring it, you should ask yourself "when will I see another RP in this condition at this price?" I'm fortunate to have my paternal grandfather's .32 RP from 1924 that was burned in a sharecropper's cabin fire. Naturally, the finish and grips are not original.

Yep, thats my thinking as well - hard to find .32 RP in such a nice condition. The fit on the grips particularly was at a different level (compared to the newer ones). One can see the hand craftsmanship on a unit like this.

 

[max503]

Yes, this is what I am thinking as well - call in, offer $500, and go from there, with the goal to purchase in the $500-$550 region.

Seems too nice and well taken care of (for an over 100 revolver) to pass...

I can't see losing money on it. You could always sell it.
I'd go in with the angle that ammo is scarce/expensive.

 

[Rodan]

Yep, I hear you! I was definitely drawn to it, and noticed how nice it was...since I am mostly DA from the postwar era (1950-1970s) guy, I did not know what it was - I suspected it was a pre model 30 or 31, but I since I do not have neither of of those, I could not even confirm. And the store owner could not confirm either - they did not even have the model name on it either on the label...

Like you, I'm also more of a post-war 'accumulator', and picked up my RP .38 on a whim just because it was such a nice example at a reasonable price. Only later did I learn about RPs and discover it was from the first three months of production in 1917...

Someday I would like to pick up an RP .32 as a companion, but it's not high enough on the list to actively seek out. If I stumble across one, though... it will probably come home with me.

 

[CKPOMEH]

Like you, I'm also more of a post-war 'accumulator', and picked up my RP .38 on a whim just because it was such a nice example at a reasonable price. Only later did I learn about RPs and discover it was from the first three months of production in 1917...

Someday I would like to pick up an RP .32 as a companion, but it's not high enough on the list to actively seek out. If I stumble across one, though... it will probably come home with me.

Wow - this is quite a specimen you have there, and such a low SN, definitely a collector's item. Now I know what to look for...