Men's eyes must have been alot sharper than mine 100 years ago. How anybody ever saw the razor thin front sight and lined it up in that thin little top strap groove is a wonder to me. The standard stocks were definitely made for small hands. The wind was blowing hard and steady, so were my targets. No issues with the gun, but I think I will put some larger stocks on it and go to an indoor range and shoot it again. I also would like a shorter barrel. Overall, not bad for a handgun that is nearly 100 years old.

I don't think people's eyes were any better 100 years ago, I think it's because the gun designers made the sights for someone aged in their 20's through 40's and not geezers like us. I used to be able to shoot military Mausers with their tiny rear notches and barleycorn front sights pretty well when I was in my 20's, and now, well, I just have to move the targets in closer. Same with the old M&P's.

What Walter said! Forty years ago I didn't have a bit of trouble with those sights. Now is a completely different matter.

You think a Smith is bad, my Colt Police Positive Special 6" in .32-20 is even harder to see!!

Oh, BTW, your gun doesn't have the narrow sights!!! At least blowing your photo up it appears to have the barrel-shaped extractor rod head instead of the earlier bugle-shaped one. That makes your gun after 1928 as I recall, and the sight change was ordered in 1922. Measure your front sight. it should be ca. .080 thick, and the rear notch square. The earlier s front sight measures .040 with a fine "U" shaped rear notch.

S&W used the same .080 sights on their fixed sight guns clear into the 1950s. From there the sight was widened in steps to .100, and, finally, .125, the same as the target sighted guns, which occurred in 1962.

Did anyone warn you to wear earplugs shooting a .32-20? Should have. That Black Hills stuff might not be too bad, but try shooting full power loads and you will find this mild cartridge is every bit as sharp as a .357 Magnum. And, don't worry about loading anything in the old manuals shown for revolver, this gun has a heat-treated cylinder.

I've got a 4" like yours. Was my dad's. I actually took a fine toothed hacksaw blade and deepened the rear notch slightly so I could have a better sight picture. Worked for me.

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S&W Accumulator

I agree that the sights are hard to see but the 32-20 is fun to shoot.

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John. SWCA #1586

Yeah, I can ALMOST see the sights on mine too.....
If they would make the groove a bit narrower, the blade thinner, then it would really disappear!!!!!
BUT, the dern thing is FUN to shoot.....

i have one just like that. damn near same condition. great shooters.......

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George Jamison

I was wondering if you'd shot that old thing yet!

MSgt G, I drove up to Franklin, NC to the Dirty John Firing Range. I put 20 rounds through the .32/20. I also had my S&W 1006 and K22, Beretta 92FS Inox, and a Advantage Arms .22 conversion kit on a Glock 26 frame. As my targets were blowing like sails on a America's Cup yacht, I cut loose on a gallon paint can on the 100 yard berm. I hit the can with everything, but not every time.

Did you ever find a .32/20 for yourself?