I just picked this up this weekend at the Tulsa gun show. I know it's a .32-20 Hand Ejector of some sort, just don't know which model. Bore is nice and shiny with strong rifling. The finish is commensurate with a well used firearm of this vintage. The only major wart is chip out of the bottom of the left grip panel. I'll get a chance to shoot it this Friday but in the meantime, can anyone tell me what I have and how old it is? Also, are these the proper grips? Thank you.

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You have a 32-20 Hand Ejector Model of 1905, 4th Change manufactured from 1915 to 1940 with some 78, 983 manufactured according to SCSW#3. It's the most common model and your number is sorta in the middle of production, after WW1 and before WW2. Bob!

your grips are post-war (WWII) diamond magnas. You likely need the arched top non-medallioned walnut grips of the 1920's.

The .32-20 in this thread is wearing the proper grips:

Look what followed me home

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

From my list your gun dates to probably 1921 or 1922. Muley Gil has linked you to the correct stocks for it.

Thank you guys. I will start to look for the correct grips. Maybe I can trade these old diamonds as a down payment.

Those are sharp-shoulder diamond magnas, probably from the late 1940s. The top profile got rounder as production moved into the '50s. The '40s-era stocks are a little more desirable than the later diamond magnas, so don't trade them away cheap.

Look on the inside of the right panel for a stamped number. If one is there, that is the serial number of the gun on which they were originally installed minus the letter prefix; that could be an S, K or C. A six digit number beginning with 8 or 9 would have had the S prefix. A six-digit number beginning with one or two probably had a C prefix. A five digit (or fewer) number would have had a K or C prefix.

If there is no stamped number on the inner surface, then they are factory replacement stocks from that era that were not originally mounted on shipped product.

__________________
David Wilson

My vote is for '21. The .32WCF was replaced seemingly at the same time the heat treating on the cylinders changed in '21 IIRC.
Whichever, they are fun to shoot and if you don't reload yet it is time to start. Check Midway, I think they had brass in stock last time I was looking through.
Larry

I've been loading .32-20 for some time. Shot Cowboy action with a pair of Ruger Blackhawks (Buckeyes) and a Japchester 92. I also have a Browning 53 and an old Marlin 27S. I use 4.3 grains of Unique under a 94gr. Meister RNFP bullet in R-P cases touched off by CCI SR primers.
I shot this last Friday at 20 yards. Not bad for a 90 year-old gun with fixed sights.
By the way. The grips do have a serial number stamped in them. Obviously don't match the gun. It's a 5 digit number and I've never seen one like it before. It is stamped in two lines. Two digits on the first line and 3 digits on the second. I'll try to remember to take pictures of it when I get home this evening.

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I think that two line serialization of the grips is a characteristic of the late '40s to early '50s S&W grips. My Baby Chief and .32 HE snubbie of that era both are marked that way.

BTW, I think every true believer should have a brown 32-20 to play with. I am sure enjoying mine! Now I have to get busy and do some loading for it.

Froggie

The heat treating change order dates to September 1919 at SN 316,648 (McHenry & Roper 1944). The change from .32 W.C.F. CTG to .32-20 CTG occurred sometime during 1922.

I went to the Market Hall show in Dallas this past Saturday and picked up period correct grips. I also picked up a Tom Threepersons holster from El Paso Saddlery. Looks much better now.

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