Found yet another .32 Regulation Police, this one a boxed 5-screw variant of the Post WWII Pre-Model 31. I have a 4-screw that is flat-out MINT, and this one had some minor internal rust (from neglect)…not shooting. The gun is virtually-unshot- with mint cylinder and bore…there was some surface rust in the crane which I cleaned carefully with the Pink-White scotchBrite and some Militec. Gun was stiff, but with removal of cylinder, degreasing, spray lube and Militec…it is smooth as silk….Just forgotten…somewhere.
All-in-All…it fills a nice hole in the .32 collection.

I will post some images of the 1991 Model 632 (no dash) in both 2" and 3" which I found this week….these have been on the want-list for a bit, and I had to pay a bit much, but very nice revolvers.

Here are the 2-variants of the .32 regulation Police Post war guns….
First, the one I just got…..Modified I-frame, 5-screw (waiting for Roy on ship date)




Next, the 4-screw variant…ramp sight and flat latch…early transition to J-Frame (trigger guard & sq.butt (no rebated frame))

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Terry
SWCA, SWHS, IWLA, NRA

Terry,

Those are two stunning .32s! Congrats!

The first is the Improved I frame with 4 1/4" barrel.

The 2nd is the Model of 1953, the NEW I frame with 4" barrel.

And there's one in between, the Improved I, 2nd variation 5 screw with 4" ribbed barrel and ramp front sight.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Jim,
The barrel on the newest one has a 4" barrel, not 4 1/4", yet it has the semi-round front sight. Jim, I am beginning a BOOK using the .32s I have as eye candy...photos one side, text opposite. I would appreciate your comments when the project begins, and if you think you can contribute significantly, maybe we might do it as a joint project. I have a local bookbinder who can print them with hard or soft covers and then bind them into book form...hard or soft cover.

So...do you have a photo of the ribbed barrel 5-screw gun?
Terry

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Terry
SWCA, SWHS, IWLA, NRA

Oh My! Once again you have discovered more of the old 32 I Frames I look for. I'd look forward to your book, Jim, you need to include your knowledge into this book. Put me down for an early copy.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Hello Jim, what a pair of cuties. Very nice purchases. Best

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Hi Terry,

That's very informative and adds a new bit of information to the already convoluted 1950's I frames! Thanks for the correction on the 4" barrel length of the Improved I frame with round sight! Formerly it was thought the 3 1/4" and 4 1/4" barrels were not standardized to 3" and 4" until the introduction of the Improved I frame-2nd variation with the ramp front sight with barrel rib. But your gun proves it occurred either when the Transition models ended, or perhaps during the Improved I frame -1st variation (round front sight) production.

I'd be very happy to contribute and comment, or do a joint effort for your book project.


Here are examples of the pre war .32 Models and each of the post war evolutionary models with brief feature changes for quick reference. I call your attention to the top gun on the right.

This is a 32 Hand Ejector, Improved I frame - 2nd VARIATION. It's a 5 screw with small trigger guard and short butt just like your Improved I-1ST VARIATION. However it has the ramp front sight and barrel rib. This one happens to be a 3" barrel round butt which makes it a 32 Hand Ejector but the sight/barrel rib configuration is the same as a 32 Reg Police with rebated sq butt Improved I-2nd VARIATION.

.32 POST WAR HAND EJECTOR and REGULATION POLICE MODEL PROGRESSION:

LEFT SIDE:
.32 HE pre-war I frame Model 1903 (2nd Model)-5th Change, 3 ¼” produced Oct. 16, 1913, TOP,

.32 Regulation Police Transitional Post war I Frame, rebated sq butt, with leaf spring, Rd sight, 3 ¼”, 6 screw, ‘double pinch’ thumb piece, c. 1949, next;

.32 HE Pure post war 1ST VARIATION-Improved I Frame w/coil spring, rd butt, rd sight, 2”, 5 screw, ‘single pinch’ thumb piece, c. late 1951, steel stock medallions, bottom. This version of the I frame has the same features as the early round sight Baby J/Chiefs.

RIGHT SIDE:
.32 HE 2ND VARIATION-Improved I w/ramp sight & barrel rib, rd butt, (became the Model 30 thru 30-1), 3”, 5 screw, 2nd style flat latch shipped late 1952, top;

.32 R.P. Model of 1953 New I frame sq butt, (the true Pre Model 31), 3”, 4 screw, 2nd style flat latch, c. 1954, next;

.32 R.P. Target Transitional I, rebated sq butt, 4”, 6 screw, 4th (final type) thumb piece, one of 196 from 1957 only, next;

.32 R.P. J frame sq butt, Model 31-1 (ending with the Mod 31-3), 3”, 3 screw, 1980, bottom.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Terry,

Amazing coincidental timing; check out this thread: Model 1953 Regulation Police

Another 1st variation Imp I RP same vintage with round sight as yours, but with a 3" instead of a 3 1/4" barrel.

__________________
Jim
S&WCA #819

Today I made several updates to this commentary:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/blog.php?b=103

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Everyone, especially JIM (Hondo),
I made the corrections so clearly explained by Jim, as follows…

""Your first photo, I don’t doubt you at all that it has a 4”. It’s an Improved I frame (due to the coil mainspring improvement) Model-1st variation. You could refer to it as a Pre Model of 1953, but not a Pre Model 31. It’s an extremely late shipper in Nov. 1957, but it was produced a lot earlier and sat in inventory. It’s an abnormally late shipping date but stems from the fact that dealers started rejecting the old Improved Models and returning them to S&W once the Models of 1953 were introduced and only wanted the new models.

The 4” barrel may reflect its end of production status: I suspect that the 4” barrels were extra .38 S&W Regulation Police barrels bored to 32 instead, since the .38 RP barrels were always 4” since their introduction in 1917. Because we also know the .38 S&W models took a big hit in sales because of the .38 Chiefs Special popularity.

Your 2nd photo is a Model of 1953 built on the NEW frame forging, not modified. And because it’s virtually the same configuration as the Model 31 except it’s not yet stamped Mod 31, is what makes it a Pre Model 31. These are not made with the rebated grip frame. (The only exception to that is the 196 issued in 1957 that are actually Transitional Models because they were built on surplus pre war target frames.) Model 1953s have the same longer round butt frame and the new style smooth backstrap square butt frames as the Model of 1953 .38 Special J frame""

Here are the updates to the photos with the inscriptions and ship dates…
which appear to be reversed, but with Jim's most likely explanation…





Do you (all of you) believe that all I wanted to obtain was a few representative models of the .32s? NOW, I am up to about 70 examples and am having to fill in the gaps. I thought the variations of the later Model 632s and 632s were tough, the 1950s are becoming an effort in which there should be a degree attached….Now if someone would volunteer a break-top 32DA 1st and an export only Model 430….I would be more satisfied.
I am indebted to Jim for the clarification….

Terry

__________________
Terry
SWCA, SWHS, IWLA, NRA