Straight from the sock drawer after around 80 years in hiding. . .a 32 Hand Ejector Third Model from around 1938. The SN is 5038XX. The "colonel" was selling off some of his guns when I went into the LGS this morning. Had to wait for the owner to complete the deal. Then I grabbed this one. Screws unturned. Literally never fired. Small finish blemish on left side below hammer and one on right side where the USA is located. I'd give it 97% because of these blemishes. Mirror bright mint bore and cylinders. My LGS owner insisted that these were Mother of Pearl grips. I don't know much about stuff like that. I gave him $310 for the gun. Got home and determined (by the book) that these are actually Smith & Wesson factory MOP grips. The fit is absolutely perfect and the grips are absolutely perfect. I guess I can't shoot this one. Having a little trouble with ICloud today, so I only have one picture that I had to mail to myself. More pictures on the way if the Cloud sends them to my computer.

Attached Images

IMG_0447.JPG (122.4 KB, 101 views)

__________________
Dr. B

Here's a picture of the right side. You can see the blemish near the USA. . .good light for my photo but barely visible in person. With this picture you can see the MOP grips are perfect and stunning on both sides. Does anybody have a date on this SN. I was just guessing and trying to get close. My wife actually likes this gun. That's unusual for her since she usually says they all look the same.

Attached Images

IMG_0446.jpg (128.1 KB, 62 views)

__________________
Dr. B

Nice looking .32. Generally, factory MOP or ivory grips have medallions. Why do you feel these are factory?

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Very nice 32 HE. That is probably not a mid-1930s gun. Serial number is actually from around 1940, with number 504XXX shipped in December 1941. Second, all non-factory MOP stocks were sold without the medallion. Most think that the only non-medallion MOP stocks from the factory were done before 1893. Even if the factory sent out non-medallion stocks, it is only possible to determine authenticity from a factory letter.

__________________
Gary
SWCA 2515

Grips or not, still a nice 32. Go shoot it and enjoy your buy.

__________________
Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Page 42 of the new edition of "The Book" states that following WWI medallions were eliminated from MOP grips. 1920-1940 stocks were "flattened" in the area where the medallions used to be fitted. Thicker and heavier than after market stocks. S&W escutcheons and nut. S&W screw with S&W threads. You all need to read your new edition. The screw used on my gun threads into the grip nuts of all my Smiths from the same period perfectly meaning that it has the Smith thread. In addition, the grips were fitted to the gun and fitted perfectly. Without doubt, a letter will tell for sure. 1940ish sounds good. Thanks.

Attached Images

IMG_0450.jpg (85.3 KB, 23 views)

__________________
Dr. B

A S&W .32 Long HE 3 ¼” nickel, # 512621, shipped in April 1938.

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

recently someone posted an old S&W catalog that had a footnote that pearls grips would be furnished without medallions. This went against generally accepted knowledge of the day. I'll try to find a link to that post. I think probably factory pearls.

Charlie

Attached Images

pearl medallion.jpg (84.2 KB, 25 views)

Thanks for posting the catalog. What is often overlooked is that Smith & Wesson would sell you aftermarket items. . .like pearl stocks and a whole lot of other stuff. A letter would only show if the gun shipped with the stocks. If it did not, they could still be Smith stocks. The colonel indicated it was a family gun and always looked like this.

__________________
Dr. B

DocB,

Congrats. What a gorgeous acquisition!

These shipping dates from my database illustrate the non-chronology of S/Ns vs. shipping dates in the chaos following the "Black Thursday", Oct. 24, 1929, stock market crash and beginning of the great depression:

500,000 (As a rule of thumb, the I-frame serial numbers were at a little over this # by 1930.)
501XXX .22/32 Target shipped in April of 1930
504xxx .32 Regulation Police 04/1929
504xxx .32 HE\ 3rd Model (I) 12/1941
506XXX Target shipped in March of 1929
509xxx .32 Regulation Police 03/00/1930
512621 .32 HE, shipped April 1938
513xxx .32 HE, 10/1929
513xxx .32 HE 11/1941
520xxx .32 03/21/1937
520xxx .32 HE 01/1931

In the 10 year period following, a letter is almost required to pin down the shipping date.

Features are another clue: The small logo on the left side frame indicates pre 1936 production.

The genuine MOP grips are gorgeous! Have you checked for a serial number on the back of the right grip, penciled or scratched on?

King's new info in SCSW-4 has cleared up some confusion about periods when medallions were used in premium grips. And checking the screw thread/size and direction is a good clue to originality. and there's ywo I frame screw thread sizes: .95 x 48; changed to a standardized 3 x 48 in 1942.

I would not worry about shooting the .32 with MOP stocks, they are a little brittle if dropped or tightened too tight, but not that brittle. Hence why S&W issued them on I frames and K frames. Albeit not N frames.

__________________
Jim
S&WCA #819

Yes, that's a post war catalog like '45 or so which gave the impression that was when the premium stocks w/o medallions began.

__________________
Jim
S&WCA #819

Doc:

You pulled off another coup!! What a great little gem, and at a fantastic price. I'm no expert, just an enthusiast, but I would be proud to add that beauty to my modest collection any day. Stocks are georgeous as well, and in my humble opinion are probably original.

It would be great if you could get the Colonel to write out and autograph a brief history of the gun in his family...that with a factory letter would be a great asset, and establish some provenance.

Congratulations.....

Best Regards, Les

__________________
SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064