I am trying find out the history of a 32 Winchester CTG that I inherited from my great grandfather years ago. The serial # is 25xxx. Can anyone tell me how old it is? Value? It is in great condition. Due to the sentimental value, I have no plans to sell it. I am just curious. Thanks
S&W 32 Winchester CTG
- Thread starter Jcolenda
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Welcome to the Forum.
You have a .32-20 Military & Police from 1906-1909. If it has a round butt, it is a Model 1902. If it has a square butt, it is a Model of 1905. We really need good, sharp pictures to judge value. But as you said, being that it belonged to your great grandfather, it is PRICELESS!
.32 Winchester is also known as the .32 WCF, but most commonly as the .32-20 cartridge. I have had one or more since 1975. It is a fun round.
You have a .32-20 Military & Police from 1906-1909. If it has a round butt, it is a Model 1902. If it has a square butt, it is a Model of 1905. We really need good, sharp pictures to judge value. But as you said, being that it belonged to your great grandfather, it is PRICELESS!
.32 Winchester is also known as the .32 WCF, but most commonly as the .32-20 cartridge. I have had one or more since 1975. It is a fun round.
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As stated above, pictures will be needed to determine value. The 32-20 revolvers have not been made since just before WWII. The one I have below I think I paid $325 for it about 10 years ago. It's from 1907, so is right in line with the one you have date wise. It's well used, but not abused!
N7BLW
Member
The nearest serial numbers in my extensive database I have confirmed dates for are: 23622 shipped 4/20/1906, and 27664 shipped 4/29/1908.
Good info from N7BLW. On my list is a 253xx that shipped in May, 1906.
The roll stamp on the barrel remained 32 Winchester CTG until sometime in 1913-14. Then it changed to 32 W.C.F. CTG. That lasted until about May, 1922. From that month until the end of production (c. 1929-30), it remained 32-20 CTG.
The roll stamp on the barrel remained 32 Winchester CTG until sometime in 1913-14. Then it changed to 32 W.C.F. CTG. That lasted until about May, 1922. From that month until the end of production (c. 1929-30), it remained 32-20 CTG.
Have to ask how many 32 HEs you have in your "extensive" database? I see this in many other posts like it and wonder if the Forum will ever resurrect the SWCA database? All this work from so many members could be input into a solid long lasting database for use on the Forum, but I fear that most will go away with those members who keep them. There should be no need for anyone to keep their own lists when a partially working official database exists and can be upgraded for use by all. Besides, no one has access or can use these private lists and I would venture a guess that few are well populated with the numbers of examples needed to give the type of accuracy needed.
Just like the pre-teen 38 HEs, the 32 HE, 1st Change M&Ps shipped in no order. Serial numbers in the SWCA database show that serial numbers above and below 25XXX shipped in a three year period between 1906 to 1908, so no serial number order exists with this change gun. The only way to get an accurate ship date, plus other detailed information about your grandfather's gun is to get a factory historical letter. If you plan on passing this gun on within your family someday, I would recommend the letter.
The collector name for the OP's gun is a 32 Hand Ejector, 1st Change. This model was made for about 3 years, with around 10,000 total manufactured. The factory used the name Model 1902 & Model 1905 in sales literature to differentiate between round and square butt, as noted by Gil, well into the teens.
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N7BLW
Member
I have about 500 guns in my S&W 32-20 database. I started collecting first-hand data in 1993.
Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Scharfschuetzer
Member
Lucky you to have inherited you Grandfather's revolver.
I have a blued 6" 1905 in 32/20 and it is a fun handgun to shoot. Very accurate with mild recoil using 100 to 115 grain cast bullets at a bit under 900 fps.
I have a blued 6" 1905 in 32/20 and it is a fun handgun to shoot. Very accurate with mild recoil using 100 to 115 grain cast bullets at a bit under 900 fps.
I Attached a picture ....
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Where is the best place to find ammo for it? 32-20 is not a common round
DWalt
Member
As it has the rounded butt, it would have been called the Model of 1902. Regarding ammunition, it is still loaded, but as it is not a big seller, it may not be stocked by most gun shops. There are internet sources, you may be able to get it special ordered by some local gun shop that does not stock it, and it is sometimes to be found at gun shows, especially at larger ones. You can generally figure that a box of it may be around $50. That is one reason that .32-20 revolvers are not as popular as they otherwise might be. But any newly manufactured .32-20 ammunition you find will be safe to use. Most who shoot .32-20 handguns and rifles regularly will load their own to simplify logistics and save money, as cases and bullets are more readily available than the ammunition, and .32-20 reloading dies are still standard stocked items. These revolvers were most commonly shipped with black hard rubber grips back in the day. See the picture above, #3. You might find some of the original type on eBay, and there are sources for newly manufactured black plastic replica grips also.
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Green Frog
Member
... as for ammo, the growth of Cowboy Action Shooting has seen a small resurgence in production of 32-20 ammo, and since CAS is a speed game, light loads are the common type... good news for you!
If you will be shooting it much, you will almost certainly find that reloading becomes very attractive for you. If you already load, a set of dies is a minimal expense, and lead bullets (it’s best to avoid jacketed in that old senior citizen) are readily available in 95-115 grain variants. Everything else is just like what you need for 38 Spl or similar cartridges.
Even with the early, “mild” loads, the 32-20 enjoyed a reputation for shooting flat and hard... “It’ll shoot right through a man!” Don’t succumb to the temptation to hot rod your loads up to rifle round levels in that veteran, at best you will see accelerated wear and loosening.
Froggie
If you will be shooting it much, you will almost certainly find that reloading becomes very attractive for you. If you already load, a set of dies is a minimal expense, and lead bullets (it’s best to avoid jacketed in that old senior citizen) are readily available in 95-115 grain variants. Everything else is just like what you need for 38 Spl or similar cartridges.
Even with the early, “mild” loads, the 32-20 enjoyed a reputation for shooting flat and hard... “It’ll shoot right through a man!” Don’t succumb to the temptation to hot rod your loads up to rifle round levels in that veteran, at best you will see accelerated wear and loosening.
Froggie
jmace57
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Welcome to the forum. Your grandfather's gun appears to be in nice condition. It has been refinished (re-blued). You can tell because the hammer and trigger are blue. They would have been case colored originally.
As others have said, its' value is priceless, as it came from your grandfather.
As others have said, its' value is priceless, as it came from your grandfather.
nbedford
Member
I did not see where anyone else gave a warning about rifle type 32-20 factory ammo. If the box says High-Speed or High-Velocity, or is marked "Not for use in revolvers", or "For rifles only" leave it alone.
DWalt
Member
HV .32-20 ammunition has not been loaded for well over 50 years (it was last cataloged in the early 1960s), so the chances of finding any of it today are extremely remote, as the ammo collectors have long since scarfed up all of it remaining. Everything sold today will be safe. I think Remington still labels their boxes as "Rifle", but it is not HV. There is really no reason for warning against it.
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Design of the Remington 32-20 label is a poor choice in my opinion. Why they promote "Express Rifle" in a lead bulleted revolver round, I do not know. I think they lose many revolver ammo buyers. Besides, they seem to be more expensive than all the other manufacturers.
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DWalt
Member
It's idiotic. To boot, they advertise the MV from a rifle, I think around 1200 ft/sec, which makes it all the more confusing. Many of the product reviews are not very good.
