I saw a S&W revolver today at the local gun show. Not sure which model it is, but it was about the size frame as my Victory and the caliber was .32-20. It action was in good condition, but the finish was about 10%. Not sure why, but I almost bought it as an "impulse buy". I owned a M1892 Winchester in .32-20 years ago and liked the round. The asking price was $350, but I was offered the piece at $250 because the dealer knows me. Did I screw up by not buying it?

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Well....you denied your impulse. No fun in that......smile.

.32-20 M&P K frame, same as your Victory. People that have them, love them. Make great flat shooting trail guns except for one thing, they are loud in a revolver! Don't want to light one off without ear protection!!

You can always get your money out of it for $250.

The enabler,

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Be careful, they're a little like potato chips; nobody can have just one.

1902 4 inch round butt (1904)
1905 5 inch 2nd Model (1909)
1905 5 inch nickel 4th Model (1921)
1905 5 inch blue 4th Model (1928)

Got a couple of those off brand ones (Colts) around here somewhere too.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

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Yours look fabulous compared to the one I looked at. May see if he will go to $200 on it.

My only off brand (Colt) is a Model 1909 U.S.Army in .45 Colt.

AJ

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I have owned at least one .32-20 since 1975.I have/had S&Ws in round butt, square butt and target models. I have/had several Colt Police Positive Specials and a Official Police. I have/had a Cimarron/Uberti SAA and a Cimarron Model P Jr. I have/had a Marlin 1894CL and a Martini action single shot.

I still a 5" round butt S&W, a 5" Official Police, a 4" PPS, a 4 3/4" Cimarron Model P Jr-it has a .32-20 cylinder and a .32 H&R Magnum cylinder, which I reamed to .327 Federal, and the Martini.

You might say I'm fond of the little .32 Winchester round.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Well, you didn't lose any money so that's good. But you didn't gain a S&W and that feels bad. The 32-20 is identical to the M&P 38 except for the caliber. They were popular before WW II but went out of production. Easy to reload the cartridge and easy to shoot.

Hey, $250 for any functioning S&W is easy to justify. I paid $265 for mine a couple years ago with a medium quality refinish on it. If you see the guy again I say buy it. But be aware that many 32-20s are observed with bulged barrels. I like the theory that early jacketed ammo was prone to shedding the jacket in the bore then the next round bulges the barrel. Always check a 32-20 barrel carefully before buying.

Here's mine. Since learned it shipped 7/11. How lucky is that? Love the 6.5" barrel on the round butt frame.

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No life story has happy end.

32-20 is a great round. I have three double action Colts in the caliber along with two Ruger single actions and a Marlin lever action. The rise of Cowboy Action Shooting realy revived the caliber. I remember the early 1990s it was hard to find ammo. That's what got me started in reloading.

My most favorite round for the K-frame Smiths. I have 5 S&W 32-20s and an 1892 Winchester backed up by a Winchester 1873 in this caliber. Of course I reload as these little buggers are a bit expensive. Once you get the bug you always look at the ones at the gun show and on GB. I am glade I didn't see one for $250 as it would have had to join my small herd. I love the pre-war N frames but the 32-20s are a bit more pleasing to shoot with my arthritic old hands!

Ive had to cut back impulse buys over the years, running out of safes.

I’m a 32-20 fan for sure. If the bore was reasonably shiny and the action tight. He would have relieved me of $250 maybe $225. Im more than happy to let it hang out with the 92src, 1885 high wall, #2 rolling block, 1905 HE target and the 4in m&p.

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Dave
Regulators mount up!

1925, factory nickel..

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All of the .32-20's shown in this thread are light years ahead of the finish left on the one that I saw.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

AJ, my 4in m&p has about 30% of the finish left. You can see where they took steel wool to parts of it. I paid $270 otd. I found what is most likely the original owners name and address written on the inside of the grips. Thanks to the members on this board I now have documents and pictures of him. So I’ve more than gotten my money from this gun, scar’s and all.

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Dave
Regulators mount up!

I believe the K frame was possibly refinished at the factory. There is a star stamped under the barrel. The other is a Ruger Blackhawk Convertible with a .32-20 cylinder but I don't have a photo of my '92 Winchester .32-20. The K frame is LOUD and the Winchester is almost like shooting a BB gun. It's a great round.

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μολὼν λαβέ

I've received a learning experience with my first 32-20, never try to refinish a pealing, pitted nickel finish. That one is now relegated to the garage. I stumbled across another nice 4" piece and let my wife have a go with it. It is now her "kitchen gun", I believe I was into this one for $250 a couple years ago. Mechanics and bore are excellent.

The only gun I have ever owned in .32-20 (.32 WCF) caliber is this Colt Police Positive Special, manufactured in 1911.

I have only shot my own handloads through it, using various weight home-cast bullets and Unique powder. It is an easy cartridge to load.

Power-wise, it is a little less than a .38 Special, but it really has penetration!

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I have one, cira 1912-1913, it's fun to shoot. Couldn't touch one in this area for that price, you can't go wrong purchasing it if it's still available.

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Ed

AJ: The 32-20s were working guns. I see nothing to be ashamed of a little hones wear. These weren't intended to be safe queens or sock drawer residents and were often coupled with rifles in the same caliber. Some of my most favorite arms have 'been there and done that' and have a few battle scars. At the price quoted that one would probably already be in my possession. JMHO

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Randy
Provenance nerd

There is nothing wrong with natural wear and tear over the years. What I hate is when they get re-finished.

I thought everybody had a Kitchen Gun, out the backdoor to see what the two shepherds had cornered! Last time it was a coiled up copperhead. Here is a "No Finish" early 1900s 32-20 WCF marked S&W. Finish is not that important for me but performance trumps finish with these old timers. This one does its duty and shoots to POA. What more can you expect for one that is over 110 years old. I love'um.

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The .32-20 HE is a fun revolver to have. I own several, including one target model from 1904, and a later one that shipped to a copper mine in Arizona.

Just FYI, delta-419, since yours is marked 32 W.C.F. CTG, it isn't any earlier than 1913. The stocks on it are correct for the 1910-1920 period.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

My kitchen gun is a commercial 1917.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Big Surprise....My cut down '17 is a fairly constant companion of mine. After my wife shot the 4" 32-20 she asked me if I would mind if it sat in the kitchen junk drawer, I told her that was fine. I always got a kick of the old bit about a rural Sheriff's Deputy when asked about his puny little pistol..."It will shoot plumb through a man, how puny is that?"

FINALLY!!! Someone had to say it!

Ended up not buying it. I am working on a deal for a 625.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Ahhh, Thats too bad. Every Smith and Wesson pre numbers guy needs a 32-20. I'll argue all day long that they are more significant than a Victory unless your a military type collector. 32-20 has so many options including the Model '92 Winchester, its quite inexpensive to shoot especially if you cast your own bullets. I'd let my old K-22 go before I'd let my wife's kitchen gun go. I have more fun shooting a Marvel conversion 1911 in .22 than any K-22 I've owned....sacrilege?

No doubt about that!

Sorta off topic but not really....A friend of mine that is seriously into Contenders was shooting next to me today. I noted that whatever he was shooting was loud. He said "Oh I'm sorry, its a warmed up 32-20 load I've been working with." He had those little Hornady 85gr. pills loaded up and asked me if I wanted to try it out. I've never been a big fan of Contenders but understand the mechanics and appreciate them for what they are, never owned one, shot a few owned by friends. This one shot very nicely, which again added another firearm to the list that 32-20 works very well with. Contenders are this guy's hobby, he makes a point of reloading for all of them and keeps accurate data on what he tries, etc. He's the first guy I ask about dies I don't have and want to try loading a particular round without buying a box of cartridges or set of dies.

Mine may look pretty blingy, but it's a lot of fun at the range. For $200 or so, it's worth the risk. K frame 32-20's are great guns to shoot.

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SWCA #3356, SWHF#611