I have a S&W 6 inch in caliber 32 WCF, Serial # 104255.
Can you tell when it was made?
Thanks

It probably dates to the early 1920s.

Does it have "MADE IN U.S.A." stamped on the right side of the frame?

Please post pictures.

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It DOES NOT have made in USA on the frame.

Then it predates mid 1922 or so.

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Likely ship date, based on nearby serial numbers, is late 1921 or early 1922. That's merely an estimate. Certainty would require a records check, which for a non SWCA member means purchasing a letter from the S&W Historical Foundation.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

With S&W's, especially older guns before bar codes, digital records, etc. about the only date that can be confirmed is the date the gun left the factory according to the "shipping records". As others have said SWHF can provide you a Letter of Authenticity describing the gun, as it left the factory, on what exact date, and the original destination. There is a fee for the Letter.

Being a SWCA paid Member entitles one to "ask" for a ship date on this Forum, and the reply will be the month and year that the gun shipped from the factory. There is no fee for this request for SWCA Members.

Below pics are my 32-20 WCF, Hand Ejector, 5", also NO "Made in USA" on right side of frame, serial number 105093, and it left the factory in October 1921 per Dr. Jinks.

As you may be aware of, S&W did not ship guns in any sequential order so "interpolating" a ship date from surrounding serial numbers is a ****-shoot at best. Even though the 32-20 WCF HE was discontinued in 1940, I believe I read (on this Forum) that one actually shipped from the factory as late as 1965...so sitting a long time in the vault.

Attached Images

	32-20 HE a.jpg (91.0 KB, 27 views)
	32-20 HE b.jpg (97.0 KB, 23 views)
	32-20 HE c.jpg (52.0 KB, 20 views)
	32-20 HE h.jpg (55.9 KB, 19 views)
	32-20 HE k.jpg (35.3 KB, 14 views)

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Charlie B
SWCA#3083, SWHF#570

I have .32 WCF HE Model of 1905 4th, S/N 66928, which shipped 1/1/1915 to Judge PR Price, late Chief Justice of the Texas 8th Court of Appeals...This would have been one of the very first of the 4th Change guns......Ben

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Production of .32-20 M&Ps apparently ceased around the late 1920s. However, they continued to be sold out of existing finished goods inventory (or possibly assembled and shipped from parts remaining in inventory) throughout the 1930s but in small numbers. Some are known to have been shipped even later. As you probably know, .32-20 ammunition is a scarce and expensive commodity today.

While this is generally true, we have accumulated enough data on the shipments of .32-20 HE revolvers to notice a fairly consistent pattern in this time frame (serial numbers from about 80,000 to about 118,000). They certainly did not ship in serial order, but within a span of a year or so, the grouping is pretty consistent until you get into the later half of the 1920s.

However, I at least, and many others, try to always include a caveat as I did in Post #5 above: "That's merely an estimate. Certainty would require a records check . . ."

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Here are a couple of 32-20 targets--------------

#42094----shipped December 22, 1908

#114655--shipped August 21, 1923

As may have already been mentioned, the completion date of any given unit may or may not be known---as in some are, and some aren't. The shipping date of pretty much any and all is known, and a Historical letter tells you when, where, and gives you an exact description of the gun as it was shipped, and the history of the model. These things here, for example, were introduced in 1899, and manufactured until 1940---and 144,684 of them were made. There were a number of changes made along the way, typically internal---which is to say you can't tell one from the other by just looking at the gun on the shelf. The first one up here, for example is classified as a 2nd Change---the later one a 4th Change. Folks with a lot of time on their hands have the book that describes all these changes, and can rattle them off pretty much the same as you can say when you were born, and the noteworthy events of your lifetime. The 2nd Change noted above, for example, is one of 11,700----the 4th Change is one of 78,984.

All this minutia may explain their respective values in the eyes of collectors. Both of these were sold during the liquidation of my collection during the three years ending about a year ago. Both guns were in excellent condition, looked pretty much exactly the same, but were WAY FAR apart in perceived value:

#42094 fetched $3300.

#114655 was a bit behind at $1225.


Ralph Tremaine

Here's my 6" M&P .32-20 HE (aka Model of 1905 4th Change) from mid-1923, s/n 118705. Finish has a bit of wear, as do the stocks, but it's mechanically in very nice condition and shoots great (whenever I can find ammo to shoot!). Mine has the one-line address on the frame, and the barrel is stamped ".32-20 CTG". A few years ago I paid less than $500 on GB, shipped.

Attached Images

	IMG_2151.jpg (38.9 KB, 15 views)
	IMG_2152.jpg (39.5 KB, 15 views)
	IMG_2154.jpg (90.8 KB, 18 views)

Thanks for the input. Today at a gun show I found and bought a Colt Offical Police in 32-20, 6 inch barrel. Serial # 547141. Now I have a pair of 32-20's and plan to load ammo and see how they shoot against other.

ANY IDEA HOW OLD THIS COLT MIGHT?

Here’s what Colts website says about that serial. The same serial was used for several different models over the years.

Attached Images

IMG_7765.jpg (22.2 KB, 15 views)

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Get off my lawn!

Colt OP 5” .32-20 blue, #689723, shipped in 1938, if I remember correctly.

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

A prancing pony, how cute.

Just kidding of course and now you have one for each hand. Remember the cylinder rotation when test firing a new revolver.
Congratulations on the pair and will be waiting on the results

Yes an early 4th Change, I hope you can share a picture. I have 69xxx with a 4” barrel, 3 lines of patent dates ending, 03. Another 5” nickel square butt 44xxx has patented dates ending, 14. This is a hobby for me and I find the time between 1914 and ???? to be full of surprises. And when the war ended and the “1923” versions (improved sights, hardened steel) started to appear, it was over, no more 32-20s. IMO, I believe there were less than 30,000 of these revolvers made WITH the improved sights and forcing cuts.

January 1 draws a pretty good line in the sand, and World War One is only a couple years in the future.

I try to oblige when I can, but this is the only one I can provide quickly without a safari into the jungle that is my safe...

It is the third one down from the top on the left side (maybe someone could be kind enough to straighten the poor cell phone pic)......Ben

Attached Images

IMG_1065[1].jpg (122.0 KB, 31 views)

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Cogito, ergo BOOM!...

Image rotated to be right side up and resized.

Attached Images

32 wcf hand ejector.jpg (74.0 KB, 12 views)

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