I picked this up yesterday. Does anyone here have one that letters close to this serial number so I can narrow down the year of manufacture? From information I've gathered on line and from the SCSW I'm thinking it's in the 1919-1922 range.
It's far from perfect but the timing is good and lockup is tight. Finding .32-20 ammo is apparently going to be a bit of a challenge however. And it sure isn't cheap.
This is my first .32-20.

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You didn't post the serial number.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Oops! Here it is.

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86687 shipped in January, 1920.

89175 shipped in July, 1920.

That's your ballpark. Remember that they did not ship in serial order.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Thank you for this. I'm pretty confident it's 1920.

This was in stock yesterday. If I needed some I would select the "Notify me" button.



Access Denied

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

But wait there’s more! The Famous Dodge City 5 inch,, serial number 799xx ca. 1917

Your revolver also appears to have a 5” barrel (?), and it is caliber stamped.32 WCF (1914),, and it is Nickel!!! And one more thing, the roll mark on the left side of the frame,,, (screams) 1923!! to me.

The gap between the 799xx gun (rounded to 80xxx) and the two 80xxx listed above,,, contains an entire World War. You have a very interesting revolver with (I believe) a heat treated cylinder and the ‘23 ? frame. I like this one, the Wood too

I own, #85057 and it shipped in March 1920. There are a few in the old S&W database from 84,000 to 90,000 that shipped in 1920 as well. 32-20 heat treating began in 1919 at approximate serial number #81300.

32-20 Barrel Stampings
From 1899 until 1913 - 32 Winchester CTG. (left side of barrel)
From 1914 until 1922 - 32 W.C.F. CTG (right side of barrel) between 111,000 & 113,000
From about 1922-23 until the end of production (1940) - 32-20 CTG. (right side of barrel)

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Another source:
For Sale! New starline 32-20 brass

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

Yes. The barrel is 5".

As Gary noted, the 32 W.C.F. CTG cartridge stamp lasted until the spring or so of 1922, before it was changed to 32-20 CTG.

The small roll mark was reintroduced on post-WWI revolvers in about 1920.

The absence of Made in U.S.A. on the frame pretty much ensures this is not a 1923 revolver. All known facts about twaits' newly acquired .32-20 HE point to likely shipment in 1920, not later.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Thank you all for the great information!

The small roll mark ,,( see image) ,, I was questioning is the smallest (.35?”) S&W Logo appearing on the left side of the frame. I’ve noticed the small stamp on the left without the USA stamped on the right on serial numbers 100xxx and above.

Another question I have for the OP, how many guide pins in the extractor star?’

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IMG_0961.jpg (87.9 KB, 17 views)

Small logo on left side ran from 1920 to 1936 (except for the 32 Safety)

Made in USA stamping ordered in May 1922 around SN 405,000, one example found without stamp shipped in June 1922.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

That’s what I was looking for. The time gap between the S&W Trade Mark (1920) and the made in USA stamp (1922).

Edit, SN 400xxx is obviously the .38 line

Two guide pins

This forum is my only escape from my information silo. I am fascinated with the development of the K Frame. I am most fascinated by the speed in which the changes continued to occur, Example: 1902 - 1905. I struggle most with the vast numbers that were made.

Using the 32-20 4th Change serial number range and the information provided in this thread a similar amount of changes continue to occurr 1919 - 1923 and continue to with the patent marked hammer and trigger 1926.

One of these changes was removing one of the two guide pins.
Anyone have a date or serial number range for this in particular “change?
Thanks glowe I will look closer at the 84xxx 90xxx revolvers in the future.

Lastly, I have to admit the long, wide, flat, shiny Nickel surface on the OPs pistol without the made in America looks pretty awesome

Motor City Gunworks has Black Hills 32-20 for $50 plus S&H+tax.

My neighbor at the show this past weekend had the same. 115 grain LFP, 800FPS. Good fodder for my revolver, SN: 97786.

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I do not have change dates for the cylinder pins, but went through my K frames and find the following using guns in my collection:

32 Winchester
1-48K - 0 pins
85K - 1920 - 2 pins
110K - 1924 - 1 pin

38 Special
1-121K - 1909 - 0 pins
150K - 1911 - 2 pins
281K - 1917 - 2 pin
384K - 1921 - 1 pin
696K - 1940 - 1 pin

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Mine is blue (or what's left of it), also 5 inch, otherwise all original matching numbers and I believe the grips too, but no trace of pencil number remains. Serial number 105093, Dr. Roy confirmed ship date October 1921.

I could only fondle this beauty for over a year until last Christmas when I was given 3 boxes of HSM Cowboy Action Soft Lead flat nose ammo loaded by HSM in new Starline brass. Finally got this gun out for shooting and target is 12 round standing at 15 yards.

At my age I'm usually shooting 10 yards, but no lead ammo allowed so had to find a different place to shoot and the minimum there is 15 yards, so I'm thrilled that all 12 got on the target.

My ammo benefactor searched high and low for a year to find the HSM and tipped me that the above mentioned seller (in Detroit) had such bad reviews that it almost appeared to be a scam so do your own personal research before sending any money to anyone on-line regarding 32-20 WCF ammo.

That nickel one the OP posted is really sweet...I'm on the lookout for more of these 5 inchers, especially a nickel one!

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	32-20 HE b.jpg (97.0 KB, 13 views)
	32-20 HE c.jpg (52.0 KB, 11 views)
	32-20 HE h.jpg (55.9 KB, 12 views)
	32-20 HSM lead target.jpg (34.2 KB, 13 views)

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Charlie B
SWCA#3083, SWHF#570

The 32 WCF above has one pin. 97786

Looks like a scam to me. Good luck with that.

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

I don't think it is. Last week nobody had 32-20 ammo. This week I see several brands available between $50-$60 each. One place has Black Hills for $360 for 500 rounds.

My apologies. I think you're right. The 500 rounds for $360 is definitely a scam and likely a lot of the others are too. Scammers are now exploiting the ammo shortages. They almost got me. Beware!

The NEW .32-20 blues - YouTube

EASY BIG FELLA

Yes, the Black Hills 32-20 I bought at the Jefferson show was $80 which is more in line with the current market.

Looks like some good shoot’n especially for the first rounds on paper! Can only improve with practice.
The OP apparently has the blues over 32/20 ammo and it’s a full moon. I thought I’d share my depressing experience too. Went to gun show bought 4 boxes of old 32/20 cartridges and the seller said,, you got a deal!

So far so good? I posted a picture (here) and the CARTRIDGE COLLECTORS crawled out of the woodwork and scolded me for,, I guess even considering shooting them! That experience pointed me in another direction.

Remember when searching,, 32-20 is rifle ammunition

Not quite true. The original 32-20 was a black powder load and was an anemic round in rifles, totally acceptable to shoot in 32 Winchester revolvers, as well as Model 1873 and Model 1892 leverguns. Many decades ago a different round was developed for modern rifles that was considered High Velocity. They show up occasionally but are mostly in the hands of collectors. Current standard ammunition is all within the pressure limits of revolvers and original 1873s. Even the Remington 32-20 High Performance Rifle ammunition is loaded with revolver and 1873 shooters in mind.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

I own 2, 91555 4" nickel shipped 8/1920 and 108534 6" blue shipped 8/1922.

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James Redfield
LM #497

As always a very informative post. I agree most loads are just fine for revolvers.

If I search GB for 32-20 pistol ammunition,, I got 19 results
If I search GB for 32-20 rifle ammunition,, I got 57 results

And if I search in reference material (Cartridges of the World) or loading manual ,,, it’s a rifle cartridge

I’m just saying, if looking for 32-20 cartridges on GB try both!