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S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 All 5-Screw & Vintage 4-Screw SWING-OUT Cylinder REVOLVERS, and the 35 Autos and 32 Autos


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Old 06-02-2014, 12:14 PM
dabney dabney is offline
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Several years ago, I was in a favorite pawnshop here in town, eye-balling the firearms. The owner brought out an 'old' Smith & Wesson, his words, to show me. One that had just come off pawn and was ready to sale. "David, feast your eyes on this jewel." He handed me the revolver, a .32-20 S&W, with a 5-inch barrel and a round butt feature. The nickel finish was 'flaking' badly and the after market grips were broke and barely hanging on. It looked like a 'trainwreck' in a small package from the outside. I dropped open the cylinder and carefully examined, looking for anything more to scare me off. It cycled correctly and seemed to be in good working order. I was already thinking about the S&W round butt K-Frame grips I had at the house to replace the broke ones, already mentioned. "David, you can have this mess for 75-dollars, if you want it." It didn't take me long to fill out the paperwork, and pull the 75-dollars out, and hit the door! I couldn't make out the serial number of my .32-20, while in the pawnshop. Once I got home, I pulled out my high-powered reading glass, and got the serial number off the butt. The serial number of 16362 on the butt was matched on the cylinder and bottom of the barrel. It looked like a Model 1902 1st Change S&W .32-20 and at that time (2007), it was 102-years old. I would later, have this fine 1905-vintage relic refinished, after test-firing. It was in this time frame that I started researching the S&W.32-20, its history and its role in law enforcement. I was surprised to find out that some rural law enforcement, farmers, ranchers, and prison guards utililized the S&W .32-20, as well as the Colt Army Special and Colt Police Positive Special in this same caliber. Also stumbled upon the 'classic' Colt Single Action Army in .32-20 being used by the same mentioned customers. The years of most use seemed to be in the 1920's. I found the subject matter captivating, to say the least! The .32-20 is a flat-shooting, accurate round that was also chambered in Winchester lever-actions in this same time-period. The rifle .32-20 was 'hotter' than the revolver .32-20 and so stated on the ammo box, I referenced. Now for an inquisitive old lawman, like myself, I thought I would take this question to the S&W forum for input from the great S&W historians who reside here.
Could someone elaborate on the .32-20's role in law enforcement. I will later post some pictures of my refurbished S&W .32-20 that I purchased for 75-dollars. It has round butt S&W K-frame service grips, mentioned earlier, along with black rubber Pachmayr grips for traveling missions. Thanks in advance, my friends.
David
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Old 06-02-2014, 02:28 PM
ironhead7544 ironhead7544 is offline
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I heard that the 32-20 was once popular with the horse mounted lawmen back in the day. The 32-20 ammo was a lot lighter and you could easily carry a lot more. In a 7 and 1/2 inch Colt SAA, velocity was high and it had a flat trajectory for a handgun. In a rifle, the trajectory was also good and the lever guns had a large capacity magazine.
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Old 06-02-2014, 05:17 PM
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Back in the bad old days, lots of lawmen, especially those in small towns or rural areas, could carry about any handgun in any caliber they wanted to, according to their own definition of adequacy. Without any substantiating data, I have read accounts that the .32-20 was considered to be flatter-shooting than other handgun calibers, and was therefore more effective at longer ranges.

Serven's Colt book states that the .32-20 was the most popular chambering for the standard Bisley model, and the second most popular (after the .455 Eley) for the Bisley target model. It was not that popular for the standard SAA, in fourth place after .45 Colt, .44-40, and .38-40 chamberings.

You mentioned the Colt Army Special and the Colt Police Positive Special were chambered in .32-20. But in addition, the Colt DA Army and Navy and the Colt Official Police revolvers were also chambered in .32-20, so the caliber was available in a wide variety of different Colt revolvers.
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Old 06-02-2014, 06:02 PM
dabney dabney is offline
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Thanks Dwalt and Ironhead! Both posts added more data to my, just started, research. I hope others will jump in here with their input on the .32-20 and law enforcement connections. Thanks again!
David
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Old 06-02-2014, 08:49 PM
southarkrob southarkrob is offline
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My deceased grandfather was a constable in rural Arkansas in the 20's and carried Colt SAA in 32/20 and had to kill a man with it.. shot him twice. I asked him where he got it and he said they gave it to him when he became a constable.. he still had the original holster for it!!
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Old 06-02-2014, 09:25 PM
Muley Gil Muley Gil is offline
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dabney, back in the mid to late '70s, I was a deputy sheriff in Lee County, Alabama, right accross the river from you. I was assigned to the jail and would, on occassion, carry my S&W .32-20 to work. It was a 5" nickel square butt that I had converted to roundbutt. Once had a very large Opelika police sgt offer to trade me his M29 for it. By the time I decided to trade, he had changed his mind.

Jay Jones, who I believe is still sheriff here, and I were young green deputies at about the same time. Cary Torbert was my LT and Ronnie Watkins was the LT investigator. Jim Pearson was the sheriff I worked for.
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Old 06-02-2014, 09:25 PM
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I once saw a private guard at the Texas State Fair with a .32-20 M&P. Only one I ever saw in any LE role.

I think you summed up its probable clientele quite well. I've heard that trappers liked it, and I can see it in a backpacker's gear, as the ammo was light. But it might be too much for small game and not enough for large beasts

I've read that it has a quite loud report but maybe not much recoil in larger guns. A Colt Police Positive Spcl. might bounce a little.

I think a Colt Off. Police or SAA would be uncomfortably heavy in this small caliber.
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Old 06-02-2014, 09:35 PM
Muley Gil Muley Gil is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas Star View Post
I once saw a private guard at the Texas State Fair with a .32-20 M&P. Only one I ever saw in any LE role.

I think you summed up its probable clientele quite well. I've heard that trappers liked it, and I can see it in a backpacker's gear, as the ammo was light. But it might be too much for small game and not enough for large beasts

I've read that it has a quite loud report but maybe not much recoil in larger guns. A Colt Police Positive Spcl. might bounce a little.

I think a Colt Off. Police or SAA would be uncomfortably heavy in this small caliber.
TS, I have owned .32-20s in S&Ws (4" SB, 5" RB and SB, and a 6" target SB), a 5" Colt Official Police, several PPSs and a 4 3/4" Uberti Model P (Colt SAA clone).

Yes, the SAA copy was a mite heavy. There wasn't much recoil in the the PPSs and I actually shot the OP better than my S&Ws, due mainly to the better sights.

And yes, they are loud!
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Old 06-02-2014, 09:38 PM
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"I think a Colt Off. Police or SAA would be uncomfortably heavy in this small caliber."

Not especially. I have both a Colt Army Special and a Colt OP (actually, pretty much the same revolver) in .32-20. They are very little heavier than the same guns in .38 Special. Both feel about like shooting a .22, and at least with my handloads, have a mild report. I have seen several postings about how loud the .32-20 is, but I have not experienced that - the noise is much the same as shooting .38 Special wadcutters, if not even less. Might be different if someone were shooting the old rifle high velocity loads, as those bullets would probably go supersonic even from a revolver. My bullets go only about 850-900 ft/sec, well within the subsonic range. If you want loud, try shooting a Ruger Blackhawk in .30 Carbine. It will shred your eardrums if fired without earmuffs. The .32-20 HV loads fired from a revolver might be similar.

One comment often seen was that .32-20 revolvers were popular mainly among those who also used .32-20 rifles due to ammunition commonality. And that might include some lawmen.
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Old 06-02-2014, 09:46 PM
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What are the ballistics like on the 32/20? When I looked it up recently it seemed to me it was a pretty hot round out of a revolver as compared to the 32 S&W Long.
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Old 06-02-2014, 10:06 PM
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What are the ballistics like on the 32/20? When I looked it up recently it seemed to me it was a pretty hot round out of a revolver as compared to the 32 S&W Long.
Old references usually show the standard load as having a MV of about 1000 ft/sec from a revolver (100 grain lead bullet). Of course, a more exact MV would depend somewhat on the specific revolver and its barrel length.
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Old 06-03-2014, 01:29 AM
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My Dad was a member of the sheriff's department here from 1937 to 1961, and from when he started until around 1955, he carried a 4" S&W in .32-20. I asked him once why he chose that caliber and his answer was that that's what was available when he needed to buy a gun. I also asked him if it was enough gun, and he said that a certain officer had had to shoot a man with his .32-20, and killed him with one shot, so he guessed it was enough gun.
Dad was never in any shootings that I know of, but the .32-20 did a good job of shooting down the tires on bootlegger cars and shooting the occasional mule or cow with a broken leg for some farmer who didn't want to do it himself. He became chief of the county force in 1951, and continued to carry the .32-20 in plain clothes until around 1955 when his men gave him a 3" Chief Special, which he carried until he retired. So far as I know, he never fired the CS in the line of duty for any purpose.
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Old 06-03-2014, 02:03 AM
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Originally Posted by Muley Gil View Post
"... I actually shot the OP better than my S&Ws, due mainly to the better sights."
Gil,

That's one of the reasons that this late production "flat top" .32-20 M&P is one of my favorite shooters.



I can actually see these sights!









Drew
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Old 06-03-2014, 02:10 AM
texmex texmex is offline
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Back in 1975 I worked with a much older Deputy who carried a S&W revolver during the day and a 1911 at night. Both were nickle and each had rattle snake skin covered holster and he wore a rattle snake skin covered gunbelt. He didn't have anything else on the belt, no ammo or magazines or handcuffs. One day I asked him what kind of S&W he was carrying and he said a 32-20. I asked him why he carried a 32-20 and he said it shot real good, hit plenty hard and he could hit a soda can 100 yards away just about every time. I said "If its so good, why do you carry the 45 at night?" He said "You can't see a soda can 100 yards away at night". He passed away in 1977. His name was Bill Parten and there will never be another quite like him. We all called him "Mr. Bill". He loved playing practical jokes. He didn't really need handcuffs cause people he arrested did what he told them to do and those that didn't weren't around very long.
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Old 06-03-2014, 04:30 AM
dabney dabney is offline
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Many thanks all. There seems to be a lot of 'good' fireside talk stories on the old .32-20 in S&W and Colt representatives. It appears that those who packed the S&W and Colt .32-20's felt their six-gun 'adequate' to the task of self defense. I love these shared stories of the .32-20 as each one of them are about 'great' Americans and 'great' firearms heritage, unique 'only' to the USA. GOD bless our country in these 'dark' days!
David
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Old 06-03-2014, 04:43 AM
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David,

I was in Craig, Colorado a few years ago and visited a museum there. It had a section devoted to Old West lawmen and outlaws and in the display cases I noted a number of .32-20 SA and a few DA revolvers. It surprised me the number of officers that relied on the .32-20 or .32 WCF. I'm doing an article on the New Mexico Mounted Police and one of their officers Fred Lambert was hired in 1911 and carried a Colt SAA in .32-20 and a Winchester Model 94 in .25-35 chambering. Considering the number of officers carrying revolvers in .32 S&W Long, .38 S&W and similar loads like the .38 Colt New Police, the .32-20 might have seemed like a powerhouse. Back in the day, handgun ammunition performance was measured by the number of 7/8" pine boards a bullet would penetrate; expansion was not expected if it was even considered and of course ballistic gelatin testing was way out in the future. The thumbnail photo shows my own S&W 1905 HE in .32-20; with 115 gr. lead, flat-pointed bullets it's very accurate.
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Old 06-03-2014, 06:02 AM
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"Considering the number of officers carrying revolvers in .32 S&W Long, .38 S&W and similar loads like the .38 Colt New Police, the .32-20 might have seemed like a powerhouse."

Teddy Roosevelt was once the Commissioner of Police in NYC. NYPD could carry any handgun they wanted, from .22s up to .45s. TR standardized on Colt .32 DA revolvers!
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Old 06-03-2014, 07:41 AM
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Hi:
I early 1970 era I visited my former small town Agency where I had started my career in 1962. The current young Police Chief carried a Colt PP in .32/20 caliber as the weapon was his Grandfather's.
In the 1980 era I responded to a young teenager gunshot victim who with her friends attempted to break in an elderly WWII veteran's front door. The homeowner fired a .32/20 Colt through the screen door hitting her in the stomach. It made an impressive wound. She died in the O.R.
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Old 06-03-2014, 08:15 AM
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The 32-20 WCF is a zombie round... not in the current sense of zombie hunting, but in the sense that it just refuses to acknowledge its own death. While there have been virtually no revolvers made in this country in the caliber for nearly 75 years, and although ammunition is sometimes hard to find and expensive, guns in this old caliber just slog along, doing their job and refusing to lie down and quit. I currently own an early post WW I vintage S&W 6" M&P and an Italian copy of the Colt SAA in 32-20 and truly enjoy both of them. Muzzle blast? Not as much as my 4" Model 66 converted to 327 Fed Mag! The 32-20 was good enough for Skeeter, so it must be OK.

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Old 06-03-2014, 09:16 AM
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In his fine book "The Custom Revolver", Hamilton Bowen wrote that the K-Frame Target .32-20 was probably the most "useful" of all the conversions he does.
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Old 06-03-2014, 09:38 AM
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In his fine book "The Custom Revolver", Hamilton Bowen wrote that the K-Frame Target .32-20 was probably the most "useful" of all the conversions he does.

S&W way back when agreed with Mr. Bowen:

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Old 06-03-2014, 09:41 AM
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Many thanks for the response to my .32-20 post. My friends here have already contributed much to my request for info on this flat-shooting round that, at one time, had a following in this country. Thanks so much for the contributing posts and let the data/info/fireside stories continue.
David
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Old 06-03-2014, 09:55 AM
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David,

You may want to look around at a well stocked magazine rack for the latest issue of "Handloader", June 2014. There is a fairly well written article therein concerning the .32-20 in both Colt's and S&W revolvers.

Drew
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Old 06-03-2014, 10:17 AM
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I'm still kicking myself for turning down a 7-1/2" USFA single action for $700 at a gun show a few years ago. What was I thinking?!
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Old 06-03-2014, 10:28 AM
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My Dad was not an enthusiast, so I suspect he carried a .32-20 (A sawn off Police Positive Special) because that is what was available when he decided he needed to defend himself and his fares.
He ran a streetcar, later city bus from 1940-1976, so he may well have bought that revolver after the War started and he was hauling workers to defense plants.

Once there was a surge in bus and taxi holdups. The sheriff, Mel Bailey of Jefferson Co. Alabama, put out a press release that warned the punks that many drivers were armed and they were taking their lives in their hands to hold one up. And that if robberies did not cease, he would deputize and arm ALL the drivers.
Holdups fell off considerably.
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Old 06-03-2014, 10:44 AM
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I can't attest to the 32-20's use in law enforcement but I have owned and shot 2 recently made revolvers in this caliber. (There have been several brands, chambering 32-20, made in the past few years.) A 2006 Colt 7 1/2" SAA I owned for about a year was quite heavy, but fun to shoot. It recoiled like a 22 but hotter loads sounded like a 357 magnum out of 2" barrel. I recently got a 2 cylinder, 6 1/2" Ruger Blackhawk in 32 H&R Magnum and 32-20, the Buckeye Sports edition from a few years ago. As expected it shoots like the SAA, but without the Colt's crisp trigger feel. I'm still looking for a K frame sized 32-20......

The 32-20 is an amazing little caliber that would probably work quite well for defense, especially with hollow points. Once you get a stockpile of brass it's a cheap caliber to reload. It uses only a little powder and bullets are relatively cheap, especially the lead ones. Mild loads aren't obnoxiously loud and some of the flat shooting hotties are accurate at longer ranges.

After working with this caliber for a few years I can understand why a lot of old time lawmen would be drawn to it for their duty revolvers. Especially prior to the wide availability of the 357 Magnum, which was only available in the relatively heavy N frame or New Service for a long time after it's introduction. The smaller framed 32-20s were probably much easier to find and afford for the average Deputy or Police Officer of that time.
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Old 06-03-2014, 10:48 AM
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A friend has a 1905 4th change with a serial number of 1357xx. Anyone know what year this would be? I'm thinking 1939.

DWalt?
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Old 06-03-2014, 10:48 AM
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My Dad was not an enthusiast, so I suspect he carried a .32-20 (A sawn off Police Positive Special) because that is what was available when he decided he needed to defend himself and his fares.
He ran a streetcar, later city bus from 1940-1976, so he may well have bought that revolver after the War started and he was hauling workers to defense plants.

Once there was a surge in bus and taxi holdups. The sheriff, Mel Bailey of Jefferson Co. Alabama, put out a press release that warned the punks that many drivers were armed and they were taking their lives in their hands to hold one up. And that if robberies did not cease, he would deputize and arm ALL the drivers.
Holdups fell off considerably.
Makes one wonder why Colt didn't offer a .32-20 chambering in the Detective Special (which was essentially a short-barreled Colt PPS).
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Old 06-03-2014, 10:56 AM
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A friend has a 1905 4th change with a serial number of 1357xx. Anyone know what year this would be? I'm thinking 1939.

DWalt?
In .32-20, that would have been a very late production M&P. S&W discontinued manufacture of the M&P in that caliber around 1930 at SN 144684, but sold them until their inventory ran out. So it could have shipped any time from perhaps 1926 up until 1940.
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Old 06-03-2014, 11:05 AM
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I knew a city policeman in my small Alabama hometown that was carrying a S&W .32-20 in 1969. He tried to tell me that it was a Winchester revolver, but even as a teenager, I knew a Smith when I saw one.
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Old 06-03-2014, 11:08 AM
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I knew a city policeman in my small Alabama hometown that was carrying a S&W .32-20 in 1969. He tried to tell me that it was a Winchester revolver, but even as a teenager, I knew a Smith when I saw one.
The early K-frames in .32-20 had the barrel caliber stamping of ".32 Winchester" until about 1914. That could have been the reason he thought it was a Winchester.
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Old 06-03-2014, 01:13 PM
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Originally Posted by DWalt View Post
Makes one wonder why Colt didn't offer a .32-20 chambering in the Detective Special (which was essentially a short-barreled Colt PPS).
I suspect because the popularity of the .32-20 was already fading when the Detective Special came out.
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Old 06-03-2014, 01:33 PM
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Funny thing, my dad was an Inspector for the New York State Health Department around 70 years ago or so and was licensed by the State of NY to carry a handgun (I can check the date, actually - I have the license framed on my fireplace mantle at home) and I am pretty sure he carried a .32, but it might have been a .38 S&W. Sadly, I never saw that gun; his .22 rifle was what I inherited.

Anyway, in re the .32-20, you have to also remember that a man could carry a revolver in that caliber AND a rifle, a very popular thing to do 100and more years ago. Plenty of .44-40 lever rifles accompanied revolvers in .44-40 in the late 1800s. You can be sure that the same can be said of the .32-20.

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Old 06-03-2014, 01:47 PM
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I remember some of Skeeter Skelton's writings on the 32-20 for police work and hunting, he was a fan..
There is a link here some where under Dark Canyon
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Old 06-03-2014, 04:59 PM
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Photo on 6-3-14 at 5.20 PM.jpg

Photo on 6-3-14 at 5.21 PM _2.jpg

Here is my .32-20 S&W Model of 1902 1st Change that cost me 75-dollars. There was some refurbishment done and new rubber added and now my 'blast-from-the-past' is a favorite plinker and travel insurance for out of town trips. The 1905 factory date (16362) would put my revolver at 109-years old this year. I appreciate 'all' the posts offered on the law enforcement side of the .32-20, including the civilian side to. Thanks so much my friends!

David

P.S. Took the photos through the computer, the reason for the backwards photos.
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Old 06-03-2014, 05:23 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom K View Post
I'm still kicking myself for turning down a 7-1/2" USFA single action for $700 at a gun show a few years ago. What was I thinking?!
I'll make you feel even worse, Tom! Back in the Fall, nestled amongst the Glocks and other weird and worthless stuff, my LGS had a like-new Navy Arms (marked) Colt SAA model by Uberti (their so-called Cattleman model.) I was told by the owner of Navy Arms that they took each one of that specific caliber/model as they came in and ran them through their service shop, giving each a set of Wolff replacement springs. The price? Just $350 including a sack of about 1/2 a box of factory ammo. No, I didn't walk away from that one. I may let my current M&P 32-20 go, especially if I get a cylinder in that caliber made for my Project 616 to increase its utility, but I really like having one or two 32-20s on hand.

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Old 06-03-2014, 06:38 PM
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Back maybe 35-40+ years ago, I knew an old rural, southern Deputy Sheriff who had probably been at his job for over 50 years. Carried a S&W 5in K frame .32-20 in nickel, and it looked good. He also used dump pouches since there were no speedloaders for the gun that I ever knew of. I asked him if he thought the .32-20 was enough gun for a lawman who was often on his own in a pretty rough county. He just smiled and motioned me to the trunk of his car. When he opened it there was a M1918A2 BAR...he said that anyone who didn't listen to reasoning with him just carrying a revolver, usually got religion quick when he hauled out that BAR. I believed him, too.
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Old 06-03-2014, 07:26 PM
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Love .32-20 threads and this one's a good 'un!

Love .32-20 guns too. It's a cartridge that has given good service for me for many years. One of the top five favorite cartridges I use.

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Old 06-03-2014, 07:45 PM
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^
Now THAT'S funny.
The post from IKOR, not the one immediately above mine.
I'm a huge fan of .32-20.
First centerfire I ever shot was my late grandfather's Colt PPS in .32-20.
Still trying to get one or two good ones.

Thinking about having my 586 or my 10-6 converted.
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Old 06-03-2014, 08:36 PM
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Default Since we are showing our .32-20s...

This guy is roughly a 1901 production example, with serial number 32XX.

Shoots like a champ!

These photos pretty much show the limit of my artsie-fartsie photographic capabilities.
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Old 06-04-2014, 06:25 PM
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My own .32-20 story is of a 'constable' in a small mid-western city, state not remembered, who serve the citizens for many years before retiring. He was elected/appointed many times by the very appreciative citizens. This was in the 1930's and in the depression era. Times were tough and so were the bad guys, who walked the wrong side of the law. The small town had a small 4-man cell for a temporary lockup before transfer to the county jail. During his 30+years of service to his community he had only one occasion to use his .32-20 service revolver. A vicious drunk, violently resisting arrest, got clobbered over the head by the constable, to get his attention! He got the man's 'full' attention as he marched him down the street, one hand on his collar, the other hand on the back belt-line area. The local lawman earned the respect and admiration of the citizens, over the passing years, by his integrity and his courage. His willingness to stand tall in the face of evil, made him a local 'legend' to the town folks. Loved, respected, and honored the small town constable was. The town budget was modest, awful in the depression years. His salary was very modest and he worked 24/7. Its hard to imagine working like that now, but times were different then. Outlaws were really punished when apprehended and the constable was as tough as old shoe leather. His previously mentioned .32-20 Service Revolver, that he clobbered the violent drunk male with, was none other than a 4.75" Colt Single Action in blue steel. That was what the city council purchased for him in his first term. The purchase was made at the local hardware store and the Colt was the 'only' sidearm the constable packed in his career. He would go down by a creek, just outside the city limits, and practice shooting with his six-gun from time to time. He never had to use it, in the line of duty, a fact, he was thankful and proud of. He handled 'fight calls' alone and usually his presence alone defused the situation. He was a small part of a great American mid-western heritage, but 10-foot tall to the people he served and protected! That, is my kind of lawman! His cowboy .32-20 SAA fit right in with the culture of that part of the country and this is my .32-20 story, passed down to me by a 'deceased' lawman. Thank you my friends.

David
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Old 06-04-2014, 09:17 PM
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A friend of mine, who is a retired Kansas Highway Patrolman, is a fan of the .32-20 and we have been swapping notes about this cartridge. Today we talked about a story in SIXGUNS by Elmer Keith. The late, great, Elmer, father of the .44 Magnum, was not a fan and related the tale of a lawman who was shot in the neck with a .32-20 and didn't realize it until he saw the blood. The bullet missed major blood vessels and the spine...it just zipped right on through. I guess the fellow was darn lucky and I don't really see this as a condemnation of the .32-30 like Elmer did. Wounds like that have happened with big bullets in .44 and .45 sizes too!
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Old 06-04-2014, 09:33 PM
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It's time to bring this up again. I haven't seen it mentioned here for awhile.
32 - 20 Blues by Robert Johnson - YouTube
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Old 06-05-2014, 03:54 PM
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Great Dwalt! Just great! Do you know the time frame of this song (32-20) and the fella singing it? Thanks for posting sir!
David
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Old 06-05-2014, 04:26 PM
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32-20 was recorded on November 26, 1936. Robert Johnson was 25 at the time and was poisoned two years later. an early member of the 27 club.
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Old 06-05-2014, 07:38 PM
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Here's the Wikipedia treatment of Robert Johnson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert...%28musician%29

What did we do for knowledge before Wikipedia existed?

Note the mention of the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio. It still exists, in the middle of downtown San Antonio, and Johnson may be a little more familiar name here than in many other parts of the country.

Lyrics here: http://www.metrolyrics.com/3220-blue...t-johnson.html

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Old 01-04-2015, 11:06 AM
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Originally Posted by texmex View Post
I asked him why he carried a 32-20 and he said it shot real good, hit plenty hard and he could hit a soda can 100 yards away just about every time. I said "If its so good, why do you carry the 45 at night?" He said "You can't see a soda can 100 yards away at night". He passed away in 1977. His name was Bill Parten and there will never be another quite like him. We all called him "Mr. Bill". He loved playing practical jokes. He didn't really need handcuffs cause people he arrested did what he told them to do and those that didn't weren't around very long.
That is a freakin' great quote! Sometimes we forget that not all geniuses go into astro-physics.
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Old 11-27-2017, 03:02 PM
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It appears that the heir-apparent of the .32 WCF (.32-20) is the .327 Federal Magnum. I shot a new 5" Ruger GP100 with a 7-shot cylinder last week using DoubleTap Ammunition. The cartridge had a 75 gr. Barnes HP at a factory velocity of 1,725 FPS out of a 6.5" barrel. It made a most impressive "wound channel" in ballistic gelatin with some 17" of penetration. The upper track seen in the block is for this round. The lower a the .32 H&R Magnum out of the same revolver.
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Old 11-27-2017, 06:49 PM
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an old time western Lawman told me that he carried a 32/20 rifle and revolver because on horseback he could tote more ammo per pound than with a larger caliber. Also the 32/20 had a flatter trajectory
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Old 11-27-2017, 08:07 PM
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my only 32wcf it shoots great, is tight as the day it was made in 1907,,,,,,,,,,,
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