Model 30-1

pacecars · Jul 3, 2023

I am looking at a 30-1 in .32 S&W Long for a carry gun for my wife. She doesn’t like the recoil from .38 Spcl out of an M&P Bodyguard and I consider a .22 as a last resort gun but better than nothing. I was thinking this might be the perfect gun for her. I was looking at a Charter Arms and Ruger LCR in .327 or .32 H&R mag when I came across the 30-1. I would prefer the quality of the older S&W over the others and it is not much more than one of them. Is my thinking clear? Also can anyone tell me when serial number H75691 was shipped? Trying to see if it would be C&R

D Brown · Jul 4, 2023

From the "Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson,4th Edition" Section 3, Appendix B on Page 489, H Serial Prefix for Models 30 and 31: H60001 through H99999 were produced between 1972 and 1976.

I have a Model 31-1 from the same time frame that I modified for .32 H&R Magnum.

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Sistema1927 · Jul 4, 2023

I like your thinking. If and when I find myself confined to a wheelchair, this 30-1 will be tucked in next to me.

Dave.357 · Jul 4, 2023

Every buddy should have one .

StrawHat · Jul 4, 2023

I have a similar, but older version of that revolver, a 32 S&W Hand Ejector built on the slightly smaller I frame. I like the little revolver and while I find it pleasant to shoot compared to a Model 36-1, my wife finds them both too small for her hand. She prefers a Model 15-3 or a Model 19.

My advice, buy the Model 30 if you want it but let your wife choose what she wants.

Kevin

Green Frog · Jul 4, 2023

Like Kevin, my little 32 snub is built on an I frame. I was fortunate enough to acquire a post War transitional example with the leaf mainspring. This allows a very sweet trigger pull, a nice feature on such a tiny gun. It makes a nice partner to my Baby Chiefs Special. BTW, both retain their original wood grips and I adapted my hand to the grip rather than the other way around.
Froggie

StrawHat · Jul 4, 2023

Froggie is correct. The older revolvers had the flat mainspring instead of coiled. It made for a much smoother trigger pull.

Kevin

sophie · Jul 4, 2023

Here’s a Model 30-1 of mine with Pachmayr’s.

StrawHat · Jul 4, 2023

I forgot to add images of the little beast.

strawhat-albums-strawhat-picture24702-0327cce5-5ea0-4c50-915a-12bf81836b24.jpeg

strawhat-albums-strawhat-picture24703-ad2299dd-1aac-4595-91b8-0e88e3a8fb00.jpeg

I like Service or Magna stocks with a grip adapter. I intend to replace the hard rubber factory stocks with a set of smooth elk.

Kevin

Green Frog · Jul 5, 2023

I had a Model 30-1 from the estate of a gunsmith friend. He slicked it up and did a very professional looking reblue. Finally, he added a nice set of Roy Fishpaw smooth combat grips. I gave it to my tiny niece for her 21st birthday and it generally is loaded with Georgia Arms JHPs, same as my little I frame. For all but the most extreme situations, neither of us is undergunned.

Froggie

Hondo44 · Jul 8, 2023

When you think about the .32 Model 30-1 J frame, here's something to consider.

The .32 Long J frame is the easiest conversion on any gun. Ream the chambers to accept the .32 H&R Mag. Rent a reamer, use a T handle and lengthen the chambers. Done by hand it's about a 20 minute job. Now you can shoot both cartridges. Much less recoil than a .38 J frame and you have six shots and a lot more punch than the .32 Long.

If she's going to carry for self defense have her carry a gun of equal size to what she thinks she wants. Then she can make the final choice. The gun you carry no matter what caliber, is always better than the one you leave at home or in the car because it's too heavy.

Green Frog · Jul 9, 2023

Jim,

We’ve “chatted” about this very conversion several times. I kinda go back and forth on whether I should perform just this very thing. I’m still undecided. I can always decide to do it, but I could never undo it.

I guess with the acquisition of a Model 631 to sate my desire for the power available in the 32 H&R and some enthusiastic recipes I got from the likes of my friend “beagle” over on that forum where they can’t spell, I probably won’t be altering mine. I won’t share those recipes publicly, but in guns I have confidence in, the 32 S&W L case can be as powerful as I “need” in a J frame or even a late I frame.

Of course, now that the 327 FM has come onto the scene, especially in Rugers (and of course custom S&Ws) the whole question may be moot if I just want to go for power as the primary feature of my 32. That little I frame snub will probably stay original, and as for my niece’s J frame, it looks like she’s happy with it as is.

Your Phriend the ‘Phibian

tjpopkin · Jul 9, 2023

A word to the wise about the .327 Federal.......
I collected 32s for 25 years and had every .327Federal that S&W made + some Rugers. For the latter, I like the SA Single-Seven because of the weight....
My take on the S&Ws......
The light frames like the 632 are tough to shoot well....the .327 is a "STOUT" round and the recoil is substantial in the light frame. What I did do, and it sounds foolish, is to have Bowens rechamber a Model 16-4 to .327 Federal and I now have a very accurate K-frame with recoil a bit below the .357 level. Accuracy with .32 long wadcutters is unaffected.

I WISH that S&W would do a PC 616 for .327 Federal. Ffiber Optics preferred, Adjustable rear sight (to be able to shoot .327 and .32 long) but maybe a cut for a smaller red dot like on a 9mm.
Terry

BC38 · Jul 9, 2023

I got an all-steel Taurus 327 with a 2" full-underlug barrel.
It is a bit stout with full-bore 327 mag SD loads, for sure.
With 32 H&R mags, a lot less so.
With 32 S&W longs, it's a puddy tat.

RWJ · Jul 9, 2023

Look for a cylinder....

I bought a very similar gun several years ago, and was fortunate to have a cylinder from a 632 which I purchased from an auction site. It fit up with just the slightest adjusment, and allowed me to keep the blued cylinder original. It handles .32 Magnum and 32 S&W Long without any problem whatsoever, especially with its steel frame and slightly longer barrel. Brownell's used to have cylinders, but may be out by now.

Here it is in its work clothes, and its Sunday clothes.

Tom S. · Jul 10, 2023

I am not trying to dissuade you from buying another gun (heaven forbid), but has your wife tried the .38 with wadcutters? They are much easier on recoil yet the big blunt nose still delivers a decent wallop to the target. Plus they are not expensive.

TJm15.38 · Jul 10, 2023

I think the model 30-1 would be just fine for a lady. Load her up with some Buffalo Bore 100 grain cast wadcutters. The box says 900 FPS and 180 ft/lbs, but I doubt I would get that out of my 31-1 with a 2" barrel. My gun is a H prefix serial, probably made in 1972.

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