My interest in S&W revolvers covers hand ejectors from 1899 to 1982. I purchased my last new S&W , a Model 34 in 1978. My newest S&W is a model 64 made in 1980.

I have not yet purchased a newer S&W because there are so many original older S&W and Colts out there that are still on my wish list that I am trying to add to my collection. This is not a negative comment on the newer S&W revolvers. On the contrary there are some very appealing revolvers in the current line up.

I see the changes in materials and manufacturing methods as necessary in order to stay competitive in the revolver market.

One of the older models I missed out on is the K-32. They are’nt seen often and the prices just keep going up. Even the 16-4 has gotten hard to find.

After looking over the current line up I think it would be great to see a K frame .32 in the line up.

Two possible models would be a stainless version based on the model 67. It could be called the model 616 CT for Combat Target.
Barrel length options could be 4” or 6”.

Or maybe a Model 16-5 K-32 Masterpiece for the classic line.

Chambering would be .32 H&R Mag like the model 16-4.

If they build it I will buy it.

The question is does Smith and Wesson’s marketing department listen to suggestions?

Either of these suggestions would be built on existing designs and would be easy to make.

I have a 16-4 and if they come out with what you suggest (16-5)
I would suggest .327 instead . I would buy
One ether way. Make mine a 6” with a gold
Bead .

In the current market it will never happen!

For some reason my pic isn't showing up?
I had Hamilton Bowen assemble this one for me about 10 years ago. It's a .327 Fed Mag using a 8-3/8" Model 16-4 barrel, pre-Model 15 frame and rechambered Model 17 cylinder. The scope is a vintage Leupold with Beuhler mount and rings. Stocks are square butt combats.
It'll shoot all 4 cartridges (.32 S&W, .32 S&W L, .32 H&R Mag and .327 Fed).
It's a tack driver.

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Chris
SWCA #2243 SWHF #292

Count me in. I’d definitely buy any version of 16 or 616 if they would produce it. I lucked out a few months ago and snagged a nice 16-4 6” with box and tools. It has become one of my favorite revolvers to shoot as of late. In fact, I just shot it yesterday and haven’t had a chance to clean it yet.

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USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

I'd consider a new K or J frame in .32 mag or .327 .

I think if we all kicked in $1,000, have our own leader "handejector" deliver it to S&W. Maybe that would get their attention!!
In the mean time Ruger makes some fine 327 magnum revolvers, it pains me deeply to type this statement

If you can get past their horrendous DA triggers. I’ve got an SP-101 in .327 FM that I’ve put over 500 full house rounds through plus a lot of dry firing and I don’t think it’s much better than when I bought it new. SA isn’t bad, but I like shooting a revolver DA much better. It it were even halfway close to my 16-4, I’d be happy.

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USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

Like a few others on this forum instead of waiting I had a couple of .32s custom built by Andy Horvath. Relatively simple but sure not cheap. But then you have a hand built custom gun. Both mine are .327 Federal and are great shooters. Then after the fact I stumbled upon a couple of Model 16-4s and just couldn't let them slip away. The two on the right are the Horvath customs.

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Given the current product line-up and the sort of thinking S&W is trying to appeal to, they would totally ruin it.
They'd feel compelled to chamber it for one of the so-called "Magnum" rounds rather than the original 32 S&W. They'd probably add a slab barrel and make it an 8 shooter, or whatever else to make it a gimmicky range toy for weekend blasters.

And, they would certainly goof up the groove & bore dimensions, not to mention the cylinder throats, making it useless for serious target work with lead wadcutters.
So, it would never be a true "K-32 Target Masterpiece".

Maybe the better option would be a Manurhin Match 32. They have a cylinder specifically cut for target (wadcutter) ammo and are available with a traditional SA/DA action or a short action SAO. Available with 5" or 6" barrel. Latter weighs 2.37 lbs.
see pic.

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I have a 16 (no dash), 16-2, and 16-3. And of course a 16-4 all 6"

The post from 6string brings this back to reality. While it would be very easy to retool the model 67 for 32 S&W or .32 H&R like the 16 -4 this probably is not something S&W would do.

At this time I have a pre model number 30 and a .32 Regulation Police that was made in 1940. About 3 or 4 years ago I picked up a set of RCBS Cowboy dies with a carbide sizer , an RCBS mold for a 98 gr SWC, 1,200 PPU unprimed cases and a good supply of powder and small pistol primers. I have been able to load for this caliber with about the same ease and economy as the .38 Special. I have been able to shoot my .32s quite a bit and they are a lot of fun. But I would like to have something bigger than an I frame in this caliber.

Since I am only going to be shooting.32 Long a revolver chambered in .32 H&R or .327 is not needed. I would not however pass up a Ruger or 16-4 if one came my way.

One less expensive option that I have been considering is a .32 J frame with a 3 or 4 in barrel or a Colt Police Positive Special. While these are still on the small side they still have more to hold on to than an I frame.’

I do have one question for any forum member who has a .32 H&R or .327.

If and when you fire .32 Long ammunition how is the accuracy?

What range of cost would be involved to convert a Model 17, 18, or 617 to .32 S&W Long, .32 H&R, or .327 FM?

The few (50 or so) .32S&W Longs I’ve put through my M16-4 seemed accurate enough. I was firing off hand and just using up some .32L that came with the revolver. I could discern no difference in accuracy between it and the .32 H&R.

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USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

15 years ago or so I inquired with S&W about a run of 32-20 guns. At the time they said that it would take an order of 1000 units. Don't know if that would stand today.

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Jim
Many K and N Frames

The K frame in .32 what ever would be OK with me, preferably the.32 long. Had 3 custom 32’s built by Andy Horvath in 32 Long, have 1 very early pre-16, a 16-4 4” converted to .327 by Andy and a Manurhin MR32. Also have a pre-war 32 target made from a M&P pre-war target. The .32 is intriguing and a classic 32 would sell but not sure how many.

At the club every year we shoot a double action only revolver league for 8 weeks. Shoot 2 matches a night, it’s based on the bullseye platform with slow, timed & rapid. The 32 loaded light is a pleasure in double action.

Here is a family photo, Larry

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Would a GoFundMe account work for getting a large financial commitment for a new .32 from S&W?
Might it allow for a deposit to convince S&W?

Prescut

I would really like a .32 H&R like my model 18. The 4" normal barrel profile would be perfect. The .32 doesn't warrant a heavy, or worse, lugged barrel. I have a 16-4 6" and though it shoots well it's much too heavy for a .32. I would also buy a .32 H&R like my 4" model 63 if it didn't cost several mortgage payments.
I did buy a 4" SP101 figuring it would scratch the itch and that was a mistake. Heavy for it's size and in spite of springs, shims and hours of polishing it still has a crummy trigger. On top of that I can't find a load that gives me decent groups. Maybe I should find a model 31 and pay someone to put an adjustable sight on it. Truth is .32 S&W long is all I need and they are cheap to load and always shoot well.

Just to keep the juices flowing, you might go back over this build;

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-rev...ect-616-a.html

In the words of Jimmy Buffett, “All it takes is looks and a whole lot of money.”

This is what it looks like

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I should have mentioned in this thread that my Project 616, being a custom build, has the full underlug barrel, a set of Austin Behlert adjustable sights, and imported (from Thailand) dark rosewood combat style grips. The factory equivalent might have the first of these, but would definitely have the standard rear sight and would probably have grips by Altamont or Goodyear too. Also, the current shape of the receiver would be slightly different and have a Hillary hole. Finally, there’s no telling what kind of thumb latch S&W would use… I just shaved the bottom wing off of the original from the donor Model 66 and called it good.

When I get named CEO (or even Chief Designer of New Releases) at Smith, this will be my very first project. Notice how they even left my chosen number, 6 for stainless and 16 for 32 caliber, available for this very Model!

Froggie

Although I am happy owning a 4” 16-4, I’d be happier if they’d start making more 632-2 Pros.

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213th FBINA

A new K-frame .32 ain't gonna happen. Bear in mind that when the 16-4 was released that it was a flop. They only made a few thousand and it took years to sell them. Its only in the last 10 years or so that they've become popular and that is primarily due to their scarcity. Collectors want the rare gun, not necessarily the cartridge.
Sure, members of this board would run right out and buy one. But the general public would completely ignore it.
Also bear in mind that the .32 long, .32 H&R and the .327 Federal are all barely hanging on by their fingernails. The market just isn't there.

Froggie your 616 build cost me a whole lot of money for sure. Wouldn't change a thing.

OK, Would this work? K frame 32/20, replace with a re-chambered 22 cylinder, Install a M-14 rear sight and early patridge front? I just had a M-14 rear sight and patridge front installed on a 32/20. My cost $200 for a finish challenged 32/20, $35 for a used M-14 rear sight and an early patridge front. Gunsmith cost to install, $200 plus $16 tax.
SWCA 892

I dunno, I really like shooting 32's. A new 32 K frame would be a nice gun to have.

But that cartridge is pretty much DOA for modern shooters.

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SWCA #3356, SWHF#611

Medium thread drift. As a new owner of a 16-4 can I look for a K-22 cylinder and crane to rechamber to 327 F? Is there a better choice that still leaves me with my original cylinder in 32 Mag?

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Front sight and squeeze

I just reamed out my two 4 inch 16-4's. I use 32 acp, 32 long, 32 mag and 327 mag in mine. A big plus is when shooting with my grandkids I start with the mild ones and move to wild ones. Once they are ready I will put an assortment in and let the fun begin. This way they learn not to flinch when firing.

D****d proud to be an enabler!

I wouldn’t chamber the second cylinder for 327 FM, maybe not even 32 H&R, since the rest of the gun is still close to a century or more old. An adjustable sighted 32-20 (with post War sights installed) would be a dandy.

If you could be sure the auxiliary cylinder would only be used for factory equivalent 32 H&R, that would work fine since they had to be loaded for the relatively weak H&R revolvers.

I haven’t tried to fit a post War K-22 cylinder to a pre War revolver, but I’ve been told it is do-able.

In a word, yes. If the original cylinder has recessed (magnum type) chambers, you’ll just need it reamed and the extractor star perhaps tuned a bit to get good carry up. If it has non-recessed chambers, the rear face of the cylinder will need to be milled off to match.

I had the former with Project 616 and the latter done on my Faux Model 16-3. I really can’t see any difference.

Froggie

Purely my own opinion on reaming a Model 16-4 to accept the .327 Federal cartridge; I picked up a finish challenged 16-4 from a friend for a very attractive price. Being an 8 3/8” gun I really wanted to use it with the .327 rounds that I load for my two Horvath customs. I remembered having a couple of adjustable valve guide reamers for motorcycle cylinder heads so I rounded one up and measured it and it was exactly the same size as a .327 Federal chamber. So with plenty of cutting oil I started the process. Well there was absolutely no joy as the only thing the reamer would remove was a bit of carbon from the step in the chamber. Pondering the situation I realized that I was trying to cut the chambers deeper not larger in diameter as the reamer was built to do. I removed each blade from the reamer and used a cut off wheel in my Drexel to put a slight edge on the end of the reamer blades. Back to the cylinder and just a few turns removed enough material for one of my Federal rounds to seat completely. Apparently with a roll crimp on the .327 round it doesn’t take much to lengthen the chamber for a good fit. Looking in the cylinder with a good light you cannot discern the modification. This gun will never be sold so the value does not concern me but I can’t see why this modification should devalue any 16-4 if done properly. The only way to verify this modification is to test fit a loaded .327 round. The amount of metal removed was minuscule. I guess if you have an unaired collectible you may not want to do this but if you aren’t going to shoot it there is no sense in modifying it in the first place.

Series Guy, you have certainly made an informed decision in your particular situation, one with which I concur completely.

But with one in higher condition or one that might be traded or sold in the future, the decision becomes more complicated. My best comparison is the pre War N frame 38 Specials that presented (at the time) a cheap way to get a 357 by the simple expedient of reaming chambers. Now, collectors distinguish between "reamed" and "unreamed" examples and they are priced differentially.

I have a Ruger Buckeye Special Blackhawk with cylinders in 32-20 and 32 H&R. While it would handle 327 FM without problems, I hesitate to alter an example of a limited production gun that is in 98% condition with box and dox. Then again, each of buys a gun and makes our own decision what to do with it. At the present I'm more interested in preserving value since I have a couple of 327s to shoot, but if I didn't ...

Froggie

PS When do you want to get together and shoot? Are you in Pittsburg or Birmingham?

Pittsburgh. Anytime you can see your way to head north I'm available for a range trip. As a past president I have keys to most everything at the gun club so it's always open for me.

As far as collectibles go if that is your thing then the visual impact is actually the number one criteria. So shaving the recoil shield on a Triple Lock or cutting a barrel or reaming a .38 S&W to .38 Special would be an instant devalue. On the other hand reaming a .38 Special to .357 Magnum or a .32 H&R to Federal should have no affect on value. I understand that collectors want the best of the best but I also think that many fine guns are devalued for no real reason.

Wow series guy, we sound like twin brothers from different mothers! I get up your way occasionally these days and will give you a holler; meanwhile if you are coming through Central VA, stop by Lynchburg and we’ll head out to my club where I am chair of Rifle & Pistol Range Committee and have keys & combination to everything. Maybe we could get Jebus35745 and StrawHat from Ohio and perhaps a couple of others together for a Regional 32 Shoot. About 20 or so years ago a similar offhand comment led Dale53 and myself to organize a BP Schuetzen event in Friendship, IN. . About 60-70 years ago the 44 Associates did the same thing with their big loud guns and they didn’t have the InterNet!

Regards,
Froggie

Of the hundreds of revolvers I’ve owned, only one K32. Just out of High School I got it used on a trade. This was in the magnum mania period of 60s. I got several boxes of factory target ammo with it. Shot up ammo and must have traded it off/ sold, don’t remember. The LGS were full of 32 revolvers at the time, going cheap. One of the few S&W that I never purchased new. I remember seeing them in display cases like orphans. I think guys my age missed the boat on 32s, especially those with adj sights.
In most cases the 32 would make a better field cartridge than the 38sp.
For shooting such things as small game and varmits where a little more than 22 would be nice. Takes awhile to figure out with a lot of revolver cartridges you are burning more power and lead necessary for the job. I guess the last 30yrs anti personnel guns have been the major market and not much done for field type.

Series guy, how far is Andover Ohio from you?? I belong to Solon Sportsman Assn in Dorset. Froggie built the 616 the same time period Andy Horvath built a 5” K-32 from a 6” K-22 for me. Have 3 .32’s made by Andy. Wish Froggie wasn’t so far south, an actual 32 shoot would be fun. Just ordered an 8 3/4” T/C Contender barrel from MGM in .32 wadcutter, should have it by Jan/Feb.

In another thread AJ is supposedly heading to Meadville north of Pittsburg from Florida this winter and we may get to gether somewhere in between. Bought a gun from AJ and we were talking in Rimfire Central about an Al Freeland Martini. Larry

I would enjoy going to a .32 shoot with you guys. Sadly, it's a long walk from KC to the east coast.

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protocalldesign.com

Sounds like Pittsburgh would be a good central meeting place for everybody. I’m game.

Would you gentlemen be willing to accept a guy with 5-6 32-20 traget k frames in on the fun.

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Dave
Regulators mount up!

Why not have a K-22 cylinder rebored and fit to one of your 32-20s? I bet Andy Horvath could do it for you in OH and you could pick it up on the way to the shoot.

Froggie

I distinctly remember a K-32 sitting on a dealers shelf about 1971 or 1972. My biggest regret (much later of course) was walking past it and leaving the store without it. It was the only one I’d ever seen new for sale.

They should produce a 16-5, a -6 and a -7. One having s tapered barrel another the full under lug and a fix sight variation. All in 327 mag and with various lengths.

Lets all dream

My realities were built on 10-7 J&G frames
a 6" 327


a 3" 327

Well, if they could find the tooling to make pre IL frames, they could make the model 16s you mention, then in stainless I could see 6” Model 67 barrel blanks and Model 617 barrel blanks being bored to .312” groove with a 16” twist to make Stainless Masterpiece and Stainless Heavy Masterpiece Model 616s and then make a fixed sight stainless 4” 327 FM using a Model 64 parts with smaller holes!
There would be a brief loud clamor for them and a few of each would actually sell, then they would languish unsold on dealers’ shelves. But we’d each get the ones we want!
Froggie

I am pretty sure you mean barrels with a 312 grove and a 1 in 16 inch twist.

16 turns in an inch is a bit on the aggressive side.

I know why they are nervous about sales, but right now there seems to be quite a bit of interest in small caliber high velocity hand guns. The 5.7 and the 22TCM are selling in semis

It doesn't take any more work to make hot rod 32s than it does for them to make 38s and 357s. I would take a 6 shot 327 steel J over a 5 shot J frame 357 every time. In fact at this point I would take a K 32 over a 38/357 myself.

I now have 2 alloy J frame H&R mags. One of them is now a alloy framed 327 mag. The recoil is such that 2nd shot time sucks. But that would apply to 38 or 357 alloy Js even more so. Would rather have a steel frame 327 mag J frame. My 640 cylinder and barrel maybe getting replaced with 327 parts

FIXED IT!
Hey steel… isn’t .312” pretty small for a grove? Those trees must really be tiny! See, I’m not the only one who makes typos!

I had no decimal point and 312 trees is actually quite a few for a grove 313 would just about have to be a forest.

Keep me posted. Pittsburgh is hometown for me and I get back every chance I get. I have a 32 or two as well.

Wife and I passed by Froggie's on our way to lake Lure from Arlington a few weeks ago. Things we know too late.

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

Billy Joel, "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" from the 1980 album Glass Houses.

The drawback to Smith & Wesson making a new K-32 of any type, is the ugly profile of the current frame due to the lock. The flattened curve of the back of the frame where the hammer is just completely turns me off.

That said, with a whole lotta money you can get your own made. Here's my 8-3/8" .327 Federal done by Andy Horvath.
The seldom-seen 8-3/8" K32



A few years ago you could get the Brno Alfa-Proj revolvers in .32 S&W Long (and .22 and .38) for a reasonable price but they don't seem to be available any more.
Alfa revolver triplets - .22, .32, .38

I'd be all in for a reissue of sorts in K or J frame, but in .32 S&W long only. I'm not a fan of the 327 or 32 Magnum calibers.

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FBINA, 204th Session

I have a 6” S&W 16-4, 5.5” Ruger Single Six in 32 H&R Mag and 4” S&W 31. All are accurate and love S&W Long with 98 grain HBWC bullet with 2.0 grains of Bullseye. On occasion, I shoot the 16-4 in outdoor bullseye league. Only wish I had larger holes to improve my score 😄