32-20 hand ejector

[GUMPOND1]

can not afford to collect collectable guns, but I do enjoy to collect vintage shooters - if that makes any sense.I have come across a hand ejector that is chambered for the 32-20 and need some advice. how old is it and if the 32-20 is different enough from the 32 long to consider the purchase.
last patent date- dec 17, 01, left side of barrel stamped 32 Winchester ctg. 5 inch barrel. , trademark on sideplate. sn# 12467, grips are checkered walnut w/ gold medalions. I think they are much newer than the ones for this time. all sn#s match except for grips which has nothing written on the inside . revolver is 75 % and tight- asking price is 400.00 thanks in advance for any advice or info. I read this forum all the time but seldom post - Bill

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass across the Chattahoochee! The revolver you are looking at is a .32 Military & Police hand ejector which is different (K vs. I) frame than .32 Long. It has the same frame as the .38 M&P. The cartridge is obsolete but lives on in cowboy action shooting. So, cartridges are available just not found at most gun stores. Your gun was made around 1903-5 and was called the .32-20 Model 1902, 1st Change. It should have a round butt. I would try to get the price down as I think $400 is too high for the condition you describe. But, it is not exorbitant if you want the gun.

 

[opoefc]

Bill, Guy gave you good info. on the gun. I also agree with what he said about the asking price. These guns are fun shooters in 32-20 cal and ammo. can be found. Similar guns can usually be found in auctions and at gun shows for around $250-$325 range. Ed

 

[JP@AK]

Guy gave you the straight scoop on your revolver. 32 Winchester CTG was how the cartridge name was stamped on the early .32-20 Hand Ejectors, from 1899 until about 1913-14. Then it was changed to 32 W.C.F. CTG. In 1922, it was changed again to 32-20 CTG. It is a completely different cartridge than the .32 Long, and older. It was first introduced by Winchester for that company's Model 1873.

It is possible that your revolver has the square butt. Those were introduced sometime in that serial range, but I forget at roughly what serial number the first square butt guns were marked.

I suggest you post a photo showing the stocks. Then we can tell you what era they are from. With a medallion, they are certainly not period correct.

The 5" barrel is a great choice for these revolvers. Here is a photo of one in my collection with a serial number a few thousand lower than yours. This one is a 5" with original target sights. The stocks on it date from about 1911 or 1912, so they aren't period correct either. This gun shipped with black hard rubber stocks and the one you are looking at probably did also.

Edit: Ed got in ahead of me. I agree with his assessment.

 

[DWalt]

I don't list any with SNs which are very close to 12467, but from what I do have, the 1904-05 dating should be correct. If it has a rounded butt, which I feel is likely, it would be a Model of 1902. The .32-20 (aka .32 Winchester and .32 WCF) is somewhat more powerful than the .32 S&W or .32 S&W Long. Ammunition is also more difficult to find and will be substantially more expensive. Most shooters who favor .32-20 handguns and rifles will load their own. Brass and bullets are more readily available than the ammunition, and reloading eliminates the inherent logistics problems of shooting the .32-20. I agree that $400 seems a little high for one in 75% condition. There were a little more than 144,000 revolvers made until production ceased in the late 1920s.

 

[Pisgah]

If you buy, here's some music to go along with your revolver...

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0H_5PSNokk[/ame]

 

[TexasVaquero]

Gentlemen, I have inherited a similar K frame revolver also originally calibered in 32-20 aka 32 WCF. It is a S & W K frame probably post 1905 but clearly prior to 1939. It was equipped with a four inch barrel in blue steel, square butt, original basic stocks, clean chambers and fair bore, blue steel, tight but lots of holster wear, no doubt from decades of police carriage. I am interested in selling. Serial 991XX. Please advise. Cross posted from my post on Gunbroker.com.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! What advice are you seeking? We have a Classifieds forum where you can post it for sale. You can't link a post here to an active auction...well, technically you can, but you'll get penalized for doing it. It isn't good to post it here, or in any classifieds, with a active auction going. If you post it for sale on a number of Internet classifieds pages, you need to state that in your for sale post so people are aware you may sell it elsewhere. Anyway, this is probably too much for this thread as we are hijacking it.

 

[JP@AK]

post 1905 but clearly prior to 1939

Well, they ended production in c. 1929, so yes, long short of 1939.

Serial 991XX

I show #90303 shipping in July, 1920, and #99052 shipping in April, 1921.

Also, the cartridge stamp and lack of Made in USA dates yours to sometime prior to mid-year 1922.

 

[DWalt]

S&W ceased production of the .32-20 M&Ps around 1929-30, but they continued to be sold from inventory until WWII, and a few were sold even after WWII. There were over 144000 made, so not nearly as popular as the same revolver chambered in .38 Special. The relatively smaller number of .32-20s made vs. .38 Special M&Ps doesn't translate into much of a premium in market value. This is probably the result of the expense and poor availability of .32-20 ammunition vs. .38 Special. Yours might sell in the $300-$400 price range as a shooter-grade gun given its condition. But you might get lucky and find someone on GumBroker who really wants it.

 

[TexasVaquero]

Gentlemen, thank you all for your valuable input on my antique S & W 32-20 M&P revolver. I mentioned that it was also for sale on Gunbroker.com because I had read elsewhere in a this thread that a reader wanted a crack at it. I regret making any rules mistake. Because I am new here, I did not realize there was a classified section. I merely thought to present this handgun, gather information, and mention that it was available on Gunbroker.com. I look forward to talking with you all much more. This has been a valuable experience.

 

[bulletslap]

I have looked at a few of these M&P 32-20s and it appears that quite a few have bulged barrels.

I have no idea why this seems to be the case. My free advice is to pay extra attention to the soundness of the barrel.

 

[Texas Star]

The .32-20 is a much hotter cartridge than .32 Long. And it came in two versions, one suitable only for rifles. And I think that meant just the M-1892 Winchester and equivalent Marlin. It was too potent for the 1873 Winchester or revolvers.

Most cylinders were too early to have received heat treatment. I'd be very careful in handloading this ctg.

It is, BTW, said to be very loud to shoot, although not as bad as revolvers chambered for .30 US Carbine.

Personally, I'd pass on this gun and buy an M&P or Model 10 in .38 Special, made late enough to have a heat-treated cylinder.

The .32-20 is okay for small game and snakes, but the .38 is as good or better and ammo is a lot easier to find and cheaper.

I'd far sooner shoot a man with a .32-20 than a .32 Long, but the .38 Special is better than either. Alas, if you want an older gun, you shouldn't fire Plus P ammo in a .38.