.32 curio 40+ years later

[gaschecked]

Back around 35 or 40 years ago I came across a little .32 S&W that I figured would make a good paperweight/conversation piece. It was in poor shape but after a good soak & cleaning of its internals I was able to get its action to cycle. A little polishing rouge & most of the surface freckles vanished. Its screws were loose but already somewhat buggered. The cylinder finish suffered from a hard polishing but even so most of the nickel was still there & to my surprise the polish removed most of the scratches. Like everything else it seems the plating process of the past far exceeded the quality we see today. As I said its about 40 years later & with a recently peaked interest in this little gun I took to the internet. I found a doaner barrel that had the catch cam its spring & the unnamed metal barrel insert to close it all up & went to work. It was a tedious job to transfer the cover plate from the doaner barrel as first it must be fitted, then pressed & finally staked in place. The doaner barrel also provided the missing front sight blade & pin. Lastly I found an original grip panel to replace the little .32's shattered right grip. Now complete & functional I'd kinda like to try & fire this old son. From what I was able to research it seems this S&W was turned out on 1881. Any advice/directions on how to contact S&W for additional available information.

 

[glowe]

Welcome to the Forum. You have a 32 Double Action, Second Model, shipped most likely in 1882. In my mind, curios are over 50 years old and made after 1898, but you actually have an antique as classified by the BATF.

These are great fun to shoot at the range, but not very valuable to collectors. A pristine example would sell for maybe $400. There is a collector market and the double cylinder stop notch examples and they are sought after, since not many come up for sale. Your work, while bringing it to a higher visual appeal and maybe better working condition, has removed all the collector appeal. Non-matching serial numbers and parts put the gun into a put-together-category, but it will not take away the enjoyment you can have shooting it, while drawing the attention of all the black plastic gun owners. Any currently made 32 S&W ammunition, as made by Winchester or Remington will function just fine in your 32 DA.

 

[Alk8944]

What you have is one of the last Second Model .32 Double Action, SN range 31 to 22172, manufactured from 1880-1882. Pretty safe to say yours is 1882. This and the 1st Model, SN 1-30, were the only .32 DAs to have the double stop notches and the circumferential groove around the cylinder.

Exactly what information were you looking for?

Gary mis-stated, or at least was a bit mis-leading. He meant to say that to be a legally classified antique the gun must have been made before 1898, not after, while a gun made between 1898 and 50 years prior to current date s legally classified as "Curio and Relic".

 

[gaschecked]

Actually the original numbers on the frame,barrel, barrel catch & cylinder remain all the original & all matching. What I replaced was the tiny catch cam,its spring, spring cover insert & sight blade these are all un numbered parts. I think what hurts collectibility is the rough cleanup a previous owner perpetrated to the cylinder. I realize there's not much value here but I would still like to see if S&W could provide any information as to the pistols history. When it was shipped & to where. I think that would be nice to know. I've read here about a forum historian, can he be contacted or just call S&W customer service? Thanks

 

[murphydog]

Welcome! A call to S & W customer service may get you transferred to the Factory Historian, if he is available, who will probably tell you the ship month and year. For the exact date and destination a historical letter can be ordered for $50; expect a 5-6 month wait.

Firearm History Request - Smith & Wesson

 

[Skeetr57]

The correct definition of an antique gun under Federal law is one that was manufactured before 1899.
You can get a letter from the S&W historian that will tell you when the gun was shipped and the original destination, which is usually one of S&W's wholesale distributors. The letter will cost $50 and take about four months for a reply.

 

[gaschecked]

Thanks to all !Thats good to know, I'll give a call to S&W tomorrow & get that process started. Four months for a factory letter, considering I've been sitting on this pistol for 40 years four months I can stand a few more months & it will be nice to have some written communication from S&W. . Does anyone have a recipe for a mild re load? Black or smokeless.

 

[hsr]

I think Gary was giving the definition of a Curio & Relic as per the OP's use of the term "curio" in the subject

 

[gaschecked]

Hi again, just for the record I have a C&R Lic. & (hsr) is correct that I used the word curio in the OP title in context that it was originally purchased as a paperweight subject to the comments of guests while sitting in my home office. This is my first post here so please excuse any errors I may have made. I'm very partial to the older firearms because in my H.O. there's just something about the wood & steel therein that speaks to the past & present as no disposable plastic gun can. Brings to mind a old quote about a Swiss watch from the Cherry Velans character in the John Wayne western "Red River". Those that know it, know what I mean.

 

[glowe]

. . . Gary mis-stated, or at least was a bit mis-leading. He meant to say that to be a legally classified antique the gun must have been made before 1898, not after, while a gun made between 1898 and 50 years prior to current date s legally classified as "Curio and Relic".

"In my mind, curios are over 50 years old and made after 1898, but you actually have an antique as classified by the BATF."

You might want to read this again. I know the cut off for antiques but was referring to the OPs use of the term curio.

gaschecked - It makes me happy that you did not use the donor barrel, rather only small parts. Value will be higher with all matching sn parts. I have my grandfather's little blued 32 DA, 2nd and still shoot it from time to time. He used to shoot rats on the farm, but would mention that it would take several shots to dispatch large raccoons, which were often found in the chicken coop.

 

[gaschecked]

Gary, before the barrel arrived I wondered should I just swap the barrels or take on the challenge of removing the fitted plate & run the risk of ruining the part. The new part was very nice & while examining it I discovered serial numbers on the right barrel catch lug & the blued catch lever was also numbered. So As it happened I had no choice but to attempt the plate swap. The original barrel numbered at the same locations was 3.5" & the new part 3". As you can see it all turned out well & I'm excited as if I had a entirely new gun. I'll most likely list the doner carcase on ebay.

 

[Jim Watson]

Actually, an Antique is a firearm made before the END of 1898.

Title 18, Section 921(a)(16) then defines "antique firearm" as follows:
"The term 'antique firearm' means -
•(A) any firearm (including any firearm with a matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system) manufactured in or before 1898;"

 

[gaschecked]

Interpretation of that can vary depending on the FFL your dealing with, I've heard some say that center fired cartridge weapons are not covered under that umbrella & others are only too happy to sell any pre 1898 firearm as an antique. I was recently looking at an early pre 1898 Colt SA with a black powder frame & despite my protest the the FFL, one of the area's better known shops wanted to DROS it because it could fire modern center fire cartridges. I passed on the deal.