.32 HE Early '30's?

[johnsonl]

Been watching this one for a year at the local gun show. Fella finally dropped the price enough to pounce. It looks virtually unfired. The chambers, forcing cone and bore look pristine. The yellow spots are the original grease. Had to take the side plate off to free the hand torsion spring. It came with hard rubber grips but is sporting pearls now. I usually shoot everything I own, but this one is resting comfortably with the other HE's. I might grow up and become a real collector one day.

 

[M_conrad_0311]

That is a fine looking revolver. Nice find

 

[DocB]

That is a good looking gun. The MOP grips may well be Smiths since they stopped using the S&W emblem on the grips around 1920, and that included MOP ones. I have its twin in blue including the grips. I need to find me a nickel one.

 

[DWalt]

Maybe from earlier than the 1930s. What's the SN?

 

[glowe]

No MADE IN USA stamp, so earlier than 1922. Nice 32 HE, so get some ammo and have fun.

 

[Hondo44]

Nice catch.

It has a pre 1928 mushroom ext. rod knob, and no "MADE IN U.S.A." on right side frame, therefore pre 1922, so a bit earlier.

May be able to pin down a little closer with a partial serial #.

 

[jsfricks]

Nice pickup, but it is definitely screaming "shoot me"!

 

[raljr1]

Won't hurt it to shoot it a few times.....Very nice.

 

[johnsonl]

Serial number

Serial number 337xxx

 

[AJ]

Nice piece. However, I would put the hard rubber stocks back on, unless there is something wrong with them. I side with Patton.

 

[Hondo44]

Serial number 337xxx

Late 1920 to 1921.

 

[DWalt]

Likely yours shipped in the early 1920s. I show several .32 SNs not far distant as shipping in 1921-24. Yours was made pre-1923 as it lacks the "MADE IN U.S.A." frame stamp which began around mid-1922.

 

[johnsonl]

Thanks for the info! The grips are S&W, they came from another I frame HE that wasn't nearly as nice as this one. The hard rubber grips are in perfect condition, but I prefer the pearls. I'll have to run a few wadcutters through it, just make sure it works.

 

[glowe]

A question - how do you know those are S&W stocks without the medallion? Big problem with non-medallion stocks is that there is no way to determine originality. Many companies made pearl stocks and they could have been purchased anywhere for almost any revolver made.

 

[johnsonl]

I guess there's really no way of knowing for sure. There are no other marks on them.