.32 Long CTG

[dontgetbit]

I am looking for some info on what was my great grandmothers purse gun. It's a nickel .32 Long CTG with a last patent date of 1914. The serial number is 27387x and it has 7349 on the inside frame.

I did get a chance to clean the gun up today and surprise my dad with some .32 long ammo to shoot it.

Before

After some Mothers polish

 

[Oyeboteb]

Very nice..!

Most likely was never shot much and still a very crisp Action and Timing and so on?

 

[DCWilson]

That gun is called a .32 Hand Ejector. S&W made about half a million of them between 1896 and 1940 with several engineering changes implemented along the way. Based on the serial number (which is a rough rather than perfect indicator), your grandmother's particular gun shipped around 1918-1919.

 

[Candyman]

... Before

After some Mothers polish

Very nice clean up. I often hear my friends talk about Mother's Mag wheel polish & Flitz.

With Flitz being slightly abrasive, I am leery of using it.

What type of Mother's do you use? There are 4 or 5 brands and I wouldn't want to get the wrong thing but I would love to spruce up some of my guns.

Do you use a specific type for Nickel vs Stainless, or same for both types of metal?

Can you use Mother's on a blue finish gun? If so, is it the same type or different? Thanks in advance

 

[Candyman]

I'll probably get reamed for this one, but here goes. I have been talking to different folks about the 32 S&W long as I have a 32 HE in blue finish, and several have told me I can use 32 acp rounds in it.

I know it was not designed for the 32 acp round, but I saw a friend of mine do it with no apparent problems. He even let me shoot it and it shot fine.

The 32 acp is smaller in diameter, they fit in the cylinder with no assist, and are definitely shorter in OAL. I can't find 32 long anywhere around here so I bought reloading dies etc... to reload my own. Upon telling my friend about this, we went to the range (not today this post just made me think of it).

Has anyone else tried this? My question is, how harmful is this to my buddy's gun? Is it a potentially explosive situation? Thanks again.

 

[dontgetbit]

Thank you for the compliments and information. The gun in very solid mechanically. There is no play in the cylinder and the bore is very clean. I imagine it has been fired very little before the 50 rounds today. I do know it was fired at least once by her at some unwanted visitors.

As for the polish, I used Mothers Mag and Aluminum polish and a microfiber cloth. There is some minor pitting in the finish but it's not bad for a gun nearly a century old.

 

[DCWilson]

I'll probably get reamed for this one, but here goes. I have been talking to different folks about the 32 S&W long as I have a 32 HE in blue finish, and several have told me I can use 32 acp rounds in it.

I know it was not designed for the 32 acp round, but I saw a friend of mine do it with no apparent problems. He even let me shoot it and it shot fine.

The 32 acp is smaller in diameter, they fit in the cylinder with no assist, and are definitely shorter in OAL. I can't find 32 long anywhere around here so I bought reloading dies etc... to reload my own. Upon telling my friend about this, we went to the range (not today this post just made me think of it).

Has anyone else tried this? My question is, how harmful is this to my buddy's gun? Is it a potentially explosive situation? Thanks again.

The .32 ACP is a semi-rimmed cartridge, so it can be chambered in .32 Long cylinders without dropping down out of firing pin reach. You may get occasion extraction failures with an ejector rod push, but that's why they make pencils.

I don't know how accurate .32 ACP would be in a .32 revolver, but you can certainly use it in a pinch. I buy .32 wadcutter match ammo from the internet ammo sites. That's what I shoot exclusively in my old .32s. Low pressure, very accurate.

 

[Dpris]

And, .32 Long CTG is the caliber, not the model.
Denis

 

[Hondo44]

Using 32 Auto is not uncommon and harmless. The accuracy in my 32s is not bad but not quite as good as 32 S&W or 32 S&W Long. The Auto ammo is much cheaper and easier to find, hence its common usage.

 

[Oyeboteb]

SAAMI for .32 ACP - 20,500 PSI

SAAMI for .32 S&W Long - 15,000 PSI

SAAMI for .32 H&R Magnum - 21,000 PSI


I myself would stay away from any FMJ in any 100 year old-ish Revolver...and stay with nice, soft, friendly Lead.

 

[Hondo44]

All my 32 shooters are post war. But you make a very good point about 100 yr old guns, especially pre 1920, pre heat treated cylinder guns!

 

[dontgetbit]

What is the value of a gun in this condition? Obviously it's not going to be sold but just curious.

 

[Candyman]

Mine is often referred to as a pre model 30. It is made on the "I" frame and is a post WWII gun. Post WWII guns made from 1946 - 1960 had a serial range from 536685 - 712953 according to the 33rd edition of blue book gun value.

My gun has a serial # of 658xxx, so if what Hondo44 says is true I could use 32 acp ammo in it, but I choose not too. As far as the value goes, 98% condition is rated at $600, 95% @ $500, 90% @ $400, & 80% @ $300.

I use this as a guide not a be all end all on prices. For as we all know, a gun is worth whatever any given individual is willing to pay for it.

 

[Green Frog]

Just a WAG, but I would think about $150-200 for that one of yours, dontgetbit. To attract collectors' interest, condition would have to be better, and as shooters, folks are looking more for the later ones. Enjoy it with light loads and you will be able to pass it on to your great grand children.

Froggie

 

[Hondo44]

Mine is often referred to as a pre model 30. It is made on the "I" frame and is a post WWII gun. Post WWII guns made from 1946 - 1960 had a serial range from 536685 - 712953 according to the 33rd edition of blue book gun value.

My gun has a serial # of 658453, so if what Hondo44 says is true I could use 32 acp ammo in it, but I choose not too. As far as the value goes, 98% condition is rated at $600, 95% @ $500, 90% @ $400, & 80% @ $300.

I use this as a guide not a be all end all on prices. For as we all know, a gun is worth whatever any given individual is willing to pay for it.

I feel that your values are realistic. All the 32s evolved into either the Mod 30 (round butt) or Model 31 (square butt). Only the Model of 1953 to c. 1957 when they were stamped with model numbers, are considered pre models. To be a pre model the gun must be the same configuration and have the same engineering changes as the later model stamped guns except for the model # stamp.