.32 Long M&P Arrived Today - Letter Update
- Thread starter AKtinman
- Start date
DWalt
Member
The letter could be interesting. It seems yours may have been a one-off non-cataloged example. I wouldn't argue about the 1939 date provided. Please provide the letter contents when received. BTW, I have a postwar .32 Long M&P identical to the one pictured above, but no box. There is a bit of mystery about where they all disappeared to. Some have shown up in Mexico and South America.
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My 32 S&W long has seen a good deal of use and is of the "I" frame era. The original stocks were a bit abused, so it received a nice set of goodyears to better fit my hand.
I frame 32's are a dime a dozen compared to the OP's K frame 32.
Congrats!
Congrats!
Green Frog
Member
I insist on adjustable sights on my revolvers. I love this 32 M&P.
Sometimes being bipolar is an advantage!
Froggie
Sometimes being bipolar is an advantage!
Froggie
OP
32 Long M&P Letter Update
I received the Authentication letter from Mr. Jinks and he confirms that this revolver is a .38 Military and Police, Model of 1905 Fourth Change, Special Order Variation, .32 S&W Long caliber.
Per the letter it is the only fixed sight standard .38 M&P in .32 S&W Long documented prior to WWII, and its production was authorized by Douglas Wesson, S&W Vice President.
It was shipped to Col. Alfred J. Handel, U.S. Marine Detachment, Norfolk, VA on April 18, 1939.
I researched Alfred J. Handel on ancestry.com and find no reference to a COLONEL by that name, but there are numerous references in the U. S. Navy and Marine Corps Registers to a CORPORAL Alfred J. Handel. Perhaps there was a transcription error in the original records?
Corporal Handel was the Clerk to the Squadron Marine Officer stationed aboard the USS New York, BB-34 and he transferred to Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA, in April 1939, before the date this gun was shipped from S&W.
The Squadron Marine Officer at the time was Major Benjamin W. Gally. I am inclined to think that Corporal Handel , as the clerk, was the addressee to receive the gun, but question whether a Corporal in 1939 might have sufficient funds or political / social connections to convince the S&W Vice President to authorize production of this one-off handgun.
A search by the S&W Historical Foundation did not turn up any additional documentation on this gun. I appreciate their efforts.
The Letter of Authentication confirms that the gun is in the configuration in which it shipped, with the exception that the grips, though the correct style, number to an earlier gun.
Post WWII both long and short action M&P's were produced in .32 S&W Long. It appears most were in 4" and 5" barrel lengths, with a few 2". Are there any documented 6" guns postwar?
It has been well cared for by previous owners though it has some obvious holster wear and freckling in the highly polished blue finish.
Someone asked the inevitable question - "how does it shoot?"
Very well, considering both the gun and owner qualify for "Geezer" status
I have only gotten it to the range twice and the load used was the Accurate Molds SWC bullet #31-100R over 2.0 grains of Bullseye. That load, in the Bisley 6.5" barrel chronographs just under 750 fps on the Oehler 35P.
I put about 40 rounds through it and it was a real treat to shoot. Since receiving the letter, and documenting its rarity, it has been retired to the safe.
Attached are a few new photos though I still need to work on my photography skills.
I received the Authentication letter from Mr. Jinks and he confirms that this revolver is a .38 Military and Police, Model of 1905 Fourth Change, Special Order Variation, .32 S&W Long caliber.
Per the letter it is the only fixed sight standard .38 M&P in .32 S&W Long documented prior to WWII, and its production was authorized by Douglas Wesson, S&W Vice President.
It was shipped to Col. Alfred J. Handel, U.S. Marine Detachment, Norfolk, VA on April 18, 1939.
I researched Alfred J. Handel on ancestry.com and find no reference to a COLONEL by that name, but there are numerous references in the U. S. Navy and Marine Corps Registers to a CORPORAL Alfred J. Handel. Perhaps there was a transcription error in the original records?
Corporal Handel was the Clerk to the Squadron Marine Officer stationed aboard the USS New York, BB-34 and he transferred to Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA, in April 1939, before the date this gun was shipped from S&W.
The Squadron Marine Officer at the time was Major Benjamin W. Gally. I am inclined to think that Corporal Handel , as the clerk, was the addressee to receive the gun, but question whether a Corporal in 1939 might have sufficient funds or political / social connections to convince the S&W Vice President to authorize production of this one-off handgun.
A search by the S&W Historical Foundation did not turn up any additional documentation on this gun. I appreciate their efforts.
The Letter of Authentication confirms that the gun is in the configuration in which it shipped, with the exception that the grips, though the correct style, number to an earlier gun.
Post WWII both long and short action M&P's were produced in .32 S&W Long. It appears most were in 4" and 5" barrel lengths, with a few 2". Are there any documented 6" guns postwar?
It has been well cared for by previous owners though it has some obvious holster wear and freckling in the highly polished blue finish.
Someone asked the inevitable question - "how does it shoot?"
Very well, considering both the gun and owner qualify for "Geezer" status
I have only gotten it to the range twice and the load used was the Accurate Molds SWC bullet #31-100R over 2.0 grains of Bullseye. That load, in the Bisley 6.5" barrel chronographs just under 750 fps on the Oehler 35P.
I put about 40 rounds through it and it was a real treat to shoot. Since receiving the letter, and documenting its rarity, it has been retired to the safe.
Attached are a few new photos though I still need to work on my photography skills.
Attachments
Modified
Member
The typo in the letter is hilarious, Mike is going to enjoy that one.
Congratulations on the fantastic letter on an already enviable gun. You have a true treasure there!
Congratulations on the fantastic letter on an already enviable gun. You have a true treasure there!
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2005
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- Joined
- Jan 18, 2005
- Messages
- 276
- Reaction score
- 641
Read his sibling, Daniel, for full family history.
Alfred James Handel (1911-1962) - Find a Grave Memorial
Alfred James Handel (1911-1962) - Find a Grave Memorial
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I'm sure the letter intended to say "prior to WW2", but must have been thinking about some else at the same time.
Mike Priwer
Mike Priwer
I'm wondering if the abbreviation for Corporal, "Cpl" and for Colonel, "Col" couldn't easily be mixed up. Especially since "O" and "P" are right next to each other on the keyboard. (Or, maybe it was intentional???)
Benjamin W. Gally retired from the Marine Corps as a Brigadier General. He was a colonel on Iwo Jima.
"For the assault of Iwo Jima the 5th Marine Division created the 5th Shore Party Regiment with the Commanding Officer from the 16th Marines, Col Benjamin W. Gally as commander. It was composed of the 5th Pioneer Battalion and 31st Naval Construction Battalion.[3] The 5th Engineer Battalion was under Divisional control." (Taken from Wikipedia)
There was a law in effect that when an officer who had received (IIRC) a combat commendation was retired at the next higher rank. Gally was probably a colonel when he submitted his retirement papers.
"For the assault of Iwo Jima the 5th Marine Division created the 5th Shore Party Regiment with the Commanding Officer from the 16th Marines, Col Benjamin W. Gally as commander. It was composed of the 5th Pioneer Battalion and 31st Naval Construction Battalion.[3] The 5th Engineer Battalion was under Divisional control." (Taken from Wikipedia)
There was a law in effect that when an officer who had received (IIRC) a combat commendation was retired at the next higher rank. Gally was probably a colonel when he submitted his retirement papers.
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Green Frog
Member
This gun and its story just keep on getting better and better. I wonder whether Cpl Handel in his position as company clerk just handled the order and shipping for Maj Gally, his boss? If it didn't get to Norfolk until after the Cpl had already been transferred, I wonder how it would have been forwarded. Of course in those days it was a lot easier to ship guns wherever they needed to go.
Regardless, the M&P in 32 S&W L is the one revolver in the series that sets my amphibian heart racing. Nice find!
Froggie
Regardless, the M&P in 32 S&W L is the one revolver in the series that sets my amphibian heart racing. Nice find!
Froggie
Back in the '30s, the Marine Corps was VERY small and generally all of the officers knew each other. It wouldn't be hard to find Major Gally.
The SgtMajor would be able to track down Cpl Handel.
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I really enjoyed researching your revolver. Congratulations on a fantastic revolver. Only thing better would have been if I owned it!
OP
Thank you Don. The effort you and Roy put into researching and documenting our "finds" are a real asset to we S&W fans.
It is a bit humbling to have found such a jewel and to be its caretaker for a while.
Love the history behind these guns - if they could only talk! But the mystery is part of the appeal.
OP
Wow! Quite a story. Thanks for sharing.
Green Frog
Member
AKtinman, did you get any indication of where the gun had been recently? I assume that it was consigned to the auction house from somewhere, but any indication where it's been for the last 83 years?
Froggie
Froggie
DWalt
Member
That turned out to be exactly what I had expected. I would like to know why a Marine would want a .32 M&P.
Maybe for target shooting? The course of fire used to be .22, .32 or larger, and .45.
