.32 Regulation Police Target

[ElKabong]

1 of 196 according to the SCSW.
This walked into a friends shop today and called me to make sure what it was.

Going up on consignment, or possibly an auction site, for the customer who brought it in.

S/N 657XXX with s/n'd grips, no box. We are trying to put a value on it,
but obviously can't find any other examples. Though the SCSW mentioned a mint one bringing 3K in 2003.

Only thing that looks incorrect is the blade on the rear sight looks like a replacement.
I'm guessing there are other models that used the same rear sight so a replacement
is probably attainable.

ElKabong

 

[ElKabong]

1 of 196 according to the SCSW.
This walked into a friends shop today and called me to make sure what it was.

Going up on consignment, or possibly an auction site, for the customer who brought it in.

S/N 657XXX with s/n'd grips, no box. We are trying to put a value on it,
but obviously can't find any other examples. Though the SCSW mentioned a mint one bringing 3K in 2003.

Only thing that looks incorrect is the blade on the rear sight looks like a replacement.
I'm guessing there are other models that used the same rear sight so a replacement
is probably attainable.

ElKabong

 

[Pontiaker]

My dad recently bought one for about $1600 in a little les condition than this one. The market is kind of crap now with the economy. 6months to a year ago I would say $3k but now probably closer to $2k....It just depends how you sell it and if the right couple of buyers see it, etc...

 

[Buck44]

I spoke with the customer of this gun today and he said go ahead and put it on Gunbroker and we will find out what it is really worth. Thanks Pontiaker for the information.

 

[HarryWatson]

I have one similar, however, it has the round knob on the end of the extractor rod, and the back of the front sight blade has a slight radius to it. Serial is 318XXX, but it is not in such fine condition as this one. In addition, when I got it, it had a set of butt ugly home made target grips on it. Mine does not say regulation police, just Smith&Wesson on the right side of the barrel, and 32 Long Ctg on the left side.

 

[Hondo44]

Harry,
You have an original pre-war, made sometime just before 1927. That's when it is believed the round knob was dropped and the medium knob was introduced. Mine and the one at the beginning of this thread are most likely made from left over frames from your guns era (See description below with picture).

Don't be concerned about the lack of a Reg. Police stamping. None of the .32 Cal guns were stamped, but if they came with the notched rear grip strap, square butt wood grips and the serial # on the front grip strap, they are officially Reg Police models or RP Target. If they had round butt grips with serial number on butt of grip strap, they were .32 Hand Ejectors or HE Target. What is yours?

Mine is the same as the one in this thread; a 1957 era .32 Regulation Police Target 'I' frame with small trigger guard and leaf mainspring (pre Improved 'I' frame and pre model 31), #657XXX (stamped on front grip strap above the strain screw and matching all other #'d parts inc. grips), 4", pre war/early postwar notched rear grip strap with post war type checkering border on round top stocks with curved medallions. One of 196 made on left over pre war 'I' frames. You'll notice pre war sights w/Pre War steel/nickel plated sight adjusting tool to fit tiny sight screws, pre war/early post war hammer, and 3rd type post war (post 1966 for J frames) non-sculpted thumbpiece! All features totally out of character with non-target pre Model 31 guns of the 1957 period! But it has the 3rd and last style skinny ejector knob and post war grooved trigger. A very convoluted transition model for sure. Brief details of these 196 guns are on page 128, 3rd edition, Standard Catalog of S&W, Supica and Nahas. Pictured w/1920, 2 screw target stocks w/gold medallions.

 

[HarryWatson]

Jim,
Mine has the serial number on the front strap, and a rebated back strap. I did manage to get a set of two screw grips for it, but with no medallion. Other than the lack of a medallion, they look just like the one in your picture.
I need to find a grip screw for it. I have scoured the local gun shows, but no luck.
How many of these were made? Even though it is not in pristine condition, would it be worth lettering, and possibly rebluing by S&W??

 

[Hondo44]

Originally posted by HarryWatson:
Jim,
Mine has the serial number on the front strap, and a rebated back strap. I did manage to get a set of two screw grips for it, but with no medallion. Other than the lack of a medallion, they look just like the one in your picture.
I need to find a grip screw for it. I have scoured the local gun shows, but no luck.
How many of these were made? Even though it is not in pristine condition, would it be worth lettering, and possibly rebluing by S&W??

Harry,
Your grips are correct for your gun. Prior to 1910 and 1920 to about 1930, the grips came with no medallions. 1910 to 20 had gold and 1930 to 41 and early prewar had silver. The two screws are different lengths: top is 1" and bottom is 1 3/16". And they have the pre war .100" thread size used on all the small frame guns including the breaktop double actions. After the war small frames used a .090" thread. Some time after the '70's small frame thread sizes were standardized to the same as the large frame grip screws at .120".

Here's a contact for S&W parts. He purchased S&W's pre war parts inventory of 1200 lbs (50 crates): Jerry Rogers 1-352-394-7412 or [email protected] His answers to e-mail inquiries are very speedy!

 

[rongarci]

Buck44,
You mentioned that the gun was going up on Gunbroker back in March. Do you know what the final selling price was?

 

[Red Rover]

Looks like it went for a good price (for the buyer).

Looks Like The Same S & W

 

[rongarci]

DWood, Thanks for the link! I have one just like it; picked it up for $250 at a pawn shop 3 years ago. Way fun to shoot with wadcutters! I just got laid-off, so it's nice to know it's value if it needs to become part of the "financial backup" package... hopefully not.