32 Safety Hammerless Barrel Markings

[Smithfield]

Hi! I'm a new member and I already have a QUESTION.
Why do the barrel markings on 3rd model safety hammerless top break 32s differ? I've seen some marked Smith & Wesson on the left side and others marked S&W 32 Ctg. And some have a pin visible under the barrel while others don't. Anybody here know why? Also, are 2nd model and 3rd model safety hammerless barrels interchangeable? Thanks for your help.

 

[opoefc]

Welcome to the Forum. Wondering "Why?" about S&Ws is one of the first things you experience when collecting them. Different things can be found with supposedly identical models for almost any model S&W, and Safety Hammerless guns, due to the very large amount of these guns made, will always be found with small differences, no matter which model. Barrel stampings, minor engineering & manufacturing changes and other modifications show up when comparing the same models., as you have noticed. Barrels can often be interchanged between models, if the barrel latches are similar. Ed.

 

[Smithfield]

Thanks for the info.

I wondered if I was looking at repaired guns or fakes built from spare parts. I neglected to mention that on one such S&W hammerless all the parts had matching numbers - butt, cylinder face, latch and underneath the latch. S.

 

[opoefc]

If a part has no serial number, or a number different than the rest of the gun, then the part is probably a replacement, which may, or may not, have been done by the factory. If there was a factory repair, then the left grip strap part of the frame under the left grip will have a date code stamped on it, such as " 6.33" meaning that in June 1933 the gun was repaired by the factory. You may have to guess what that repair was, unless you know the name of the person that sent the gun to S&W for the work. The repair invoices are filed by month and year under the person's name in the S&W archives at the CVHM. Safety Hammerless models are not a gun that invites fakery, as they are of modest value. The most common "upgrade" you see is the barrels being cut to two inches and the seller claiming that is the original barrel length and asking a premium for the gun. That alteration is easily spotted by the absence of the correct barrel stampings used on original barrels and the absence of a factory letter verifying the original two inch barrel. Ed.

 

[Smithfield]

You know your S&Ws. Thanks. S.