.32 Top Break Question

[OFT]

I was prowling pawn shops this weekend and saw a .32 top break. The gun had about 95% blue that was slightly dull along with the mottled red/black grips. The barrel looked to be about 3 1/2" and the pinned front sight was nickel. It had a five digit serial number so I guess that it was a second or third model.

My question is whether or not S&W made any blued guns with a nickel sight or is the sight a replacement.

Thanks for any information.

 

[OFT]

I was prowling pawn shops this weekend and saw a .32 top break. The gun had about 95% blue that was slightly dull along with the mottled red/black grips. The barrel looked to be about 3 1/2" and the pinned front sight was nickel. It had a five digit serial number so I guess that it was a second or third model.

My question is whether or not S&W made any blued guns with a nickel sight or is the sight a replacement.

Thanks for any information.

 

[H Richard]

Probably original. My 38 double action 3rd Model has the pinned nickle front sight, and is fairly common.

 

[digi-shots]

I don't have my book handy... but aren't the motled red/black grips not as common as the plain black?

 

[cflier]

The mottled red black grips are quite scarce compared to the black hard rubber grips. It has been my experience that the 32 mottled grips are more difficult to find than the 38 mottled grips. The reason I believe is that all of the top break 38s have the same size grip frame, so all the double action, single action and Safety Hammerless 38s made before the mid 1890s could have been special ordered with the same size of mottled grips. The 32 frames are all a different shape or size. The singel action is a birds head type of grip and the 32 double action grips are smaller than the 32 Safety. The price of the red mottled grips have gone up considerably in the last few years. Five to ten years ago I was able to buy them for between $30 and $60 a pair. The last ones I saw sell on Fleabay went for around $180 if I remember correctly. Again though, they were for a 32 Double Action which are harder to find than 38s. Now that I think about it I believe I will take my stash of them out of the drawer they are in currently and put them in the safe. By the way, if anyone reading this has a pair of the factory green black or blue black mottled grips they would like to sell please email me.

 

[OFT]

Thanks for the info, folks. This thing looks like it has spent the last hundred or so years in a dresser drawer. I guess that I'll go back and get it.