32 w.c.f.

[three50seven]

I was offered this in trade today, and I can't pass up a S&W, so now I'm the proud owner of what I believe is a model of 1905, with a 6" barrel chambered in 32 wcf. Serial # on the butt and cylinder is 56669. It appears to have been refinished, but I'm thinking the grips are original. The latest patent date on the barrel is 1909. I'm hoping someone can share some more information and possibly a date of manufacture.

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[Muley Gil]

The grips have been sanded, as they should be checkered. The refinish looks pretty good though.

 

[three50seven]

The grips have been sanded, as they should be checkered. The refinish looks pretty good though.

I think they're just worn down. The opposite side has quite a bit more checkering visible.

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[walnutred]

Yes, it was refinished. At first glance I thought someone put a pair of Victory grips on it but I guess they were just over sanded during the refinish. I am also a 32-20 fan, however I'm probably the only one in my family who is. Family legend says that one of my relatives was working as a Deputy in Faulkner County Arkansas shortly after the turn of the previous century. My relative bought into the high velocity sales pitch and was carrying a modern S&W 32-20. During a jail break one of the escapees came out on the street, running straight at my relative, the deputy. The deputy drew, fired 4 shots hitting the escapee three times in the chest. Finely stopped him by cracking his scull with the revolver. Examination showed that the 32-20 simply poked 3, 30 caliber holes through the chest area without hitting anything that would stop the escapee. I guess he took to carrying a Winchester 97 and an old SA in 44 after that.

 

[oddshooter]

That old warhorse just fits my eye.

I love the 32-20's as I grew up in Albany, Texas shooting those little pills in an old SAA.
You discovered what looks like a beauty to me. She's not perfect, but I love the look of History flowing out the barrel.

I don't know how familiar you are with the caliber, 32 WCF, or 32-20, but it was there at the beginning and is still with us today. It is unusual today for a revolver in that it is bottle necked brass, like a rifle cartridge.

Handloading pays off here if you fly that route; the cost of ammo can get expensive with this caliber. Handloading is a little sensitive sometimes to the thin brass at the top. I crunched a few until I got my setup right. Now I really enjoy the process with the powder coated boolits I make.

There's a lot of room in that case and it is possible to build some pretty stout rounds. I wouldn't do that for this old hawgleg. Her steel is probably not up to it.
Also know that this cartridge was also used in rifles and that means there is ammo out there for rifles you don't want in your wheelgun. I've rarely even seen it, but it does show up at gun shows.

Do you have any other of the new 32's: 32 H&R mag, 327 Federal Magnum? If not, you've wandered into a whole realm of the 32 Family. I got hooked last year and it all grew out of my fascination with the 32-20.

The new Rugers in the 32's are an almost completely different world with the new, tougher steel and Ruger designed tanks.

Starline offers excellent brass and there are several spots for bullets. You will find excellent threads on the 32-20 as there are more than a few aficionados.

Congrats,
Prescut

PS Like your moniker, three50seven. I may steal it for my Colt 3 5 7 discussions. three5seven just looks cool.

 

[Muley Gil]

I think they're just worn down. The opposite side has quite a bit more checkering visible.

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Usually, the eschutcheon is below the surface of the wood. I can't say that I've ever seen a worn grip that didn't show at least a little bit of checkering. Can you post a close up of that right grip panel?

 

[rct269]

Your Model of 1905, Third Change was manufactured during the period from 1909-1915----1 of 20,499 done at that time----serial numbers from 45201 to 65700 (Per SCSW-4).

Ralph Tremaine

 

[gmborkovic]

Mr. seven, I like your old girl. 32 WCF is fun to shoot.

 

[three50seven]

On closer inspection, I really can't tell if they've been sanded down or just worn down from 100+ years of use.

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[JP@AK]

Some comments:

1. Regardless of the wear pattern, the stocks are not original to this gun. The stock circle is convex and that style was not used until 1920. This gun shipped with stocks that had the deep dish gold medallions, which started shipping in late 1910 or early 1911.

2. 32 W.C.F. as the cartridge designation was not used until sometime in 1913 (see stocks comment above) and was standard by 1914, so this gun is at least that late.

3. My list shows five .32-20 HE revolvers in the 5xxxx serial range. The earliest shipped in July, 1912, and the last shipped in July, 1915. The latter has the number closest to yours (568xx).

That looks like a fine shooter. Have fun.

 

[DWalt]

The closest dated SNs to your 56669 on my list are 53220 shipping 6/1913 and 59043 shipping 12/1913. So probably 1913. The grips on yours now (ignoring their condition) would have been used on S&Ws of the 1920s decade.

 

[JP@AK]

53220 shipping 6/1913 and 59043 shipping 12/1913. So probably 1913.

Or not. As I noted earlier, 568xx didn't ship until July, 1915. Ship dates on these revolvers are all over the map. The only way to nail one down is to purchase a letter, or, if you are a SWCA member, reach out to Roy Jinks in the member section of this Forum.

 

[kraynky]

I hope to find the twin to that one some day. I have a Marlin 1894 in 32-20, and need a companion revolver to go with it. The wear on that one suits me fine.

Congratulations!

 

[three50seven]

Thank you all for the information! Despite a somewhat rough bore, she actually shot pretty well with the HSM ammo that I bought. I think with some tuned handloads it will be a fine shooter.

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[Muley Gil]

What distance and were you standing?

 

[three50seven]

What distance and were you standing?

25 ft.

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[Muley Gil]

"It is unusual today for a revolver in that it is bottle necked brass, like a rifle cartridge."

The .32 Winchester Central Fire aka the .32 WCF aka the .32-20 was first introduced in the Winchester Model 1873 RIFLE.

 

[Kinman]

5.7 x 28 has been around for at least a decade, as well as .357 Sig, before that the .30 Luger. Lots of bottle necked pistol cartridges. I think Cor-Bon has a necked down cartridge on the market.
At the range I shoot at our 25 yard pistol range has a restriction for any "rifle" cartridge unless its rimfire. I shoot my 32-20 out of my S&W and one of the new range officers gave me a bit of grief. I explained to him that the velocities of the 32-20 do not create problems like shooting a .223 pistol. The same holds true for 44-40, originally it was designed for a rifle and some people cannot read between the lines. We've had to do some mighty serious explaining to the AR/AK47 pistol shooters that although they may be pistols they are still shooting a rifle cartridge with higher velocities than our 25 yd pistol range was designed for, not to mention the noise level. They like to argue that cartridges like the .357 Magnum have high velocities but its pretty easy to explain the fact that they don't exceed 2000fps.
There are a couple of guys that are allowed to shoot their 300 blackout pistols, as there are always exceptions to every rule but these guys are accomplished shooters and always shoot at the far end for a short window of time early in the morning.
We also allow one of the old timers to shoot all of his rifle barreled contenders, but only with the understanding that he handloads them down to reasonable speeds, otherwise go out on the 50/100 yd line. There was a guy shooting a BFR 45-70 and they allowed that for some reason, just more for the comic relief of watching him wince at the recoil, whenever they allow something like there is a range officer or club officer in attendance. We do not allow anything in the .50 BMG category on the range period.

 

[Hawg Rider]

I've got your revolver's younger sister, a 1905 4th Change from the mid-20s (s/n 118705). Lots of holster wear on the bluing, but all original and the stocks are in relatively good condition. The stocks on your .32-20 might be a little later than the revolver.