Age of 32 hand ejector? With Photos

[HeyJoe]

Any idea of the year of manufacture of an i frame 32 long hand ejector, 5 screw with flat main spring, short barrel, serial number 535xxx?

 

[murphydog]

The serial number is close to the end of pre-war production, or early post-war - call it 1942 or 1946. Can you post a photo?

 

[TACC1]

Heyjoe;
Yeah, let's se the pics! And a range report!
TACC1

 

[HeyJoe]

i will as soon as i get it. thanks for the info.

 

[HeyJoe]

here are photos of my newly acquired smith and wesson 32 long hand ejector

 

[TACC1]

HeyJoe;
That's one sweet looking gun!! Good snag! TACC1

 

[depicts]

Nice little gun. Congrats

 

[Pontiaker]

These are awesome little guns, I traded for one about a year back and in hand its just cooler than cool.

 

[HeyJoe]

It feels very comfortable in the hand, well balanced. I dont think that this was fired that often. I have to get to the range and try it out.

 

[murphydog]

From the photos, it appears to be a pre-war gun, or at least has pre-war style stocks on it. Does the inside of either stock panel have a stamped or written (pencil ) number matching the SN?

 

[HeyJoe]

yes on the stock panel on the screw side of the gun the serial number is stamped into the wood and matches the serial number of the gun.

 

[murphydog]

yes on the stock panel on the screw side of the gun the serial number is stamped into the wood and matches the serial number of the gun.

Looks to be a complete, factory original gun. Very nice! A historical letter would clarify if it is a pre- or post-war gun, if it matters to you.

 

[HeyJoe]

Thanks for the information.

 

[Terminator44]

Very nice little packages. I have a 2" very much like it SN 595XXX which lettered to 1952. It had the magna stocks and coil mainspring so in the somewhat limited SN difference, significant changes were made.

I added the stags to protect the originals....it is obviously the smaller of the two. Picture shows comparison to M&P of the same era. T44

 

[Hammerdown]

From the photos, it appears to be a pre-war gun, or at least has pre-war style stocks on it. Does the inside of either stock panel have a stamped or written (pencil ) number matching the SN?

Hello
It has a Four Line address so it is a Post-War Gun. It appears to be Perhaps a Left over I-Frame with those stocks on it...

 

[DCWilson]

Hello
It has a Four Line address so it is a Post-War Gun. It appears to be Perhaps a Left over I-Frame with those stocks on it...

Good eyes, Kurt, but note that it also has the small company logo on the left rather than the large logo on the side plate. That would ordinarily indicate a component manufactured in 1938 or before. The ejector knob seems to show the small postwar configuration.

HeyJoe, I'm thinking a postwar gun assembled primarily from prewar parts. Can you tell us if the hammer and trigger have patent registration notices on the rear surfaces?

Very cool little revolver.

 

[S&W Oldtimer]

My Pre 30, Ser.#5379XX shipped in 1949.

 

[HeyJoe]

there are no patent registration notices on the rear surface of either the hammer or trigger

 

[DCWilson]

there are no patent registration notices on the rear surface of either the hammer or trigger

The absence of such markings would be another indicator of postwar component production and assembly. The prewar hammers and triggers had a REG.U.S.PAT.OFF. stamp.

 

[Hammerdown]

Good eyes, Kurt, but note that it also has the small company logo on the left rather than the large logo on the side plate. That would ordinarily indicate a component manufactured in 1938 or before. The ejector knob seems to show the small postwar configuration.

Hello Dave
Here is a Pre-30 that shipped in 1958 with the Small left hand Logo...and a Model 34-1 that shipped in the early 1980's time span with the same Logo and location of it... Hammerdown

 

[hsguy]

Very nice looking 32 HE, these are great great little guns. Regarding the stocks, the factory did use pre-war shaped grips on some of the post-war round butt guns. Here are two pre-10's I owned that both have this type of grips that are numbered to the guns. If you notice the grips on the bottom gun appear to be checkered in the pre-war style style and the top gun while retaining the early shape have post-war style of checkering. I have wondered if the grips on the bottom were leftover pre-war grips and the top ones later production

 

[HeyJoe]

it seems i have a pre-post war gun.......ha

im going to print out a form and send in for a history, should be interesting.

thanks for the responses

 

[DCWilson]

Hello Dave
Here is a Pre-30 that shipped in 1958 with the Small left hand Logo...and a Model 34-1 that shipped in the early 1980's time span with the same Logo and location of it... Hammerdown

Kurt, you're right. And I found a couple of photos of other even earlier postwar I-frames with the small logo on the left. So I just misremembered the immediate postwar practice.

A man could get whiplash trying to follow the logo from side to side on these guns. Worse than following a championship tennis match.

 

[Hammerdown]

Hello David
I think The K-Frame and N-Frame models had the S&W trade mark moved much more from side to side than the smaller J-Frame or I frame models did through time Periods...

 

[HeyJoe]

I received the historical letter today from Roy Jinks. The gun was shipped from the factory on July 21,1949. You guys were right on the money it has features of both pre and post war guns. Thanks to all for taking the time to answer my question.