Help identifying another hand ejector

[RFMan]

I'd love some help with identifying this revolver with specific model, date or date range of manufacture, etc. This was my grandmother's revolver. It's a hoot and a pleasure to shoot. I appreciate anything folks can add.

I can tell the following: hand ejector, serial 587919, caliber 32 S&W Long, 3" barrel, fixed sights, no model number on the yoke

 

[DWalt]

587919 makes its shipping date likely to be around mid-1952. At that time it would have been called simply the .32 Hand Ejector. Model numbers had not yet started.

 

[RFMan]

587919 makes its shipping date likely to be around mid-1952. At that time it would have been called simply the .32 Hand Ejector. Model numbers had not yet started.

Thanks very much!

 

[Hondo44]

What a great family heirloom!

I agree with DWalt, you have a "Model .32 Hand Ejector" from mid to late 1952. It's the second model made following its re-introduction after WWII in the late 1940s. The second model is classified by collectors as the .32 Hand Ejector Improved I frame Model (because of it's new coil mainspring that replaced the former leaf spring); 1st version with round front sight instead of the 2nd version with ramp front sight, and a barrel rib on a true 3" barrel.

You'll find the barrel actually measures 3 1/4", a standard length of the 1st version.

After one more evolutionary change to the Model of 1953 NEW I Frame, it became the Model 30 in Mid 1957.

The hard rubber black grips instead of walnut, are most unusual after the war and in the 1950s. Remove the right side grip and look for a serial # stamped, penciled, or scratched on the back side. If it has a non-matching # or no #, the grips are replacements.

Enjoy!!

 

[Waveski]

What was the time period during which that style of ejector rod end and front sight were found on the same revolver?

 

[DWalt]

I am not sure about I-frames, but generally on K-frames, the knurled extractor rod tip started around 1947. The ramped front sight started around 1952-53.

I also thought the black hard rubber grips were unusual on a 1950s I-frame, but I don't know enough to say whether that it was possible or not to have them. The grips look so heavily worn that I would suspect that they are not original. But of course the entire gun shows considerable use.

 

[Hondo44]

What was the time period during which that style of ejector rod end and front sight were found on the same revolver?

The short answer to your question is from 1933 to 1950 on fixed sight guns all frame sizes. But lots of clarification is needed to know the entire answer and the reasons.

BACKGROUND:
The straight extractor rod with knurled tip (no knob) was first used on pre WWII 2" barreled hand ejectors; the I frame in 1936 when the first 2" 38 S&W Terrier was introduced; the K frame in 1933 with the 1st 2" snubbies; and not on the N frame until after the war.

It was designed so that it would go all the way into the yoke flush for maximum reach to extract cases.

During that period all other barrel length hand ejectors used the barrel knob first introduced in 1927 to replace the mushroom knob. The exception was the N frames with an extraction rod shroud under the barrel which was first introduced on the 44 Triple Lock in 1908.


Pre war extractor knob change 1/22/27 to 'barrel' style with barrel notch shown:

The straight rod was less costly to produce especially because it no longer needed the underside of the barrel notch milled for the barrel knob.

But after WWII, S&W would not scrap notched barrels in inventory just to change over to the straight post war knob-less rod. As we know S&W didn't scrap anything they didn't have to, so they attempted to use up the notched barrels in inventory by using barrel style knobs. Also as we well know, parts were not used in any particular order when assembling guns. So it's easy to understand post war assembly of un-notched barrels w/straight knobs being assembled first and/or mixed with notched barrels and barrel style knobs.

So all frame sizes in the very early post war years until ~1950 will be seen with barrel knobs/notched barrels as well as with straight rods with knurled tips.

NOTE: recognize the extractor rod thread on I frames only were changed from right to left hand thread soon after the war; much earlier than K and N frames (~ 1960). Therefore on early post war I frames, barrel knobs will be found in both right and left hand thread.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Welcome aboard from Wyoming, RFMan.

That's a dandy heirloom. Shows lots of character.

Enjoy,

Bob

 

[gordonrick]

Nice .32 HE! It has definitely seen some use. Now I want to know more about your Gramma! I'm interested in what you find out about the grips. They do look really worn. The flat side plate screw (top left) would normally be used with the Magna style grips since the top of the grip covers that screw. I'm betting they are replacements.

Jim - As a point of reference, my post-war Terrier 58260 (~ late '50 or early '51) has the left-hand thread extractor rod. It also has the older round-top "service" grips but in walnut.

 

[glowe]

The 32 Long is a pleasure to shoot at the range and you can quickly go through a box without the usual tired hand and arm. Please get some oil on that gun. It looks very dry and shows lots of rust. Oil will arrest the rust and keep the gun in its current state. No market value there, but I am sure you want to keep the gun as is, without further rusting, so heavy oil is the trick for storage. Nice to have a family heirloom.

Forgot to add that the Standard Catalog of S&W by Supica/Nahas states that checkered walnut stocks were standard, but anything is possible. Best to check the serial number on the inside of the right stock while you are cleaning up the old 32 HE to see if they match or not.

 

[Hondo44]

Nice .32 HE! It has definitely seen some use. Now I want to know more about your Gramma! I'm interested in what you find out about the grips. They do look really worn. The flat side plate screw (top left) would normally be used with the Magna style grips since the top of the grip covers that screw. I'm betting they are replacements.

Jim - As a point of reference, my post-war Terrier 58260 (~ late '50 or early '51) has the left-hand thread extractor rod. It also has the older round-top "service" grips but in walnut.

Good eye on the flat sideplate screw! That's a clincher that the gun was shipped with walnut 'Mini' Magnas.

Your Terrier from that serial range is almost positively the scarce 6 screw .38 Terrier Post War Transitional Model with leaf spring and tension screw (6th), 1st version of the Terrier shipped after the war. And I agree, most likely shipped early '51.

Do the round top Service stocks have the pre war sharp cornered checkering border - flat silver or curved nickel medallions?

 

[Hondo44]

RFMan,

Gary is right about getting after the rust. And the innards are almost surely gunked up with dirt and dried grease.

I suggest flooding the action with a gun cleaner/preservative thru every opening and including where the cyl rotates on its axis. When no more black goo drains out coat the outside, scrub the rust spots with a toothbrush, wipe it down, and your good to go. No need to disassemble it.

 

[gordonrick]

Jim - The Terrier has the post-war rounded corner checking and curved nickel medallions. And yes, it does have the leaf spring.

 

[RFMan]

What a great family heirloom!

The hard rubber black grips instead of walnut, are most unusual after the war and in the 1950s. Remove the right side grip and look for a serial # stamped, penciled, or scratched on the back side. If it has a non-matching # or no #, the grips are replacements.

Enjoy!!

Thanks; that's very helpful. No serial on the grips, though there is what looks like a "T" scratched on there (using a straightedge). I first became aware of this revolver around the mid-seventies; it has always had those grips in my memory. No idea when or where or how they came to be on it.

 

[RFMan]

I am not sure about I-frames, but generally on K-frames, the knurled extractor rod tip started around 1947. The ramped front sight started around 1952-53.

I also thought the black hard rubber grips were unusual on a 1950s I-frame, but I don't know enough to say whether that it was possible or not to have them. The grips look so heavily worn that I would suspect that they are not original. But of course the entire gun shows considerable use.

Yes, my grandmother carried this in her purse a lot - and she never had a holster. I never saw anyone clean it, either

 

[RFMan]

Welcome aboard from Wyoming, RFMan.

That's a dandy heirloom. Shows lots of character.

Enjoy,

Bob

Thanks! Been on here quite a while, mostly lurking. I find I've accumulated quite a number of S&Ws, those most of them are not revolvers!

I went to grad school in Boulder, back in the late 80s/early 90s. One time I went with the flying club up to Laramie, in the winter. It was quite breathtaking flying over all that snow-covered, rugged terrain. God's country.

 

[RFMan]

Nice .32 HE! It has definitely seen some use. Now I want to know more about your Gramma! I'm interested in what you find out about the grips. They do look really worn. The flat side plate screw (top left) would normally be used with the Magna style grips since the top of the grip covers that screw. I'm betting they are replacements.

Jim - As a point of reference, my post-war Terrier 58260 (~ late '50 or early '51) has the left-hand thread extractor rod. It also has the older round-top "service" grips but in walnut.

Well, she was a hoot She and my grandfather lived way out in rural SC, and they both worked for Burlington Industries ("the cotton mill") in Batesburg, SC. She retired early on disability. He passed away first. When she passed, at age 75, my family and I went over to secure the house and their firearms. Three doors had loaded .410 shotguns standing behind them, and a fourth had a loaded 12 gauge. She usually had this pistol in her purse, no holster (argh). She had different glass dishes around the house, what we would today call potpourri dishes. Most of them had a few rounds of 32SWL ammo sprinkled in with whatever else was in them.

 

[RFMan]

The 32 Long is a pleasure to shoot at the range and you can quickly go through a box without the usual tired hand and arm. Please get some oil on that gun. It looks very dry and shows lots of rust. Oil will arrest the rust and keep the gun in its current state. No market value there, but I am sure you want to keep the gun as is, without further rusting, so heavy oil is the trick for storage. Nice to have a family heirloom.

Forgot to add that the Standard Catalog of S&W by Supica/Nahas states that checkered walnut stocks were standard, but anything is possible. Best to check the serial number on the inside of the right stock while you are cleaning up the old 32 HE to see if they match or not.

I've enjoyed shooting it a bit. I am keeping it in a silicone-lined Bore-store. You might not think so, but I've already been over it thoroughly with CLP previously; I was very surprised to see it this dry when I brought it out for photos and to make this posting. This is one of those I would never sell - it would stay in the family.

 

[RFMan]

RFMan,

Gary is right about getting after the rust. And the innards are almost surely gunked up with dirt and dried grease.

I suggest flooding the action with a gun cleaner/preservative thru every opening and including where the cyl rotates on its axis. When no more black goo drains out coat the outside, scrub the rust spots with a toothbrush, wipe it down, and your good to go. No need to disassemble it.

If it's gunked on the inside, I can't tell it from working the action. I have cleaned it with CLP quite a bit before, and it lives in a silicone-lined Bore-store, but I was quite surprised to see it like this when I brought it out for photos. It will get some more attention.

I have a number of firearms from my grandparents and parents, mostly shotguns with little to no market value; a couple of 22 rifles, and a couple of revolvers. I began shooting only about 15 years ago, and I found, to my dismay, that both sides of my family did not take very good care of their firearms. They have been stored in the backs and tops of closets in humid houses (that didn't always have air conditioning), were not checked or cleaned as time went on, and generally treated like sticks or mop handles. It shows on almost all of them. My granddaddy had a four-long-gun rack on the wall that held some, which reduced the abuse they received (I refinished that rack, because it was in sad shape too). So...this revolver may look sad to folks...but it's actually on its way back.

 

[RFMan]

I appreciate all the activity! Sorry it took a while to respond - elder care takes me away sometimes.