Help to identify the age and model of my revolver

[Silverbullet007]

From my research today it may be a 1905 3rd generation.
My father gave this to me yesterday. It is a 32 Winchester CTG. Ser # 47824. Can anyone help verify the model and age of the revolvers? Also what is best to clean a little surface rust off it or should I just oil it?
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[DARE]

Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson 4th Edition calls your gun .32-20 Hand Ejector Model of 1905 3rd Change.
Serial number range 45201 to 65700 with 20,499 manufactured circa 1909-1915. Your serial number would put you close to 1909.

For surface rust I would recommend a little gun oil and scrub with bronze wool. Don't use steel wool as it will remove the blue.

 

[22hipower]

The 32 Win is the same as 32-20. The 32-20 is still manufactured but isn't available everywhere and is expensive when it is found. I have a 2nd change with SN 42448 and from 1909; not sure at what SN they became 3rd change. If it were mine I'd just oil it and clean it, others will suggest a bath in one of several substances that will remove the corrosion and crud. Don't use anything abrasive though. Nice to have a family heirloom and one you can shoot if you want to do so.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[DWalt]

With the round butt, yours would be a .32-20 Model of 1902, NOT a Model of 1905. Those had square butts. That Model of 1902 and Model of 1905 nomenclature continued until around 1915 when they all became cataloged as either the .32-20 or .38 Military and Police Model, either round butt or square butt.

Although the .32-20 and.38 Special revolvers were mechanically identical, they were serial numbered in different sequences. The .32-20 M&P ceased production in the late 1920s, but sales from guns in inventory continued for the next ten or so years. The .38 M&P far outsold the .32-20 M&P, by about 4:1, when both were being made.

 

[JP@AK]

Hi Silverbullet007 and welcome to the S&W Forum.

Nice 32-20 Hand Ejector to inherit. Not in too bad shape and it appears to have its original hard rubber stocks. It has the common 5" barrel and standard fixed sights.

Nearby serial numbers, 47389 and 47391 shipped in 1910, July and October, respectively. Both of those had target sights with the 5" barrel. On the other hand, 47736 with a 6" barrel and target sights didn't ship until March, 1917. You just never know unless you purchase a letter from the S&W Historical Foundation. Sometimes they sat in the vault for quite a while.

 

[rct269]

And the old-timers used to say "A .32-20 will shoot plumb through a man." So you're good to go should the occasion arise!

And as already noted, the ammo is hard to find, and expensive when you do, so if you're fond of shooting, use a .22---and put the family heirloom on the shelf.

Ralph Tremaine

 

[DWalt]

Most anyone wishing to use a .32-20 revolver as a shooter should take up handloading. And even then, .32-20 brass is not the easiest to locate.

 

[Hawg Rider]

Welcome to the Forum! Your father presented you with a nice vintage .32-20 Model of 1902 revolver. With a little TLC, it should clean up nicely and be a fun shooter (if you can find some ammo, like Cowboy Action ammo). It'll make a nice family heirloom.

 

[VASCAR2]

Starline manufactures 32-20 brass if you can find someone to reload if you don’t. The 32-20 is currently out of stock but I’ve seen it previously available. If you are interested you can sign up for notification once the next batch is produced.


32-20 Brass - Small Pistol - Brass Cases

 

[glowe]

Confusion and varied opinions on model names for these K frames have and always will occur. There is the Roper camp that will call any butt-frame design built on or after 1905 a Model 1905. Walter Frederick Roper, (1881 - 1954) headed up the S&W Service Department in the early 1900s and story has it that he developed a parts bin by engineering changes, making it easier to find parts for repairs. The labels on the parts bins became his source to name the various models, changes, issues, etc. in his and McHenry's book on Smith & Wesson in 1945.

The company, independently produced catalogs almost every year from the late 1800s and named their models in a different way. Marketing/Sales departments issued a catalogs in 1909, 1910, and 1912, all naming the round butt K frame as a Model 1902 and a square butt a Model 1905 until around 1916, when the company dropped the year and called K frames Military & Police square-butt or round-butt. Below are the K frame pages from the 1912 catalog in case you want to print them out for your gun. The price list is also below showing the square butt price of $17.00 and the round butt sold for $16.00

 

[Silverbullet007]

Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson 4th Edition calls your gun .32-20 Hand Ejector Model of 1905 3rd Change.
Serial number range 45201 to 65700 with 20,499 manufactured circa 1909-1915. Your serial number would put you close to 1909.

For surface rust I would recommend a little gun oil and scrub with bronze wool. Don't use steel wool as it will remove the blue.

Thank you for the information. Would the date be the same if this is a 1902? Seems several thinks this is the round butt.

 

[Silverbullet007]

Confusion and varied opinions on model names for these K frames have and always will occur. There is the Roper camp that will call any butt-frame design built on or after 1905 a Model 1905. Walter Frederick Roper, (1881 - 1954) headed up the S&W Service Department in the early 1900s and story has it that he developed a parts bin by engineering changes, making it easier to find parts for repairs. The labels on the parts bins became his source to name the various models, changes, issues, etc. in his and McHenry's book on Smith & Wesson in 1945.

The company, independently produced catalogs almost every year from the late 1800s and named their models in a different way. Marketing/Sales departments issued a catalogs in 1909, 1910, and 1912, all naming the round butt K frame as a Model 1902 and a square butt a Model 1905 until around 1916, when the company dropped the year and called K frames Military & Police square-butt or round-butt. Below are the K frame pages from the 1912 catalog in case you want to print them out for your gun. The price list is also below showing the square butt price of $17.00 and the round butt sold for $16.00

Thanks for the great information!

 

[JP@AK]

Would the date be the same if this is a 1902?

Yes. The 1902 and 1905 models ran in the same serial sequence.

But they differed by caliber. .38 caliber 1902 and 1905 units ran in one sequence; .32-20 caliber units ran in a different sequence. A lot more .38s were made. Actual production of the .32-20 ended in about 1929, and they were only up to 144684. The .38s reached approximately 600,000 in the same period.

 

[DARE]

Thank you for the information. Would the date be the same if this is a 1902? Seems several thinks this is the round butt.

Your gun is a round butt. I think your gun was manufactured in 1909 or 1910. Shipped date could be somewhat later. Sometimes years after manufacture.
There is a difference of opinion on what your revolver should be called.
One group says all guns made after 1905 are Model of 1905. Some have round butts and some have square butts.
Another group says round butts are Model of 1902 and square butts are Model of 1905 regardless of when they were manufactured.

 

[DWalt]

You will always be correct in calling your round butt revolver a Model of 1902 because that is exactly what S&W cataloged and advertised it as being. At least prior to 1916 when the nomenclature changed. Regarding the “changes”, that is purely a collector convention used to identify slight evolutionary mechanical changes made to the basic design over time and was never used by S&W in its nomenclature system.

 

[Pisgah]

I'm just enough of a fool that I'd love to have one of those so I could spend unreasonable money and time making a few rounds to pop off in it now and again.

 

[Brooks]

Nice!
Mine is 42781, assuming 1908
Square butt. These are great shooting revolvers.
What is the bore like? Mine is perfect.
You need to load for it.
I made the boxes too..... I guess I had too much time on my hands!

 

[JP@AK]

Mine is 42781, assuming 1908

42694 shipped on December 22, 1908. It is a target model with a 6 1/2" barrel.

 

[DARE]

Brooks, I love your box! Would like to place my order for 100 rounds. Will get a gun later.

 

[Brooks]

Your gun is a round butt. I think your gun was manufactured in 1909 or 1910. Shipped date could be somewhat later. Sometimes years after manufacture.
There is a difference of opinion on what your revolver should be called.
One group says all guns made after 1905 are Model of 1905. Some have round butts and some have square butts.
Another group says round butts are Model of 1902 and square butts are Model of 1905 regardless of when they were manufactured.

When I bought this one... I think 30 years ago, they had a tag on it that said M&P 32-20. I just refer to it(them) as S&W Hand Ejectors. Glad you like the homemade boxes.... I did it because I like the way 50 rounds carried tight in the old style boxes. Apparently they cannot sell ammo in this type of box any longer. Another law I believe. Has to be in styrofoam or dividers so we don't hurt ourselves, but it's bad for the ecosystem.