I got a Smith and Wesson that'll shoot plum through a man.

[Muley Gil]

"Modern, or I should say pre-MIM hands do not have the cam to operate pre-WWII hammer blocks."

I have a few of these ramped hands stashed away. I could be persuaded to sell one.

 

[tops]

Careful. Some of us live in Podunk, SC.

Are you the Smith of Jones and Smith Hardware Co.? Larry

 

[hardscrabble]

Dave, I live in Sevier Co. I have neighbors but I can't see them. It takes me 10 minutes to drive to my mailbox, but it takes me 35 minutes to drive to the post office. My great-great granddaddy served in the 3rd Tennessee Mounted Infantry Regt...alongside two of my great granddaddys.

A bear ate a punkin' that was sitting on my back step last night. I know it was a bear because I had to chase it out of the driveway to keep it from eatin' my dog.

Oh, yeah...and I shoot a Colt SAA in 32-20.

(All this is red-hot gospel truth, too.)

 

[Plain Old Dave]

I am advised the ship date is in all probability @1925. Found a ratty box of mostly Remington .32-20s with a handwritten C. M. McClung Hardware price tag on them the other day. Shooting ammo, keeping box.

As to the @1000 f/s handload, isn't that a little warm for a swing-out cylinder .32-20?

 

[DWalt]

I am advised the ship date is in all probability @1925. Found a ratty box of mostly Remington .32-20s with a handwritten C. M. McClung Hardware price tag on them the other day. Shooting ammo, keeping box.

As to the @1000 f/s handload, isn't that a little warm for a swing-out cylinder .32-20?

Much more likely from 1920-22 as it does not have the "Made in USA" frame stamping and does have the 1920s grip style. And 1000 ft/sec is not warm.

 

[Plain Old Dave]

It does have the "Made In USA" stamping. I am a terrible gun photographer, sorry.

As to the grips, I suspect they are not original as they closely fit the gun, but not perfectly.

 

[handejector]

I don't have time to read all the posts here.
Is the gun in time?
If it is, a new cylinder stop will likely do more for you than a new hand in removing rotational play.
If the gun IS in time, I'd shoot it to see if there is any spitting with it like it is.

I've fired lots of old Smiths that had shake, rattle, and roll.

 

[bettis1]

"I got a Smith and Wesson that'll shoot plum through a man.
That was what the Depression-era resident of Southern Appalachia would say about a .32-20 pistol of any sort."

Well, mebby so. Men were lots skinnier back in the early'20's!

Bob

 

[Muley Gil]

I am advised the ship date is in all probability @1925. Found a ratty box of mostly Remington .32-20s with a handwritten C. M. McClung Hardware price tag on them the other day. Shooting ammo, keeping box.

As to the @1000 f/s handload, isn't that a little warm for a swing-out cylinder .32-20?

No, not using a 98 grain bullet.

 

[delta-419]

Cylinder Play

I agree with "the BOSS" HE, a cylinder stop (CS) will fix a lot of the play, particularly if you gently peen (tapping) the cylinder slots down with a light gunsmith hammer. The gunsmith section can walk you thru it. Last night I was diagnosing a 32-20 that has the same issues as your gun. Since I plan to install a CS I will also install a few worn parts; bolt, springs, etc while I have it apart. I don't think I will need a new hand. Agree, Tennexplorer is one of the "go to" guys. The S&W guns are a dream to work on compared to Colts.

 

[handejector]

I got a Smith and Wesson that'll shoot plum through a man.

That was what the Depression-era resident of Southern Appalachia would say about a .32-20 pistol of any sort.

You made me smile.
I'm sure it goes back to at least the Depression, but I've still heard that all my life in the deep south.

The S&W guns are a dream to work on compared to Colts.

The last time I did any work inside the action of a Colt was in the 70s or 80s- can't remember.
I DO remember closing it up and saying to myself that's it! Too aggravating for this cracker!

Don't read too much into that. If one likes Colts, that is fine.
I simply dislike the engineering of the Colt DA.
I find them annoying to work on because they could have copied S&W and been a better gun.

 

[Plain Old Dave]

It is in time, just some rotational play when it locks up. Went to my local gunsmith and he said locking bolt or the pin the thing pivots on. He also said it should be OK for now. As it's now winter, I don't plan to do too much recreational shooting til Spring.

 

[DWalt]

Colts are not that bad to work on so long as no serious fitting work is involved. Complete dis-assembly is no more difficult than dis-assembly of a S&W K-frame or N-frame. Correcting any timing problem is best left to someone who knows how.

 

[IWK2HT]

I'd say get the letter if you want it, that's about the cost of your coffee for a week. I just win one in an auction a while back and I'm sending for the letter for it. It's just about the same as yours.
A 1905 4th change nickel it has some pitting on the barrel but it shoots great.

 

[Muley Gil]

"I got a Smith and Wesson that'll shoot plum through a man.
That was what the Depression-era resident of Southern Appalachia would say about a .32-20 pistol of any sort."

Well, mebby so. Men were lots skinnier back in the early'20's!

Bob

Well, when you live on grits, greens and pinto beans, you ain't gonna put on much weight.

 

[Simmer down]

I sent for two letters. One gun was used at security at the NASA Goddard space agency in Maryland. The other came from a hardware store. I guess it averages out in terms of thrills.

 

[Straightshooter2]

I bought a nickel .32-20 1905 4th change a while back to go with my Winchester model 92 octagonal barrel rifle also in .32-20. It was toward the back of the cabinet on the bottom shelf in a pawn shop. I asked the woman behind the counter to see it and, in looking it over, I saw the star near the serial number under the barrel. I mentioned the gun had been refinished and she thought for a second before dropping the price $75. Since I thought the price was about $50 high to start with, I "reluctantly" bought it. One thing I'm trying to determine about it though. The mother-of-pearl grips have two groves on the right hand side parallel to each other. I'm wondering if they are just gouges accidentally put in the grip or are they actually notches.

 

[silentflyer]

I have one, my grandfathers, purchased in the "company store" in War , WV. in 1922, blue, hasn't been shot much, not for sale at any price. Also have his Winchester 1897 12ga. pump, same deal.

 

[Plain Old Dave]

Shot it today. The first group is one hand offhand rapid at 21 feet (7 paces), the second one is one hand offhand rapid at 42 feet (14 paces) with a mixed bag of .32-20s. The .32-20 is a fighting gun....

 

[Plain Old Dave]

I have probably put 100-150 rounds through this sixgun and she's developing a very gratifying habit of putting lead bullets mighty close together. A couple times today, she put 2 through the same hole.

You all would paid good Yankee dollars to see the look on the gent's face at the indoor shooting range when I said this was my carry gun.

Next experiment: 87 grain .32ACP Gold Dots. Driven at .32-20 speed, they ought to be explosive.