ID Help, Please?
- Thread starter robertwhite
- Start date
That's a .32 Regulation Police from the late 'teens or 1920s. If it has any address block, it would be a single-line gun. But if it is from the late 'teens or very early '20s, it wouldn't have an address line at all.
P&R Fan
Member
All I can tell is it's a Military and Police. Became the M10 in 1957.
That's assuming it is a .38 Spl and not a .38 S&W, which would make it a Pre M11.
Tell us the serial number from the bottom of the butt and we can give you an approximate year of manufacture.
Jim
That's assuming it is a .38 Spl and not a .38 S&W, which would make it a Pre M11.
Tell us the serial number from the bottom of the butt and we can give you an approximate year of manufacture.
Jim
Jim, that frame is smaller than you think. If you look at the forestrap, you can see that the wood extends below the frame. Those have to be RP stocks.
Yep, it looks like a Reg Pol. Is the serial number on the front grip strap and does the wood go half way up the backstrap?
OP
robertwhite
Member
That is the only pic I can get . I won't be able to see it in person for a few more days.
2 questions:
IF it is a RP, is there a serial number breakdown available such as the one for the 38spl so I can determine the date on the gun?
Is there any value to such a gun and a ball park idea as to what is should sell for?
Thanks.
I can tell you from the features that it was made between 1920 and 1930. That's as close as I can pin it down without the serial #. It appears to be in fairly good condition from the one picture and it's value is in the $400 to $450 range.
Yes, you can roughly date an RP from the serial number. They are numbered in the .32 Hand Ejector series. The first .32 RP appeared at about serial number 258000 in 1917, and they got to about 535000 by 1940. The one in the picture has non-medallion stocks, which were characteristic of the 1920-1930 period. It also has the larger mushroom shaped ejector rod knob, which went out of use about 1928. So you can already tell that this is an early to mid-1920s gun, and it will probably have a serial number between about 300000 and 500000 (very round numbers).
Value? Until a year ago I would have said about $300-350, but RPs have been changing hands at higher prices in recent months. That one seems to be in fairly good shape, if one can judge from one photo, so I'd think it might be a $400 gun. Some sellers on Gunbroker assert that these are "rare" (they aren't) and therefore worth $500 or more. Don't believe them.
On the other hand, by definition any gun is worth what you are willing to pay for it.
EDITED TO ADD: Jim got in first while I interrupted my reply to take a phone call. Obviously I pretty much agree with him.
Value? Until a year ago I would have said about $300-350, but RPs have been changing hands at higher prices in recent months. That one seems to be in fairly good shape, if one can judge from one photo, so I'd think it might be a $400 gun. Some sellers on Gunbroker assert that these are "rare" (they aren't) and therefore worth $500 or more. Don't believe them.
On the other hand, by definition any gun is worth what you are willing to pay for it.
EDITED TO ADD: Jim got in first while I interrupted my reply to take a phone call. Obviously I pretty much agree with him.
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Alk8944
US Veteran
It may be the angle, but the photo sure looks like the gun has a 6 shot cylinder. If it is a 6 shot, then it is NOT a .38 Regulation Police, but has to be a .32 R.P. Did the seller post/furnish the wrong photo??
It is definitely a ca. 1920-30 R.P. and not a .38 special of any model.
It is definitely a ca. 1920-30 R.P. and not a .38 special of any model.
OP
robertwhite
Member
Thanks guys, that helps a great deal.
Are serial numbers for the .32 RP posted in a thread or link somewhere?
?? Seller did not identify in any way. I thought perhaps it was an early .38spl.
Thanks
Several collectors keep their own records of serial numbers, and that's how they can approximate a year of manufacture. But there is a huge ugly truth about dating S&Ws, and that is that the factory did not record when a gun was made -- only when it was shipped. Even if they produced revolvers in serial number order (which they didn't do all the time), it was always possible for a gun to sit in inventory for several months or even a few years before being shipped. Collectors are often surprised when they ask the company historian to check a particular gun to see when it was shipped. Only the factory records have the knowledge. Everything else is approximation and guesswork.
A factory letter, which costs $50, will get you the exact ship date and the name of the business or individual to whom the gun was shipped on that date.
A factory letter, which costs $50, will get you the exact ship date and the name of the business or individual to whom the gun was shipped on that date.
Oh it's definitely a six shot, and of course a 32 Regulation Police; already established in David Wilson's #2 and #8 posts.
Yes, serial numbers are posted but as a large block:
1917 to 1942 = #263,001 to #536,684. Not much help though.
As David indicated, it could have been assembled long before the shipping date and only the letter will pin it down. But to me the assembled date (which is unobtainable, is more important to me because it will match the features on the gun, i.e., the mushroom head ejector knob and stocks w/o medallions.
As the guns are assembled, the earliest with lower serial#s may go to the back of the vault for storage until they are ordered by distributors. More recently assembled guns with higher serial #s and possibly with newer parts may be stored closer to the front of the vault; wherever the space in the racks is. So guess which ones get shipped first when ordered; those close to the front.
So it's common for guns with older parts design to be shipped after guns with higher serial #s and newer design parts! For example some of the earliest shipped 44 Magnums are in the 160,000 serial range and months or a year later those in the 140,000 range were shipped.
OP
robertwhite
Member
What frame size would the RP .32 be considered? (K,N,I ?)
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The Regulation Police revolvers are I-frames -- the small one.
I = small
K = medium
N = large
They are 'I' frames and became 'J' frames c. 1961 when all 'I' frames were discontinued.
OP
robertwhite
Member
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