ID this S&W .32 Long

[mososodbob]

Please help me ID this gun.

This gun is marked caliber .32 LONG CTG. I was unable to locate a Model number and the serial number on the butt is not readable to me. (can make out the zero and the one, but not sure what that other number is?)

Gun locks up tight and had some surface rust. The bore is a bit dark as is the cylinder, but I was not very aggressive in cleaning it. Appears mechanically sound.

Questions:
- age?
- approximately dates of manufacture?
- worth a trip back to factory for re-finishing?
- can this fire current factory (SAMMI) spec ammo?
- likelihood of corrosive ammo been fired in this gun?
- source for reference material / instructions for disassembly and detailed cleaning?
- current market value?

Once it's deem serviceable, I like to shoot this piece.

 

[DCWilson]

That's a .32 Hand Ejector Model of 1903. The serial number is 3150, which is early. It was probably manufactured and shipped in1903 or 1904. You should also see the serial number on the flat underside of the barrel, on the rear face of the cylinder, and possibly scratched on the inside surface of one of the hard rubber grips.

The factory won't refinish it for you; the gun is too old, and they won't work on something that they don't have parts for in case they find something that needs repairing.

You can shoot standard .32 Long ammo in that, but avoid anything that represents itself as a hot load. I have few older .32s, and I shoot wadcutter ammo in them. They are lower speed rounds and make nice clean holes in paper targets.

It's hard to find good manuals for older revolver disassembly, but there are posts on this forum that can guide you. More modern guns (say WWI to date) can be worked on from the Kuhnhausen manual and video or the Miculek video. The main problem you will have if you open this one up is that the trigger return mechanism involves a flat spring and some linkages that can be hard to put back together once you get them out. Later versions of this gun had a coil spring inside a rebound slide to drive the trigger return.

If you are going to take the sideplate off, do not use regular taper point screwdrivers. Get a set of parallel face screwdrivers for gunsmithing work. Brownell's sells a nice combination screw driver (four bits store in the handle) that is designed specifically for S&W revolvers.

Half a million pre-war .32 Hand Ejector revolvers came out of the S&W factory before WWII, so they aren't rare. Shooter grade guns (sound action but rough exterior) can be found for $200-300. Better guns cost more. Your gun, being early, may have some collector appeal despite its semi-rough condition. I'd think it might be valued at $300-325, but others here may have different ideas.

Just as an aside, note that the front sight is pinned in. Later on the production of this model, fixed front sights were milled from the barrel blank.

 

[Muley Gil]

"If you are going to take the sideplate off, do not use regular taper point screwdrivers. Get a set of parallel face screwdrivers for gunsmithing work. Brownell's sells a nice combination screw driver (four bits store in the handle) that is designed specifically for S&W revolvers."

Many of the prewar Smiths have thinner screwhead slots than do the post war revolvers.

 

[DCWilson]

"If you are going to take the sideplate off, do not use regular taper point screwdrivers. Get a set of parallel face screwdrivers for gunsmithing work. Brownell's sells a nice combination screw driver (four bits store in the handle) that is designed specifically for S&W revolvers."

Many of the prewar Smiths have thinner screwhead slots than do the post war revolvers.

Good point, but so far the Brownell's 4-in-1 I mentioned has worked for any Smith I own, including some I and K frames that go back to the 19-aught's and 'teens.

 

[peyton]

Tell about how you obtained it. We like stories, we also expect a range report once you fired it

 

[mososodbob]

upate on condition and need source for ammo

I had the chance this winter to do more maintenance on this gun. The bore is actually in nice shape. Seems it was carried or just laying around more than shot.

I looked locally for wad-cutter ammo and discovered they were speciality items with prices to reflect its rarity.

I need a source for componets and load data to reload ammo that would be similar to what was available back in the eary 1900s. (less the corrosive primers)

Appricate the insight from all who had replied earlier with the very valuable info.

As to the request for a story for this gun...I can make one up, but it was acquired as a used gun from a local gun store.

Bob

 

[H Richard]

I have used .32 S&W Long by MagTech purchased from Midway in my Pre-30 .32 HE, postwar. It is very similar to your early gun, but surely the heat treatment was improved by then. It was shipped 1953. It is surprisingly accurate and very mild to shoot. The grips are modified boot grips.

 

[bigmoose]

I have a Colt in .32 Police (.32 S&W Long) and it is a blast to shoot. It is very accurate also. When I first shot it, I set up an empty Coke can at about 15 yards. I fired three rounds and the can never even wiggled. Thought I missed all three times. I retrieved the can and it had three holes in it. Just a cool side note to this interesting cartridge.