Inherited a Hand Ejector

CM_from_PA

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My father-in-law passed last year and I am the proud owner of quite a few firearms from 1892-1926. One of them, through my research is an S&W 3rd Model Hand Ejector, 32 Long CTG :D
Looks like S/N 386276. From my reading, this is Pre 1923. Can anyone nail down manufacture date for me?
 

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The stocks are definitely 1920s. Someone will probably be along with a serial number ship date near yours although the only way to know exactly when and to where it shipped is to get a S&W letter ($100). Closest one I have is a Regulation Police target at SN 439824 which shipped in 1927. Welcome to the Forum.

Jeff
SWCA #1457
 
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It's funny. I'm trying to track down a couple Iver Johnson's and the only way to get info is to buy a book on Amazon for $100. Must be an industry thing.
 
It is not an industry thing. S&W is in the business of making and selling guns. They have little interest in satisfying the curiosity of everyone wondering when their gun was made. A former S&W employee rescued the shipping records. They are all on paper and over 100 years worth. If it wasn't for him and other collectors most of such information would have been long lost. In addition guns were not always finished or shipped in numerical order Looking up your serial number takes some time. But if you want to pin it down for less you could join the Smith & Wesson Collectors Assoc and ask it their portion of the forum.

Put, as Wiregrass has shown, the people here will try to help you out, just because they can.
 
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It was suggested I ask this here. I'm in the Valley Forge area. Do you know of any gunsmiths that I can trust with this thing? Want to make sure there will be no problem shooting this thing.
 
It was suggested I ask this here. I'm in the Valley Forge area. Do you know of any gunsmiths that I can trust with this thing? Want to make sure there will be no problem shooting this thing.

Judging from the looks of it, I highly doubt there would be any issue shooting it. If it functions like it should, and locks up tight on each cylinder, I would not spend money to have a gunsmith look at it.
 
Just looking at it I will bet it is good to go.

The 32 S&W long is not hard on guns. It is a low pressure round with a fairly light bullet. Anything wrong probably came from factory or poor handling. But yours looks real nice. I have about 4 I frame 32s all look worse than yours and all of them work just fine

Do a basic function test on it.

Slowly cock the hammer while using a finger to put a little drag on cylinder.
Does the cylinder lock before or when the hammer is fully cocked?
If not the ratchet is a bit worn and if cocked slowly may spit lead

Does the cylinder move any forward and back? Called endshake.
Can use automotive feeler gauges for a positive check.
Press cylinder back and see how big gap between barrel and cylinder is, then press forward and measure again. The difference is endshake. You need .001-.002 for smooth operation. .003 isn't terrible, but getting there. .008 should be the widest gap. But even .010 isn't a serious problem. . 004 to .006 is about perfect. Wide enough that fouling won't cause drag and tight enough for top velocity.

Cock the hammer. Now press on the back of hammer with your thumb. Just a small amount of pressure. DON'T go all gorilla. It should hold a couple lbs of pressure. If the hammer drops when you press on it your sears (hammer and/or trigger) are worn and need work. IF you press hard and force it to drop YOU are damaging the sears

With the cylinder swung open, press the thumb piece back. This will allow you to pull the trigger. Keep it pulled and look at the tip of the firing pin. It should stick out of the recoil shield about the thickness of a dime.

Does it operate smoothly with no hitches, Does the cylinder open and close smoothly?

Are the screw tight, especially the mainspring screw on font of butt. Use a hollow ground screw driver that fits the slot. Hollow ground drivers have parallel faces at tip, NOT slanted like most.

Shoot the snot out of it and enjoy. 32s are fun little guns
 
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