Inherited S&W revolver identification

[Wynott]

Hey guys, looking for some help. I inherited an old revolver from my dad who just passed away. He said he got it from his dad who passed in the late 70's. I would like to know as much about it as I can. Model, frame, year, is it rare or hard to find and an approximate value, not that I'm gonna sell it.
Hand ejector
Serial # 662007
32 S&W Long
3 inch barrel
Fixed sights
Thanks

 

[Wynott]

I have photos, but cant figure out how to post them. It's a great accomplishment for me to just get logged in, lol.

 

[DWalt]

A few pictures would help ID it, also what might be stamped on it. My guess is that's it's a pre-Model 30 (aka S&W .32 Hand Ejector), ca. 1956-57.

 

[Wynott]

I got one photo to load. The rest are in cyberspace, somewhere. I'll try again in the morning.

 

[DWalt]

My guess is correct. I am not up on current prices for these, but I'd suspect that you might find a used one at a gun show priced in the $350-$400 range.

 

[Muley Gil]

Welcome to the Forum.

Glad to hear that you are going to keep it. For many of us, firearms that belonged to family members are a link to the past that should be passed down generation to generation.

 

[Waveski]

The side plate screws are very clean ; it looks as though no work has been needed or done to your revolver. Very nice.

 

[shouldazagged]

My condolences on the loss of your father.

That's a very nice little revolver. I know you'll treasure it.

 

[Wynott]

Thanks guys. A proper cleaning and into the safe for this one. I need to find some correct ammo for it. He had 2 boxes of 32 auto they it will shoot, but I'd like to get the correct ammo. Now, I have to try to get the revolver from my wife's side of the family. I believe it's a Colt chambered in 32-20. I saw it once, probably 20 years ago. One of the sisters has it now, and I would love for my son to eventually own them both. Thanks for the info.
pre-Model 30

 

[Wynott]

I got a second photo to load. It's a close up of the cylinder release(?). It looks different, to me, than any of the photos I've seen of guns close to this model and year. Does it look correct for the serial number above?

 

[S&WsRsweet]

Great little revolver you inherited and great family tradition passing it down.Take your son out and shoot it .I promise you will cherish those memories and he will also .Those 32 revolvers are a pure pleasure to shoot and with say a Lee hand press and a few other things you can get into reloading fairly inexpensive and the 32 can be very mild and inexpensive to reload and talk about memories and tradition .It just doesn't get any better than the shooting sports as family fun and tradition. Let us know how it shoots I have had good luck with mag tech 32 target wad cutters as far as factory ammo but as a reloaders it's hard to beat the little efficient 32 S&W long .

 

[murphydog]

It will use .32 S & W Long, or its older and shorter cousin .32 S & W. The former will be much easier to find and less expensive.

The "thumb piece" (a quirky S & W term for the cylinder release) is one of the variations of what collectors call the flat latch. Given the age of the gun it is probably the second of the three types.

 

[Andy Lowry]

That's a handsome little guy. I have a Regulation Police (same gun as yours, but with a square butt grip) with a serial starting 662, and it shipped in September 1957, so yours probably did too.

If no stores near you have S&W Long, Graf's has Fiocchi and S&B wadcutters. .32 Long is fun to shoot!

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! I, too, offer my condolences on the loss of your father. The .32 revolvers are fun to shoot. You father and grandfather probably enjoyed it routinely. You and your son should too. Before 1953, the .32 HE models were built on the I frame which transitioned to the Improved I frame then to the J frame. The mainspring went from a flat spring to a coil spring on the Improved I frame and is still used today. Before WWII, all .32 HEs were round butt. The Regulation Police model had a stepped backstrap that mated to an extended square butt stock to convert it to square butt. After the war, S&W made them with a round butt and square butt frame. Also S&W went through a phase of flat latches on the .32 HEs and some other models. So, your gun was born in the middle of those innovations. It was an interesting time for the small frame guns.

 

[mrchuck]

I own one like yours. The ammo is 32SW Long and available at Academy Sports for about 8 dollars a box of 50.
Square butt models were called Regulation Police.
Many Chiefs of Police loved this Model.

 

[DWalt]

"I own one like yours. The ammo is 32SW Long and available at Academy Sports for about 8 dollars a box of 50."

There must be an Academy super discount store in Gun Barrel City. If the local Academy stores have any .32 Long in stock (usually Aguila) it is priced much closer to $20/box. About a year ago they had a closeout sale on Remington .32 S&W (not Long) for around $12/box. They had 5 boxes, I took all of them.

 

[H Richard]

I have a 2" Pre Mod 30, 32 Hand Ejector Post War, S/N 662165 which shipped Dec 1957.

 

[Wynott]

Thanks for all the responses, info and condolences. What a great forum with great members.