K-32/ Model 16 with Black Ramp front sight?
- Thread starter 410bore
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
I do not believe it was the normal furnished sight, but S&W's could be ordered with various combinations of sights, triggers, hammers, so I wouldn't be surprised. Only a letter from the Historian Roy Jinks could confirm exactly how it was shipped from the factory and when.
Did you find one? You're good at finding guns, grips and ground hogs. Larry
Here is a picture I posted in my recent "Rare Pairs" thread.
These are both 4" K-32's that letter. The bottom gun is in the K366XXX serial
number range. Its a 4-screw pre-model gun. The front sight, as can be seen, is
a red-insert ramp sight. I'm comfortable in assuming that it would have been
available in solid black without the red insert.
Regards, Mike Priwer
These are both 4" K-32's that letter. The bottom gun is in the K366XXX serial
number range. Its a 4-screw pre-model gun. The front sight, as can be seen, is
a red-insert ramp sight. I'm comfortable in assuming that it would have been
available in solid black without the red insert.
Regards, Mike Priwer
If you're talking about the 16-2 currently listed on GB, it sure looks original based on the pictures. It is also equipped with 3T's, and my guess is that it was ordered that way along with the ramp front sight from the factory. As previously mentioned, the only way to be sure is with a letter...
Hello
As The K-32 was one of the Masterpiece trio revolver's to the best of my knowledge most had a Patridge front sight blade, Unless they are the very Rare 4" model's as Mike Priwer has shown and those had a Black Baughman style sight blade on them, no red ramp. I suppose you could have ordered a red ramp sight blade on one although I do not see why you would with a 6" barrel what normally came on the K-32 Masterpiece revolver as they were considered a target style revolver with the Patridge style sight blade, but anything is possible with S&W. Being that the K-32's are scarse, Highly Sought after and very collectible, & command a high price to buy one I would want to be certain that the red ramp sight was Placed there at the factory as a later modified gun is just that a Modified gun Later changed and will not net the true collector value of the Elusive K-32 Masterpiece. Here is my Pre-16 shown here many times. It is an early wide rib barrel model of Five screw variant that shipped in July of 1951 shown with it's factory 1/8" factory Patridge sight blade. Regards, Hammerdown
As The K-32 was one of the Masterpiece trio revolver's to the best of my knowledge most had a Patridge front sight blade, Unless they are the very Rare 4" model's as Mike Priwer has shown and those had a Black Baughman style sight blade on them, no red ramp. I suppose you could have ordered a red ramp sight blade on one although I do not see why you would with a 6" barrel what normally came on the K-32 Masterpiece revolver as they were considered a target style revolver with the Patridge style sight blade, but anything is possible with S&W. Being that the K-32's are scarse, Highly Sought after and very collectible, & command a high price to buy one I would want to be certain that the red ramp sight was Placed there at the factory as a later modified gun is just that a Modified gun Later changed and will not net the true collector value of the Elusive K-32 Masterpiece. Here is my Pre-16 shown here many times. It is an early wide rib barrel model of Five screw variant that shipped in July of 1951 shown with it's factory 1/8" factory Patridge sight blade. Regards, Hammerdown
I agree with Mike on this. If you had the money, S&W had the gun.
As far as why have a K32 with ramp...if you wanted to holster carry a S&W in 32 S&W long (not my choice, but everyone is different), and you liked the post war short action (for example), and you wanted a medium frame, you had no other option in the post war period. Of course it would be a rare instance that someone would order a K32 with a ramp, but its possible and probably was done at least a few times.
As far as why have a K32 with ramp...if you wanted to holster carry a S&W in 32 S&W long (not my choice, but everyone is different), and you liked the post war short action (for example), and you wanted a medium frame, you had no other option in the post war period. Of course it would be a rare instance that someone would order a K32 with a ramp, but its possible and probably was done at least a few times.
larryofcc
Member
Personally, I like the ramp sight. I do not have any older guns with this option, but I installed one on a M617 4" no dash, and I really like it. I don't know why S&W made them standard on the M53's. Big Larry
larryofcc
Member
I used to have a 4 screw 6" M53 with fitted 22 LR cylinder, and it shot as well or better than my older K22. I also used this same revolver with the Jets to win a match on a running deer at 100 yards offhand. 1st place got me a turkey. I suppose you are right about the sight, but I would venture to say, more small game has been sportingly killed with either a Woodsman or a K22 as far as handguns go. Both high quality target guns. Big Larry
I wish one of my K-32s had come with a red post front sight. Or second best, a gold bead.
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2007
- Messages
- 27,669
- Reaction score
- 21,359
Welcome! As the others above noted, anything is possible. A close-up photo of the front sight would help here, but a factory letter would be the only way to confirm this (and it may not state the front sight type):
Firearm History Request - Smith & Wesson
Firearm History Request - Smith & Wesson
Go back to post #5, made by Mike Priwer.
It looks factory to me. The only way to be sure is to get a factory letter from the S&W historian, Roy Jinks.
It looks factory to me. The only way to be sure is to get a factory letter from the S&W historian, Roy Jinks.
I came across to 6" 16-2 with ramp front sight. According to serial it is made 1965. All other 16-2 I have seen, are with patridge front sight. Could this be original configuration?
It was a 16-2 that prompted me to start this thread. Yours looks good and so did the one I had seen.
Back in the 1970's I had a pair of Model 66's. One, a 2 1/2 inch, had a blue insert front sight and the other, 4 inch, had a black insert. The inserts were put in after I bought them. They were both done by Smith & Wesson in Out Side Repair. I also had a 4 inch Model 19 with a yellow insert. I bought that from a fellow LEO. It was in it's original box.
bmg60
Member
Hi
I have a model 25-2 with a ramp front sight that is original. and another member has a 29 with a black ramp front sight that letters.
jim
I have a model 25-2 with a ramp front sight that is original. and another member has a 29 with a black ramp front sight that letters.
jim
That looks original to me. Any I have seen that were Patridge modified did not have the serrations filed in them, they were smooth surface. That pin holding the sight assembly on does not look to have ever been touched.
