K32 first year of manufacture

[Truckman]

So far the only target sighted .32 of any variation I've been able to adopt is a 16-4 in .32 Mag...I have a few iron sighted .32 Longs and .32-20's, but I hope at some point to find the elusive affordable target sighted .32 Long, or even .32-20...The hunt is at least half the fun anyway......Ben

 

[glowe]

The exact question asked "What's is the earliest shipped k32 date out there?" People are getting confused with terminology. The first "K-32 Masterpiece" was manufactured post-WWII, but the official K-32 listed in catalogs was introduced around 1939 (Roy lettered these K32 revolvers as starting in 1938) and there are records of 92 listed in the old SWCA database from 1939 to 1940 as having been shipped in serial number range 667165 to 687207. I have a 1941 catalog that lists the gun named as a "K-32 Target". Some were sold then, but not many and they were not special orders. Of course, WWII quickly interrupted production of all commercial guns. As Mike noted, several 32 Long K frames were sold as special orders very early and right up to 1939 when they became standard production guns first known as K-32. The earliest K frame 32 Long found in the SWCA database was 43134 shipped in 1910.

 

[Gdogman]

K32 shipped March 4th 1949

My K32 Masterpiece was shipped on March 4th, 1949. This must have been pretty early on.

Gil

 

[Masterpiece]

My K32 Masterpiece was shipped on March 4th, 1949.

Gil,

In case you're not aware Your Revolver may be a bit scarcer than what you may think!! Reason being...Given it has a 4-Inch Barrel....I believe it could be considered...For lack of a better way to describe it...A Pre-K32 Combat Masterpiece of which I'm fairly certain were never ever produced with a Model Number assigned to them!!

If so...From what I gather there were only 10 with a 4-Inch Barrel built!! If I'm wrong I'm sure someone will be along shortly to let me know if I've given you incorrect information!!

 

[Gdogman]

K32

Gil,

In case you're not aware Your Revolver may be a bit scarcer than what you may think!! Reason being...Given it has a 4-Inch Barrel....I believe it could be considered...For lack of a better way to describe it...A Pre-K32 Combat Masterpiece of which I'm fairly certain were never ever produced with a Model Number assigned to them!!

If so...From what I gather there were only 10 with a 4-Inch Barrel built!! If I'm wrong I'm sure someone will be along shortly to let me know if I've given you incorrect information!!

Yes this was one of the 10 that were shipped with a 4" barrel.

Per the letter:

The K-32 Masterpiece (Model 16) was continued in production until June of 1973 when the demand was so small that it was officially discontinued, with only 3,630 revolvers being produced over the twenty-six years it was produced, thus making it the rarest of the standard K Masterpiece series.

We have researched your Smith & Wesson K.32 Masterpiece Pre-Model 16. Five Screw Variation, caliber .32 S& W Long, revolver in company records which indicate that your handgun, with serial number K67160 was shipped from our factory on, March 4, 1949 , and delivered to B. W. Folsom, Warren, OH. This revolver was shipped with a 4 inch barrel equipped with a Partridge front sight, blue finish, and checkered walnut grips. This was a special order for 10 units with the 4 inch barrels and there was an extra charge of $6.00 for cutting the barrels and
fitting them.

I have attached a copy of the shipping invoice.

Gil

 

[KSK]

I have an early K-32, S/N K58965 in my collection. Shipped December 23, 1948 to Jesse Harpe Co., in Tampa Florida.

 

[mikepriwer]

Dennis (Bullmack) and others

Here is page 2 of the the factory letter for K2143.

I'd forgotten about this gun when this thread first started. Roy believes that this was the first K32 completed.

Dennis - would you be so kind as to post the factory letter for your K32 ? I'm interested in knowing the serial number, as well.

I'll post some pictures of K2143 perhaps tomorrow, or the day after.

Regards, Mike Priwer

 

[bullmack]

Mike,

Copy of letter for K2244 per your request. Please note that this was a 3 gun shipment to Warner. The other 2 guns were not K-32's as noted in the letter.

 

[mikepriwer]

Dennis

Thanks for your response. Unfortunately, I'm not able to open the attachment. I tried opening it on two different PC's, and I have the same problem with both of them. I don't know what the problem is. Typically the attachments open by placing the cursor over the thumbnail. Does this work for you?

Regards, Mike

 

[Truckman]

Typically the attachments open by placing the cursor over the thumbnail. Does this work for you?

Regards, Mike

Opening it in a new tab or window results in the same small image......Ben

 

[bullmack]

Dennis

Thanks for your response. Unfortunately, I'm not able to open the attachment. I tried opening it on two different PC's, and I have the same problem with both of them. I don't know what the problem is. Typically the attachments open by placing the cursor over the thumbnail. Does this work for you?

Regards, Mike

No it doesn't work for me either. I'll fix it.

 

[Masterpiece]

Typically the attachments open by placing the cursor over the thumbnail. Does this work for you?

Mike & The Others,

It will open into a Link that's User Friendly if you hold Your Mouse Pointer over the thumbnail until the Small Window opens so you can open "That" Link in a New Tab...Just did it...Works Fine!! Thought this may save Dennis (bullmack) the trouble of finding a way of posting it otherwise...Hope this helps!!

 

[Green Frog]

The exact question asked "What's is the earliest shipped k32 date out there?" People are getting confused with terminology. The first "K-32 Masterpiece" was manufactured post-WWII, but the official K-32 listed in catalogs was introduced around 1939 (Roy lettered these K32 revolvers as starting in 1938) and there are records of 92 listed in the old SWCA database from 1939 to 1940 as having been shipped in serial number range 667165 to 687207. I have a 1941 catalog that lists the gun named as a "K-32 Target". Some were sold then, but not many and they were not special orders. Of course, WWII quickly interrupted production of all commercial guns. As Mike noted, several 32 Long K frames were sold as special orders very early and right up to 1939 when they became standard production guns first known as K-32. The earliest K frame 32 Long found in the SWCA database was 43134 shipped in 1910.

I wonder whether this is where the "Target Masterpiece" confusion came in. Note that it's a K-32 Target and a K-22 Masterpiece. I've always wondered why l this mashup of terms came from, and this might finally be the answer.
Froggie

 

[glowe]

Roy once stated that there was company documents that named all the calibers Masterpiece revolvers around 1938 - 1940, but only the K22 had the short action and micro-rear sights. He also stated as much on page 137 of Smith & Wesson 1857-1945, where he said:

The target version of this model became known as the K-38 Masterpiece in 1940. This was at the same time the K-32 Masterpiece was introduced in the company's line of target revolvers. With this change of name, they now had a K-22, K-32, and K-38 Masterpiece revolver.

For those of us who feel that the catalogs are the best source of company naming conventions, it is only the K-22 that was named Masterpiece in all catalogs of the era, but there must have been some company documents to support Roy's comments somewhere.

 

[mikepriwer]

Dennis

The image seems OK now. Thanks for looking after it!

I'd like to see the first page of the factory letter, if possible.

Regars, Mike Priwer

 

[bullmack]

Complete letter

Mike,

Here's page 1 as you requested.

Dennis

 

[deputydon]

FYI - I have K32 Masterpiece #K66035 that shows shipped 2/10/1949. (birth year revolver for me)

-don