Let's see your "I" frames!

[fisco]

32 HE 2"

Hondo, I just picked up a poor little 32 HE 2'' barrel, no finish, it was in an evidence room for years, broken trigger, just a mess.
My gunsmith is putting it back in shooting condition and it will be refinished. It has a coil mainspring and it's a 5 screw. s/n # 559199. I need to take before and after photos before it refinished. The Standard Catalog of S&W states that the leaf spring and 5th screw was deleted in 1953, is this correct? You stated earlier that no 5 screws in 1953. So, I'm a little confused(easy to do with older Smiths) what do I have? The refinish job is needed, who does a decent job at a reasonable price. Any help will be appreciated.

Gary

 

[Hondo44]

Hondo, I just picked up a poor little 32 HE 2'' barrel, no finish, it was in an evidence room for years, broken trigger, just a mess.
My gunsmith is putting it back in shooting condition and it will be refinished. It has a coil mainspring and it's a 5 screw. s/n # 559199. I need to take before and after photos before it refinished. The Standard Catalog of S&W states that the leaf spring and 5th screw was deleted in 1953, is this correct? You stated earlier that no 5 screws in 1953. So, I'm a little confused(easy to do with older Smiths) what do I have? The refinish job is needed, who does a decent job at a reasonable price. Any help will be appreciated.

Gary

Hi Gary,

The SCS&W is a little outdated on I frames and I'm working with Jim Supica to correct that in his upcoming 4th edition.

1. You have a ".32 Hand Ejector Model" built on the '5 screw' Improved center fire I frame, introduced in the 4th quarter of 1951 when the coil spring replaced the leaf spring and tension screw for it (the 6th screw). Yours shipped in the 1st half of 1952 with round front sight.

In 1953 the 5th screw, front trigger guard screw was deleted when the center fire I frames were changed to the 'New' I frame with 4 screws.

2. The 1953 change to the New I frame with the coil spring, deletion of the front trigger guard screw (the 5th screw), and deletion of the leaf spring and tension screw for it (the 6th screw), only pertains to the .22/32 I frames. They were never built on the Improved I frame, the 5 screw frame.

Full details here: http://smith-wessonforum.com/blog.php?b=103

 

[bracebeemer]

Here are a couple of .32 hand ejector model 1903 Targets. The top gun was shipped to Hamburg ,Germany in 1908. It has German proof marks on the cylinder, frame, and barrel. The bottom gun was shipped to Marcus Hartley in New York City in 1906. It has factory pearls and a checkered trigger.
Bill

 

[Hondo44]

Wow, those are stunning!

 

[H Richard]

Jim: I've got a 2", that may need some clarification same as above. Mine is an I Frame, round front sight, 5 screw and coil spring with a ship date of 7/1/52. I have heard this referred to as a "transition" model.

 

[Hondo44]

That's a beauty! Same version as mine described and shown in post #65 above 3rd down on the left: Post war Trans. improved: rd gd, coil spring (this version has the same features as the early rd sight Baby J).

Some of the details from my commentary linked in post #82 above: http://smith-wessonforum.com/blog.php?b=103

"1. TRANSITIONAL I FRAMES c. 1946, leaf main spring w/strain screw on forestrap: several pre war parts and stocks are used. These are "5 screw" models, 6 screws in total counting the strain screw: round sight, small trigger guard and short rd grip frame or rebated frame w/sq butt stocks, (all reportedly have new style hammer block).


---- a) Pre war/post war: uses many pre war parts mixed with post war parts. Earliest Transitional models with more rounded top strap built on a pre war frame left over after the war. Transitional models can also be found with the newly made post war squared off top strap as well!
(includes the non-Model #'d 1957 issue 196 .32 Regulation Police Targets with leaf springs in the low #657XXX range).

.22/32s shipped as late as 1953, as many as 30 units produced in the pre war serial range 534533 – 534557, completed/updated from pre war inventory; post war production begins at 534587 and continues through 534636 building another 50 units.

.32s beginning as low as 521XXX (Two in this range recorded as shipped in 1948 and 9/49, may not have the improved style rebound slide operated hammer block reportedly begun at # 536,685; #537670 has it), up to #550740 highest # known.

.38/32 S&W beginning c. 1948 at # 54475; as high as 582XX w/rd top stocks and 6 screws.

---- b) Pure Post War "Improved" I Frames w/coil main spring: "5 screw" model, (6th screw, the strain screw, was eliminated), late issues, lowest observed # have ramp front sight and barrel rib. These are not pre models.

No .22/32s made in this model, they used a target frame and are so rare, they went straight from the post war "Transitional I frame" w/leaf spring to the Model of 1953 New I frame;

.32s (beginning at #554536, lowest # known shipped 12/51, #56362X has rd sight, #611398 highest known; lowest known ramp sight w/rib #60430X, c. 1953);

.38/32s (highest round sight 70XXX [#68,XXX 2/53], lowest known ramp sight 70131, 71983 shipped Jan. 12, 1954, highest known 738XX)......."

 

[hangnoose]

WOW THE AIR IS THIN UP HERE!

There aren't enough likes to give out. I'm glad some wise guy didn't slip in a pic of a plastic bottom feeder, it could have caused permanent eye damage. If the S&W site hasn't made some calendars of such beauty's, they are missing out on some big $. My Mancave needs one badly. I'm saving up for a vintage S&W screwdriver.

 

[bracebeemer]

Post war Improved I-Frame #557875 shipped August 17th, 1951. I believe this is the earliest shipped Improved I-Frame.It went to Firearms International Inc. in Washington D.C.
Bill

 

[Hondo44]

That's a screamer!

Serial #s and shipping dates in my database agree with that shipping date.

Although the lowest numbered Improved I frame known is 554509 shipped 12/51, and has round top pre war style Service grips; clearly a late shipper.

Once again proving the anomalies of shipping dates vs. serial numbers order.

 

[JSR III]

Here's a few of my I frames.

 

[bracebeemer]

A .22/.32 Heavy Frame Target, shipped to Phillip F. Stephens,Rochester Gas & Electric Co.,Engineering Dept., Rochester N.Y. Shipped on July 25th,1927. It letters with a Call gold bead front sight and a large square notch rear sight. You can really get a good sight picture compared to the earlier tiny bead front and small U shaped rear sight. Times sure have changed.Imagine having your new gun shipped to your work place ("Hey fellas, come over here and look at my new gun.") Serial # 458494.
Bill

 

[sarg1c]

Great looking revolvers guys, how many have a star by the serial numbers with the date stamped inside the frame on the left side. Mine is stamped 9.15.I believe it was when fitted with pearl grips. I'll get a pic on here soon. Mine is a .32S/W long. 1903.

 

[bracebeemer]

A couple of .38/.32 Terriers. Nickel is serial #69832 and blue is #69534.
Bill

 

[Hondo44]

bracebeemer, what a great pair! And the exact same early versions with round sights of the Improved I frame. Probably both shipped the same month, April 1953.

 

[HeyJoe]

32 Hand Ejector 535666

 

[HeyJoe]

The other side of 32 HE 535666

 

[JSR III]

Bill, thanks for adding the serial number so I may add it to the database. Just to again show the way S&W shipped out of serial sequence, here are all of the .22/32 HFT's that I have in my database beginning with 458. They did all ship in 1927, but all over the place.

458197 5-9-1927
458216 3-11-1927
458294 10-31-1927
458298 3-18-1927
458370 6-7-1927
458408 10-1-1927

Yours 458494 7-25-1927

458497 9-16-1927
458529 6-16-1927

 

[bracebeemer]

A Smith & Wesson .32 Regulation Police Target. Shipped to the H & D Folsom Co., New York City on April 12, 1921. Serial # 337379.

 

[Hondo44]

Absolutely gorgeous. I notice it has an even different front sight from all of your other target models. Looks like one of my triple Lock targets:

Do any of your targets have this super fine checkering treatment on the rear sight like this TL?

 

[Hondo44]

Bill, thanks for adding the serial number so I may add it to the database. Just to again show the way S&W shipped out of serial sequence, here are all of the .22/32 HFT's that I have in my database beginning with 458. They did all ship in 1927, but all over the place.

I have # 458XXX in my database shipped in 1925!?!?