More 32/20's

[mikepriwer]

This seems to be the week for threads about 32/20's !

These four pictures shows three 32/20 targets, in 4", 5", and 6". The first two
pictures show all three guns together.

The 5" round butt was shipped to Mexico with two sets of grips. One was walnut,
which are on the gun, and the other is pearl with gold medallions, which survive with
the gun. This gun was shipped in April of 1908.

The 6" gun was shipped to the Pontiac PD ( I don't remember the state ) in Dec of 1922.

These next two pictures are the 4" target, shipped in Oct 1908. It shows a lot of
surface wear, but the bore is bright and shiny, and the lockwork is impeccable. I
only recently acquired this gun ; the others I have had for years.

Regards, Mike Priwer

 

[mikepriwer]

This seems to be the week for threads about 32/20's !

These four pictures shows three 32/20 targets, in 4", 5", and 6". The first two
pictures show all three guns together.

The 5" round butt was shipped to Mexico with two sets of grips. One was walnut,
which are on the gun, and the other is pearl with gold medallions, which survive with
the gun. This gun was shipped in April of 1908.

The 6" gun was shipped to the Pontiac PD ( I don't remember the state ) in Dec of 1922.

These next two pictures are the 4" target, shipped in Oct 1908. It shows a lot of
surface wear, but the bore is bright and shiny, and the lockwork is impeccable. I
only recently acquired this gun ; the others I have had for years.

Regards, Mike Priwer

 

[pace40]

You're right...seems to be a run lately. I don't own one. Couple of shows next week. Maybe I'll remedy that.

Very nice, thanks for the showing.

 

[bigolddave]

OK, I'll play.

1905 Fourth, about 1920

1892 Takedown, a little earlier.

Also have a Marlin 1892CL, but no pic.

 

[azmick]

there has to be a story to go with the 4"
it has seen alot of holster time from the looks of the right grip and is the trigger guard screw coming out?

 

[Bullseye Smith]

I have one or two of the 32/20, great gun. Wish they were a little easyer to reload. Here is my target model and a old one that has alot of mile on it.

Later John

 

[wayne.byram]

Mike;
That old raggedy 4"is not up to your standards.
Just send it to me and you wont be aggravated by it.
Wayne Byram

 

[2152hq]

My only one now. A later one I think ??,,1439xx. Gen-O-ine MOP grips that came on it but I doubt very much are originals. I've been going to try some other period wood grips on it I have but then what would I do with these

I've never even shot this one and it doesn't look like anyone else did much either. Some wear and scratches though

[IMG]

[img]http://home.rochester.rr.com/mburcke/scribbler/3220.JPG </p>[/IMG]

 

[Jebus35745]

Wow some really nice guns. The 4"&5" are interesting. How do they shoot?

 

[dwf6666]

Great looking guns guys. I didn't know just how popular the 32-20's where.
Mike, just how rare are the 4" targets?

 

[mikepriwer]

Indeed - the gun has a lot of finish wear. There was a holster with the
gun, that was not of interest to me, but it may well have been carried in one
for a long time. With the exception of a very easy closing of the cylinder,
almost too easy, there is very little mechanical wear. And, for a black
powder gun, the bore is immaculate. All the parts seem original, judging by
the serial number stampings.

4" targets in .38 are scarce - I've owned several over the years. In the
earlier years of the K-frames, there are very few. I've only seen two 1899
4" targets in either caliberl .38 or 32/20/ . The two I've seen are both
.38's .

I've owned several 5" 32/20 targets, including the one in the pictures. I have
never seen another 4" 32/20 target, and so I beleve they are very scarce.
Had the gun been in 90% or better condition, I think it would have commanded a
much higher price - not that this was cheap - and then it would have classified
as being rare. To me, rare suggests a much higher price than simply scarce.

Unfortunately, there is no way to know how many 4" 32/20 targets were made.
About all we can do is pay attention to what is being offered for sale, in an
attempt to get an insight into their relative scarcity. In my 30+ years of
collecting, this is the first one that I have seen.

Later, Mike Priwer

 

[g17]

Mike, Thanks for the photos of the 32-20 targets and as always, it is a pleasure to read your posts. I hope to acquire one like the top one in the photo, 6" square butt someday. Are they also fairly scarce in that configuration? Best regards.

 

[Muley Gil]

I believe the 6" target is the most common of the target models. Numerous posters have estimated target production at around 10% of the total. That may be a bit high in the .32-20, of which there were about 144K total built.

 

[mikepriwer]

6" is definitely - far and away - the most common target barrel length in
the pre-WW2 k-frame guns. Even though we tend to think of the 32/20 as a
different model - probably because it has its serial number series, to the
factory it was just an option - like barrel length, finish, etc.

At the height of my target collecting, I had at least 10 times as many
6" target guns as all other barrel lengths combined. I suspect there are
reasons for that - "real" target shooting competitors prefer longer barrels !

Later, Mike Priwer

 

[DHENRY]

Mike,
I have a semi-related (.38 M&P Targets) question on Target Model barrel-lengths:
Why was the 6-1/2" barrel-length dropped (as a standard length) with the 3rd Model Targets?
Thanks for picking your brain!

Don

 

[Muley Gil]

Great old Smiths-I'm really fond of that 5" round butt target.

 

[mikepriwer]

Don

I do not know ! As you noted, 4" 5" & 6.5" were the original standard barrel
lengths. Then, at some point, 6.5" was changed to 6" . Maybe you should post
that on the S&WCA forum, and ask Roy.

Later, Mike

 

[JOliver]

I can't show any nice targets but I do have one that is a shooter...one of the most accurate revolvers I have and I love to pull it out at the range and watch everyone roll their eyes..untill they see the groups.
5" nickel original grips(?)355xx serial and its about 50% but the bore is great and it functions better than a new one.

 

[bmcgilvray]

I always like to see the .32-20 Hand Ejectors exhibited here on the Forum. I remember when I found my first one I was about 21. I thought it was some really scarce, oddball variation.

Here's the two that hang around here.

 

[Deathompson]

This one came from the estate of Luis Antonio Dámaso de Alonso one of many 32-20's I own... But the only one of the Smith persuasion other than a Spanish copy.

<center>

32-20 pinwheel</center>

 

[bmg60]

hi
I have have 6 32-20 Targets from 1899 thru 1905 4th change.

1. 1899 5 inch target blue shipped to phil bekeart
2. 1905 1st change 5 inch target blue
3. 1905 3th change 6 inch target blue
4. 1905 4th change 6 inch target Nickel
5. 1905 4th change 6 inch target blue
6. 1905 4th change 6 inch target blue
my question is how many nickel tatgets has anybody seen.
mike you are the one that has seen the most
32.20 targets ( the 1899 5 inch target is the one that you owned. serial number 741)
jim fisher S&WCA 1491.

 

[mikepriwer]

Jim

Nickel targets are scarce - no doubt about it. I've probably owned 10 or 12
pre-WW2's over the years. I still have the 4 1899 nickel .38 targets, in the
4 barrel lengths. David Carroll had a 1902 1st chg nickel target about a year
or so ago, as I recall.

If I had to guess, I would say that, pre-WW2 when outdoor target shooting was
"popular", nickel guns would have been a problem in the sunlight - with all
the reflecting, etc. I would think that target shooters of the day, for that
reason alone, would have preferred blue. Nickel seems to show up more in law
enforcement guns. For whatever reason, lawmen liked to carry nickel guns.

Or so it seems !

Regards, Mike Priwer

 

[Smith &W]

Here`s one more. 71XXX range

 

[gaucho1]

You guys are making me wonder if a 31/2"
model 27 really is the best looking handgun.

These are so refined and lean,like a well
shaped dancer.

Very cool,thank you all for sharing.

 

[mikepriwer]

A 3 1/2" early K-frame is really nice. Stay tuned !

Regards, Mike Priwer

 

[bmcgilvray]

Ummm...an early K-Frame with a 3 1/2-inch barrel? Tell us more.

 

[bmcgilvray]

My grips aren't serial numbered to my revolver, but is it possible that the .32-20 models could be had with the small medallion grips of the 1930s?

 

[mikepriwer]

As to grips on 32/20's - remember that, from the factory perspective, the 32/20 is
not a separate model, but just an optional caliber for the models of 1902 and 1905.
Its the butt configuration that distinguishes the two guns, not the caliber.

So - any grip configuration on a .38 M&P is no different than for a 32/20. In fact,
any and everything that was available in .38 caliber is also identically available
in 32/20 caliber - since they are the same model !

Grips, caliber, finish, sights, and barrel length are all options for the models
of 1902 and 1905. The distinction is model of 1902 vs model of 1905. Everything else
is optional.

Later, Mike Priwer

 

[bmcgilvray]

OK Mike, thanks. Think I've read on here that even though the .32-20 was listed until 1940 most were manufactured by 1930. Have you ever seen a really late revolver that was all correct?

 

[mikepriwer]

Here are the records, from my lists, of the 4 highest-serial number 32/20's that I owned:

133350 6.0 Bl S NM Call Ivry bd fs 280215 Beall & Steele Drug, OH
143083 6.0 Bl S SM 1st ship 300313 380808 Holmes Hdw, Pueblo, Co
143607 6.0 Bl S SM 311027 Dunham C & H Co., SF
144395 6.0 Bl S SM 361127 Baker H & P Co., SF

The dates are yy mm dd format, so 361127 is Nov 27, 1936. Of course, these are shipping dates. Actual
dates of manufacture are not known.

What is interesting here is that 133350 is a 1928 shipment, and 143083 was first-shipped in 1930. That
would suggest that most of these were made up abut about 1930. Or, I suppose its possible that, for
whatever reason, 143083 was made way out of order ; its only 10,000 serial numbers away from 133350, so
maybe that was the lot-size that frames were being serial-numbered in.

143083 is an interesting case as regards company policy. The gun was originally shipped as an M&P, to a
large disributor in Philadelphia. They held it for almost 8 years, and then returned it - for a full refund!
The factory then converted it to target, and shipped it in 1938 . All this according to the records.

Later, Mike Priwer