My K-32: to shoot or not to shoot, that is the question

[wraco]

I would test fire it a few more times and see how you like. If you shoot it and look after the gun it'll appreciate over the years and still be worth more than what you originally paid. There's better vehicles for investment so enjoy it and look after. Don't be on your way out wishing you'd have shot them guns. No doubt the next guy will shoot it, may as well be you. Life's too short not to.

Regards:
Rod

 

[ddixie884]

I'd like to have this delimma.....................

 

[wayneb]

k32

I have a lot of guns.They are all shooters.I get pleasure from the use of the firearm not from ownership.If a gun is not going to be used,I would just as well have a picture of it.
Wayne

 

[azswiftwing]

Thanks for all your responses. I very much appreciate all your advice. The one thing that leaps out at me from the responses is that I should find a good gunsmith and ask him what he thinks about it being mint. (A friend recommended one several weeks ago, but I haven't followed up on his suggestion.) Also, to answer several of the other questions in the responses: I have the gold box and the paper that the pistol was wrapped in, but no cleaning jag, screwdriver or instruction manual (or whatever it came with in the late '50's--back then, did you need an instruction manual and 30 pages of disclaimers and warnings telling you to be careful about what you shoot at?) I enjoy shooting off-hand at paper targets, but I'm not that good at it--I haven't shot much in about 25 years and doubt that I can get my old form back. I didn't think much about buying a Model 16-4, so now I'm reading about that model and wondering how the quality of later S&W revolvers compare to those that I grew up with. More later. Again thanks for all your responses.

 

[5 Screw Smith]

Thought I would show mine as well. It's an early post war model K-32 with a narrow rib, a very rare gun in great condition. I also have a factory letter for it. (And no, I don't shoot it.)

 

[pre16]

I am a new member here in the “hot country” (Arizona”). Since I am new to this board, please forgive me if this question (or a similar one) has been asked before. I “collect” K frame 5-screw Masterpiece revolvers, which basically means that I now have four of them, and by “collect,” I mean "buy to shoot." Most of my collection was purchased in the 1970s, but now all I have left are my K-38’s and a K-22 (My ex-wife got several of others, but that is another story.) I recently purchased a fourth revolver, a K-32 manufactured in the late 1950s. I bought it to shoot, but when I took it to my local gun club, one of the employees looked at it, pronounced it as mint, probably never shot, and suggested that I should have my head examined for wanting to shoot it. My wife (not the ex-one) heard all this and decided that I would depreciate it if I decided to shoot it so she agreed with the employee. So, my question is whether I should shoot it, or find another K-32 that is too beat up to be readily noticed. (Good luck with that!)

If I hang on to it as an investment, then I need a suggestion for something else that shoots a 32 S&W Long, since I now have ammo and reloading dies for the same. I am very used to S&W revolvers.

Thanks for any thoughts or comments that you might have.

I will purchase if you decide to sell,advise.

 

[pre16]

Thought I would show mine as well. It's an early post war model K-32 with a narrow rib, a very rare gun in great condition. I also have a factory letter for it. (And no, I don't shoot it.)

Very nice K-32,when was it shipped from factory ?

 

[5 Screw Smith]

Very nice K-32,when was it shipped from factory ?

April 1949.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

The one thing that leaps out at me from the responses is that I should find a good gunsmith and ask him what he thinks about it being mint.

Are you sure that you know a good gunsmith from a not-so-good one? Why is a gunsmith a better person to ask than a certain few (?) of the folks on this forum, aside from that he might be located a bit closer to you? I would be very cautious with a possibly-mint K32. IMO, this forum and a digital camera are a much safer, and probably more accurate, way of learning what you want to know about your gun.

Just my $.02.

 

[azswiftwing]

More words of wisdom--especially about trusting a gunsmith that I have never worked with before.

 

[Hammerdown]

I enjoy shooting off-hand at paper targets, but I'm not that good at it--I haven't shot much in about 25 years and doubt that I can get my old form back. I didn't think much about buying a Model 16-4, so now I'm reading about that model and wondering how the quality of later S&W revolvers compare to those that I grew up with.

Hello azswiftwing
Don't beat your self up on not shooting hand guns for years. Most that return to it Later in life, turn out to be more accurate than they were in their younger Life.. Thinking about this, when we are young we Have to get back to work, chores, and commitments. Later in life these issues seem to subside and allow us ample time to stop and smell the Roses. Constant Practice will show you Positive results on target. On the quality of the new model 16-4's it does not compare to the older Pre-16's but then, the Pre-16's will not fire the .32 H&R Magnum round either so this issue leaves a gap in ones needs for one. I have a Pre-16 that shipped in early 1951 shown below, and I do enjoy it & fire it lightly.






I enjoy the round's superb accuracy with low report and recoil so It makes it a real Joy to shoot, and very cheap to re-load for. Although you do not see many of the Pre-16's nor their later dash series counter parts they are not Rare as they made over 4,000 of them in their 27 Year Post-War run from 1947-1974, I would rather call them Scarce, as most that have them enjoy shooting the caliber for the reasons I stated and keep them. Now on the other end of the spectrum, The Pre-War K-32's are Rare with only 94 of them being made from 1936-1941 time span and they the Rarest of the hand eject Target revolver models to find. On The subject of the K-32 Magnum as I call them being the 16-4, I got mine unfired in it's original box about Seven years ago and gave $600.00 for it then but was glad to get it. The finish is not what I would call superb as it looks to be a Pale Blue compared to earlier guns made by S&W. If looked at in extreme sunlight the finish looks Blotchy in spots of the side plate & frame. The Polishing finish work on it is crude with machine marks left on the sides of the barrel, but oddly enough the cylinder looks old school with it's black deep Carbonna bluing appearance, that was ceased shortly after these were made.





I feel someday these will be a sought after collectible as they had a very short run of 1989-1992 with a total production of about 8800 of them in the Three barrel lengths offered being 4"-6" & the 8-3/4" barrels. the 4" and 8-3/4" guns being far less produced than the more common barrel length of 6" Like mine, so those run typically a little higher in price and demand. From the start, I decided to shoot and enjoy mine, but to get the full performance out of the .32 H&R Magnum it must be hand loaded as it was rather weak in Factory Loaded form. Last fall I had Hamilton Bowen of Tennessee do a caliber conversion of it to the new Federal .327 Magnum of which I have no regrets in doing so, as this new Magnum Cartridge surpasses the velocity of the .357 Magnum, with tack driving results . The model 16-4 is a fairly rugged gun with it's full under lug barrel which seems to tame the recoil much better than a standard profile barrel now that mine has been Re-chambered in the much hotter .327 Magnum round. I can tell you I enjoy both of mine very much, and if you decide to not shoot your Pre-16 I would suggest you locate and enjoy it's Grand son the 16-4 .32 Magnum. Below is the old & The new K-32's being my Five screw early wide barrel Pre-16 in it's Box and my Model 16-4 shown wearing a set of Rosewood Old school Smooth Target grips that I shoot it with...

 

[needsmostuff]

What part of Arizona are you in? This board is full of very knowledgable folks who may live right down the street. Most "Smith "guys (often with more insight than a rifle hunting,tacticool,glock loving gunsmith) would be happy to offer an opinion for the price of a cup of coffee. Most collectors can spot a "new" gun.
Save it ? Use it? I got both. I use nice to clunker to shoot and keep perfect in tact for the next guy.The world is full of used guns to play with. Can not find 32 long look to soft loaded 32-20 or 32 mag or even new .327 . S&W did not provide real well in this caliber so do not forget Colt or even Ruger.

 

[azswiftwing]

Sorry for the delay in responding. I live in Phoenix but grew up in Tucson (was born there and am a fifth generation southern Arizonan. I miss it but I don't mind Phoenix.