need help please

[Bub13]

I am trying to find out about this pistol so any help would be great. if anyway possible an age, model and value.

Ok here is what i have.

1. nothing on yoke
2. hand ejector
3. 2978xx
4. 32 long ctg
5. 3 1/4 inch barrel
6. fixed sights
7. yes it has a strain screw
8. has 5 screws

 

[Wingmaster]

Thanks for the link. I will be following this one.

Wing master

 

[Green Frog]

Welcome to the S&W Forum. Your revolver's model is S&W Regulation Police, the grips and SN range place it around WW I (you'll get a better estimate from someone else soon, I'm sure) and the value is probably between about $200 and $350 or so (possibly a bit more) depending on where you are in the country and who is buying it. FWIW, the case colored (not plated) hammer and trigger, and probably blued/cased ejector star which doesn't show in your pix, are evidence that the finish is factory original. The finish looks pretty good for its age, and you may be able to enhance the appearance of the plating with a gentle polishing using Mother's Mag™ for automotive applications and a soft cloth.

Regards,
Froggie

 

[glowe]

Welcome - looks like your RP would have shipped around 1919. It appears that you may have a high percentage finish 32 Long that has only cosmetic scratches in the plating.

As Froggie states, you should use a polish to remove the surface scratches by hand only and your revolver would be valued at $400 plus in today's gun auctions. Model 1903s are getting a good bump in valuations in the last year or so and I think they will continue to rise in value along with nice condition Safeties as they are still affordable collector guns.

 

[stu1ritter]

Was the ejector knob plated on the RP's?
thanks,
Stu

 

[Bub13]

Thanks for the fast replies. The gun does have scratches. But you can all most see your reflexion in the nickel. What about never dull polishing compound? Would that be to harsh.

 

[tlay]

Welcome to the forum. I have never tried never dull. I use Flitz on nickel guns. It works very well. After that use a good wax on the entire gun including the grips. A good wax to use is Renaissance wax. As was mentioned, only clean the nickel by hand, an old T shirt works good. Never use a dremel because the nickel plating is not very thick.

 

[glowe]

I have 3 nickel 1903s and all look like they have original finish. 2 have blued ejector knobs and 1 has nickeled knob.

The interesting thing is that the nickeled knob 1903 has a serial number 279XXX and was also manufactured in the WWI era, when the factory did not stamp S&W logo on the frame. Maybe they nickeled the ejector knob during this time??

 

[stu1ritter]

My nickel 1903 5th change ser. 155812 has a blued knob. Hummm, this is interesting.
Stu

 

[gordonrick]

MAAS polish works well too.

BTW - SN 299689 has a nickeled extractor knob as well. No logo either.

 

[Hondo44]

Welcome to the forum.

The closest # I have in my data base is 318150 shipped 1920 (Jul).

 

[Texas Star]

Would this gun, especially in this barrel length, morph into a .32 HE if you changed to round butt grips? Would they fit, or does this gun have a sq. butt under those stocks?

I know that both HE and RP guns came with various bbl. lengths. But one this short just seems to cry out for the smaller stocks, if possible, unless maybe the owner needs a longer grip.

 

[Hondo44]

No. Under the sq butt grips is a round butt grip frame but the backstrap is rebated and the front 'toe' is sharp:

So rd butt grips would stick out past the bottom half of the backstrap and the grip frame sharp toe would stick out in front.

 

[Green Frog]

Would this gun, especially in this barrel length, morph into a .32 HE if you changed to round butt grips? Would they fit, or does this gun have a sq. butt under those stocks?

I know that both HE and RP guns came with various bbl. lengths. But one this short just seems to cry out for the smaller stocks, if possible, unless maybe the owner needs a longer grip.

The RP has the rebated grip frame to engage the projection at the bottom rear of the stock. You can use RB stocks, but the "notch" would show.

Froggie

 

[JP@AK]

Didn't they make two-screw target stocks for these? If so, perhaps a set of those would resolve the issue.
Jack

 

[Hondo44]

Almost correct, both the early hard rubber (shown) and later wood two screw extended targets will fit either grip frame; but will still need a slight modification for the sq toe on the RP grip frame:

 

[Bub13]

thanks alot folks really been helpful here. i have one last question though. what frame is this considered. is it a j frame i frame k frame?

 

[Hondo44]

It is an I frame. .32 HEs and RPs were still I frames when the change order to stamp them models 30 and 31 in 1957 was issued and converted to J frames with another change order in Jan 1961 when they became the Model 30-1 and 31-1 respectively.