Need help to identify an S&W 32-20 revolver

[Rmasters3]

I need to ID an S&W 32-20 revolver I picked up from an estate. It's shown in an S&W box, but the box and manual shown are not correct. I have been told it's a 1905 hand ejector or a later Model 10, but I don't see the model 10 listed in 32-20, only 38. I plan to sell it and want to get it right. Barrel measures 5 /1/2" from frame 6" overall from cylinder. I've seen photos of a Target verison of the 1905 32-20 and this looks like it could be it. Barrel marked: "32 W. C. F. CTG" Any help? Thanks!

 

[handejector]

We need the serial number.
It is not a Target Model- has fixed sights.
The barrel is 6 inches- all of it counts all the way to the cylinder.
It is a factory reblue- it has later rollmarks that could only be there because it was sent back for a refinish.
The grips are decades later than the gun.

 

[DCWilson]

You have a mix of different eras there. The box is from the early '60s (pre-Bangor Punta era). The stocks on the gun are from the late '60s or later (K-frame magnas, but without the diamond around the screw pockets that were seen on magnas before 1968). The literature is from a Model 10, which is in a sense a successor model to this revolver (actually a collateral descendant), but in .38 Special rather than .32-20.

The gun looks like a Model of 1905, but we would need to know the first three digits of the serial number to say which version. S&W made no .32-20s after WW2; the entire production (about 150000 units) came out between 1899 and 1940.

The gun has been refinished by the factory. If you pull the stocks, you may see a date like 12.60 (for December 1960) pressed into the frame underneath. Is there a star after the serial number?

EDITED TO ADD:

Sigh. It's always a race to be first responder. While I was typing the boss got there first. Not surprisingly, he is right on target with his comments. I need to type faster. Of course it would help if I didn't have to stop and look up the stuff he just knows.

And I should have said up front: Welcome to the forum.

 

[handejector]

It's shown in an S&W box, but the box and manual shown are not correct.

The box is from the early '60s (pre-Bangor Punta era). .................... The literature is from a Model 10,

While I was typing the boss got there first.

David,
well, don't waste time tellin' 'im what he already knows.

And yes- my bad- Welcome aboard.

 

[Alk8944]

Assuming all numbers match what you have is a 1905 .32-20 Hand Ejector built sometime before 1928 as it has the large extractor rod head. It was re-finished by the factory sometime in the 1970s or so as the 4 line address has been roll-marked on the rt. side of the frame as the factory was wont to do during that period. The stocks are sometime post-1968 as that is when the diamonds were discontinued. The other thing that places it no later than the early 1920s is the caliber marking being .32 W.C.F. By the mid 1920s they were marked .32-20. The first several years the marking was .32 Winchester, spelled out.

Remove the stocks and you should find two things, a date code and a re-finish mark R-S, same in a box or diamond. This means refinish-standard (blue). As late as the mid-70s there could be a 5-point star after the serial number which indicates a factory re-work of some sort.

The star was sort of hit-and-miss whether they marked a gun with it during the 70s. It seems they probably only used the star stamp on older guns, pre-1950, that they were repairing. I had several guns re-finished between 7-1974 and 5-1975 (left with them in 7-1974 and finally got them back in 5-1975!) the post 1950 guns did not have it and the pre-war ones did.

 

[Rmasters3]

Serial number is 671XX. As I understand it that would make it about 1916, but I'm still new enough at this to be way off. I plan to sell it, so I want to get my facts right before listing it. Box and manual are not correct, it's just what came with it. I bought several guns from an estate and this was among them. Thanks!

 

[BigRich315]

I had to dig mine out for this post, great firearm.

All pertinent information has been covered, so I'll just say very nice buy!

If it is good firing order I would recommend keeping it. Ammo is a bit pricey but these are very accurate and down right fun to shoot. Mine may be ugly but it drives tacks into tacks!

But if you do sell it, please list it on this forum so we can have a crack at it

Pic: 1905 4th Change .32-20 Target w/ 6" barrel. The front sight has been replaced, later stocks added, and finish is poor, but still a very fine gun IMHO. (I estimate late '20s to early '30s but have to letter it to be certain.)

 

[DCWilson]

Serial number is 671XX. As I understand it that would make it about 1916, but I'm still new enough at this to be way off. I plan to sell it, so I want to get my facts right before listing it. Box and manual are not correct, it's just what came with it. I bought several guns from an estate and this was among them. Thanks!

1916 sounds about right; might even be late 1915. I have 54269, which shipped in April 1913; it's a Model of 1905 Third Change. The Fourth Change guns were introduced in 1915 at 65701, so your gun is one of the early ones from that variety of the Model of 1905, which continued until production was terminated just before WW2.

 

[Rmasters3]

Thank you, gentlemen.

I just returned from a friend's who is a professional photographer and he took pictures of it. I am new enough to this board, I wouldn't know where to list it for sale or what to ask. My thought was Guns - Online Gun Auction - Guns at GunBroker.com or the NRA site, where I have bought & sold.

Had I not bought several others with this (no other S&W) I would keep it. It's the nicest of those I bought but an orphan for me and one I wouldn't shoot much or at all, so I will part with it.

Anyone got an idea what I could expect to get for it? And the numbers I have seen--butt and cylinder--do match.

 

[DCWilson]

Proper Price

With 150000 copies made, the gun is not rare; others are around. Since it is refinished and has much later stocks, it is not a collector's item. Basically you have a good-looking shooter-grade gun, and your market is limited to people who want some fun shooting a once popular cartridge that we don't hear much about these days.

To get the ball rolling, I would guess that the gun by itself is probably a $350-400 item to the audience I described. The box, doc, and bore brush are worth something to a collector -- maybe $100-125? Others here will have other ideas, and under the rules of collective wisdom you should probably average the proposed values you get. That ought to give you pretty close to a good price for this gun.