Need Help with 32 Winchester Hand Ejector

[MWK1975]

Hello all.
I have a Hand Ejector with fixed sights, in 32 Winchester CTG, serial number 4998, with a 5" barrel, I see a strain screw and the 4 side plate screws.
Shouldn't there be a 5th screw on the trigger guard?
What exactly do i have here?

As you can see in the photos the finish has worn off in several spots and there are scratches below the cylinder release where it looks like someone tried to clean it up.
The grips seem to be in wonderful shape. The lockup is tight and has fairly heavy trigger pull. Looks to have been carried or stored in a drawer, etc. way more than it was shot.


I am primarily interested in the date and change number. Approximate value would be nice also.
Many Thanks in advance,
Mike.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

That is a 1st Model .32-20 Hand Ejector (1899) from about 1902...it's late in the production which ended at 5311 for the 1st Model. That's probably original plating and you still have the knurled extractor rod nut. $400-500 is my guestimate.

 

[MWK1975]

Thank You.

 

[JP@AK]

Guy has correctly identified your Model of 1899.

As to your other questions:

1. The front locking lug for the extractor rod was added in 1902. Yours lacks this feature.

2. The cylinder stop was changed in 1905, resulting in a bored through hole from the front of the trigger guard to the cylinder stop. A screw was added at the bottom end of that hole to retain the plunger and spring. Your does not have that feature either. The Model of 1899 was a four screw revolver.

This is a nice older example of the .32-20 HE.

 

[MWK1975]

Thank You both for the answers and info. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

 

[DWalt]

The SN would make your Model of 1899 likely to have been shipped in early 1902. Some 1902s were shipping by about mid-1902. These are always interesting to collectors as they represent the first of the K-frame revolvers made by S&W, followed by many millions of others pretty much like them made over the last century. Plus, they are relatively scarce, with only about 5300 of the .32-20 and about 21,000 of the .38 Special 1899s made. Nickeled versions are even more scarce. I'd say yours wouldn't be too difficult to sell in the >$500 range

 

[Muley Gil]

S&W M1899 .32-20, a 5" blue finish, serial number 4287, shipped in Sept 1901.