HISTORY:
The .32 Hand Ejector with round butt and its cartridge, the 32 S&W Long are both historical. The .32 HE is the first side swing out cylinder produced by S&W, built on the first I size frame, and introduced as the 1896 Model (1st Model) along with its new cartridge.
During this gun's period of production it's normal for all frame sizes, I, K & N to not have the TG screw. Including the 1st Model 32 hand Ejector, Model of 1896 and even the very earliest of N frames, the 1st Model 44 Spl also known as the triple lock.
It went thru several evolutionary changes until it became the 32 HE 3rd model in 1917 when a sq butt version, most common barrel length is the 4 1/4", was introduced as the 32 Regulation Police beginning at ~ #258001 in the same serial range as the 32 HE.
Target models with adjustable rear sights were available with 6" barrels as well as very rare 4 1/4" barrels (including 196 with 4" barrels in 1957), and with 2 screw extended target stocks.
By 1920 the cyls received a heat treatment for additional strength as did all S&W revolvers.
The 3rd Model had the 2nd type hammer safety block change ordered in 1925 to WW II.
Both were reintroduced after WW II in identical form except for the change to the much more fool proof post war sliding bar safety. They went thru more evolution in the 1950s, and in 1957 became the Model 30 w/round butt and the Model 31 w/square butt, and finally in 1961 were upgraded to the slightly longer J size frame which added -1 to the model #s.
Eventually both versions were combined as just the Model 31 in 1976, until discontinued in 1991. Various iterations were later introduced using the 32 H&R Mag and/or the 327 Fed Mag, both of which still use the 32 Long as well.
Any currently available 32 Long ammo in standard loadings is perfectly safe to shoot in your 32. You’ll be happy with its accuracy and light recoil.
Why isn’t the 32 RP barrel stamped like the 38 RP?
I have never found the answer to that. But based on so many other practices we observe by S&W, I can make an educated guess:
The .38 S&W I frame RP Hand Ejector was a brand new model when introduced in 1917. Since Smith did not offer a small concealable handgun of more lethal caliber like the .38 Special, this model was an attempt to fill that void. The RP name was important because in the common practice of S&W, it was an attempt to identify the intended market, like the 44 Military or the 38 M&P; a.k.a. marketing*.
This was not the case with the 32 model although in the late 19th century, it certainly was the official firearm of some police depts. But as the 20th century came and progressed, the 32 Hand Ejector more and more lost confidence confidence as an adequate self defense cartridge.
Also the 32 had been around since 1896 and with the same barrels on their 1903 model as used in 1917 on the 32 RP model introduction. And the protocols for barrel stamping and the dies for barrel stamping of Cartridge and Patent/address were long established with many barrels in inventory.
Therefore I suspect S&W was not inclined to changing barrel stamping tools and protocol just for the 32 RP model when the new "star", the .38 S&W was the new offering. Also 1917 was already tumultuous times for S&W changing their production over to wartime contract building the 1917 Army model for WWI.
After WWII when 32 barrels were changed to new standard lengths with ribbed barrels, the precedent for not marking Regulation Police on the 32 RP models had long been set and once again a new "star", the .38 Chiefs Spl J frame was now cataloged for the police market.
*Follow the money: We recognize that at S&W it always came down to one priority; business improvement and paramount to doing that, “marketing” played an important role.
32 Detailed Evolution
Many things seem puzzling with old guns. It takes a historically contemporary mind set and some historical knowledge to understand what seems very strange to us like an unlabeled cartridge on the 1st Model of 1896, in reality is quite normal especially for S&W back in the day. Because each gun was typically sized and chambered for only one cartridge, the caliber was expressed in the model name, and there was little need for a marking. Of course it will also shoot an earlier iteration of the 32 S&W Long which is the 32 S&W, retroactively labeled unofficially, the 32 short. The "Model 1896 32 Hand Ejector" came along at the tail end of that practice. The very next evolution of it, the Model 1903, was cartridge marked.
The .32 Hand Ejector and its cartridge, the 32 S&W Long are both historical milestones. The .32 HE is the first side swing out cylinder produced by S&W, built on the first I size frame, and introduced as the ".32 Hand Ejector Model 1896 (1st Model)" along with its new cartridge. Production of this model extended to serial #19,712.
Available barrel lengths were 3 ¼”, 4 ¼” and 6”. It went thru several evolutionary changes until it became the 32 HE 3rd model in 1917 when a sq butt version was introduced as the 32 Regulation Police beginning at ~ #258000 in the same serial range as the 32 HE. The more common barrel length for the RP is the 4 1/4".
Target models with adjustable sights were available with 6" barrels as well as very rare 4 1/4" barrels, and with 2 screw extended target stocks.
The 3rd Model had a hammer safety block added around 1919 used thru WW II. About ½ million were roduced before WW II.
By 1920 the cyls received a heat treatment for additional strength as did all S&W revolvers.
Both were reintroduced after WW II in identical form except for the change to the much more fool proof post war sliding bar safety. They went thru more evolution in the 1950s, and in 1957 became the Model 30 w/round butt and the Model 31 w/square butt, and finally in 1961 were upgraded to the slightly longer J size frame with added -1 to the model #s.
Eventually both versions were combined as just the Model 31-1 in 1976, until discontinued in 1991. Various iterations were later introduced using the 32 H&R Mag and/or the 327 Fed Mag, both of which still use the 32 Long as well.
Any currently available 32 Long ammo in standard loadings is perfectly safe to shoot in your 32. You’ll be happy with its accuracy and light recoil.
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