S&W Model 32 Terrier in .38 SW

[Nestor25150]

Thanks i bought it yesterday at my LGS for 250.00 bucks.... It's in pretty nice shape and i'd like to know an average price range on it.... I also have a model 12 and a model 39 in 9mm. I'll share pics and maybe get some feedback.


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[tjpopkin]

The guy I bought mine from said it was kept in the desk of a small town sheriff. Mine is surprisingly accurate. They are definitely cutie pies.

I have both a blue and nickel one….

 

[HeyJoe]

nestor is that a round butt frame with square butt grips?

 

[Hondo44]

nester,

That's a little screamer. You did very well at that price, especially for an I frame .38 Terrier. It's just barely a model stamped example since they began in the 88XXX serial range, and I would date yours to 1958. It will have the 3rd style flat latch cyl release.

 

[OldDominion]

Welcome dog..I am green with envy! I have been beating the bushes to find a Terrier in the same serial # range as yours. According to my research, yours probably shipped from the factory in the spring of 1952. S&W is known for shipping out of sequence, but I am guessing that's when yours shipped out. Please post some photos when you can. At least I can look and dream. Lee

 

[KYThrill]

This seems the place to go to find out about Terriers, so here I go.

I have my grandfathers S&W Terrier and I would like to know as much about it as possible (date of manufacture, etc). It isn't stamped as a Model 32. It has a coil main spring instead of flat (no tension screw). But what confuses me about it is that it seems to have two sets of serial numbers. The numbers on the bottom of the strap are 71623. The number of the barrel and cylinder are also 71623. However the yoke is stamped 91498. Also the frame under the yoke is stamped 91498, with a larger 6 stamped above it and a small 1 (or maybe a 4, looks more like 1, but made by a 1 with a line at the bottom, vs the 1 in the serial number) stamped under it. Since the frame under the yoke and the back strap are all one piece, it means the frame is stamped with two different serial numbers.

My thoughts were that at some point it was sent back to S&W for repair, and the yoke was replaced. Then the factory stamped matching numbers on the frame and yoke to show that yoke mated to that frame? Any way to tell when the repair occurred from the extra numbers?

What can you guys tell me about it?

Thanks!

Pictures below:

 

[OldDominion]

This seems the place to go to find out about Terriers, so here I go.

I have my grandfathers S&W Terrier and I would like to know as much about it as possible (date of manufacture, etc). It isn't stamped as a Model 32. It has a coil main spring instead of flat (no tension screw). But what confuses me about it is that it seems to have two sets of serial numbers. The numbers on the bottom of the strap are 71623. The number of the barrel and cylinder are also 71623. However the yoke is stamped 91498. Also the frame under the yoke is stamped 91498, with a larger 6 stamped above it and a small 1 (or maybe a 4, looks more like 1, but made by a 1 with a line at the bottom, vs the 1 in the serial number) stamped under it. Since the frame under the yoke and the back strap are all one piece, it means the frame is stamped with two different serial numbers.

My thoughts were that at some point it was sent back to S&W for repair, and the yoke was replaced. Then the factory stamped matching numbers on the frame and yoke to show that yoke mated to that frame? Any way to tell when the repair occurred from the extra numbers?

What can you guys tell me about it?

Thanks!

Pictures below:

Welcome to the forum. Your Terrier is a real beauty. The serial number is the one on the bottom of the grip strap and on the cylinder face and under the barrel. The other numbers are assembly numbers from the factory. It most likely shipped from the factory in late 1952 or sometime in 1953. You can see that the front sight on yours is the newer ramp style which is different from the half moon of the earlier guns. The original stocks were checkered walnut "magna" stocks judging from the flat head screw under the knuckle there at the top of the grip frame and your Granddad added the mother of pearl fancies. Yours has been refinished at some time, because the factory didn't finish the hammer and trigger in nickel. If you very gently remove the pearl stocks (they crack easily) look for the letter N on the grip frame to see if it was originally a nickel gun. The letter B means it was blued. As for value...it was your Granddads, that's priceless. Lee

 

[LaVistaBill]

S&W Terrier

I'm a fan of the .38 S&W and have a few old Smith hinged-frame revolvers in this caliber. I acquired a Terrier, Pre-32, circa 1954 from a police supply, they had taken it in trade from a PD where it had been held in the evidence room after having been used in a shooting. I have always thought it was a very well-proportioned little revolver. A couple of years ago, I discovered Taurus was making a .380 ACP revolver (Model 380) that reminded me very much of my Terrier. The .380 ACP cartridge made today has a lot more usefulness for defense than the old .38 S&W and thought it would make a great gun for my wife. It uses "moon clips" so the empty cases can be ejected all at once and the clip acts like a speed-loader. It is DAO with a bobbed hammer and is still in the Taurus line-up for now...

 

[KYThrill]

Welcome to the forum. Your Terrier is a real beauty. The serial number is the one on the bottom of the grip strap and on the cylinder face and under the barrel. The other numbers are assembly numbers from the factory. It most likely shipped from the factory in late 1952 or sometime in 1953. You can see that the front sight on yours is the newer ramp style which is different from the half moon of the earlier guns. The original stocks were checkered walnut "magna" stocks judging from the flat head screw under the knuckle there at the top of the grip frame and your Granddad added the mother of pearl fancies. Yours has been refinished at some time, because the factory didn't finish the hammer and trigger in nickel. If you very gently remove the pearl stocks (they crack easily) look for the letter N on the grip frame to see if it was originally a nickel gun. The letter B means it was blued. As for value...it was your Granddads, that's priceless. Lee

I know that he added the pearl grips. I too believe he had it nickel plated at some point, but I don't know if it was originally blue or nickel. I do know the story was that he carried it in his pocket so much for so long that he rubbed all the finish off down to the bare metal, and had to have it refinished. Doesn't sound like nickel to me, and probably was more likely blued and then refinished in nickel.

I'm not too worried about value because its not for sale, and wouldn't be unless I'm in dire straits.

Thanks

 

[BRush]

Here is SN 52xxx, an old school Pup.

 

[Hondo44]

Rush,

Very nice pre war. These are so hard to find especially in original configuration with decent finish. And that's a fairly late pre war, # 54474 being the last reported.

 

[Lloyd A]

Terrier Trivia

In July 1956 I bought #611xx used from Charles Greenblatt in
his shop in back of NYCPD HQ in NYC. The frame is the same as
above but the grips are wood and the round S&W emblem is
silver. The invoice has a (D3609) under the serial #?? $56.50
was the invoice total. Gun$45, 45 auto ammo $6.50, Box of 38
$3.50. Holster $1.50. It was shipped to me via Railway Express
in Long Island..FREE.

 

[Engine49guy]

THE POST WAR .38 S&W Reg. Police and .38 S&W Terrier I FRAMES EVOLUTION:

1. Transitional: c. 1946, leaf main spring. .38 S&W beginning c. 1948 at # 54475; as high as 582XX w/rd top stocks. (all reportedly have new style hammer block). All have 5 screw frames.

a) Pre war/post war: leaf main spring. Most like the pre war models
b) Pure post war: leaf main spring. Actual .38 S&W production in volume didn't resume until about 1950, 54804 lowest and 58470 highest known shipped in July 1951.

2. Improved I: coil main spring .38 highest round sight 6867X [#68,XXX shipped 2/53], lowest known ramp site 701XX, 71983 highest. All have 5 screw frames.

3. Model of 1953 New I Frames: the "Pre-Model #s" 4 screws & 3 screws, all have ramp sight/ribbed barrel, enlarged trigger guard and lengthened grip frame, .38 highest 4 screw, old hammer # 7671X

4. Model #'d guns c.1957: .38s made on the J frame in early 1961, -1 added, Models became 32 & 33, c. #88XXX

Special Thanks to Hondo44 for teaching me about I frames .

Two different variants below Left is a post war late transitional and a New I frame.
Interesting that the 1950 came with service grips but has a flat frame screw instead of domed ?

.38 S&W Post war transitional "Terrier" , matt blue finish , 5 screw frame, Leaf spring, half penny FS, numbered Walnut service grips, old style hammer, Serial 58078 Shipped Dec 1950 .

Pre Model 32 .38 S&W "Terrier" high polish blue finish, New I frame, 4 screw, ramp sight/ribbed barrel, enlarged trigger guard , lengthened grip frame , numbered diamond Magnas, 3rd style flat latch, old style hammer, Serial 77062 , 1955 ?

 

[ArizonaShooter]

Photo to go with "Trade" question post...

I'm considering a trade for a S&W 32-1, I'll be trading a Marlin 336W worth about $400.
Nickel, stag grips, cylinder drag marks.
Would this be considered a good trade in anyone's opinion?
Thanks in advance.

 

[gordonrick]

Thanks for the date info on the transitional Terrier Engine49guy. I have 58260, so now I can narrow it down to (likely) a December 1950 or January 1951 shipping date. Thanks!

Rick

 

[Hondo44]

YES a good trade!

 

[DCWilson]

Thanks for the date info on the transitional Terrier Engine49guy. I have 58260, so now I can narrow it down to (likely) a December 1950 or January 1951 shipping date. Thanks!

Rick

Nailing down the answer to that question will probably require history letter, though sometimes if you call S&W and ask for a shipping date they will give you the month and year over the phone.

The thing is that S&W did not have a policy that forced shipment of guns in serial number order, so sometimes higher numbered specimens of a particular model would leave the factory before lower numbered specimens. You can often approximate a date by a gun's serial number, but you can't get too refined about it.

 

[29-1]

Terrier

I always love showing off my 1 I frame, which shipped to the NYPD in 1950. The gun is one month older than me
Enjoy
Chuck

 

[bad_bowtie]

I just received a 38/32 Terrier today that belonged to my grandfather who is suffering from Alzheimer's. Wish I could ask him the history on it but his mind is gone.
It is marked mod 32 and serial # is 88382. Which should put it about 1958??

 

[jsfricks]

You'll get more answers if you start your own thread on this.
Very nice gun. There is writing in the box, does the cylinder have a different number on it?