Smith and wesson 32-20 revolver

I have a Model 16 that I have a .32-20 WCF cylinder for, along with a .32 S&W Long cylinder, and the original .32 H&R Magnum cylinder, which I had modified to .327 Federal Magnum.
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Holy ****..want to sell it
 
Wow what feed back ..it appears prices are all over the place..I believe I would prefer a smith target..I need a good shooter..I would prefer no rust ..scratches and ware marks cool ..
Any one let me know what kind of price I would be looking at for something along those lines.
 
Wow what feed back ..it appears prices are all over the place..I believe I would prefer a smith target..I need a good shooter..I would prefer no rust ..scratches and ware marks cool ..
Any one let me know what kind of price I would be looking at for something along those lines.

A .32-20 HE Target in the condition you desire will be expensive. They do come along, but you can't be bashful in bidding! I've made that very search myself.

Curl
 
In conditions less than you desire, prices will all top $500 for either the 32 or 38 Targets. If you are in no hurry and do lots of online research, you will find a very nice one for that price. I picked up a 1920s 38 Target for $400 two years ago in 95% condition, so they are out there to find, but a early 4th Change in Excellent condition is listed in the SCSW4 for $600 without target sights.
 

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I would expect to pay minimum of over $800 for a sweet example.
I see them listed at $2k as well.

I saw a sweet first gen Colt SAA in 32-20 with 7 1/2" barrel from the guy I bought my Army Special from and he wanted $4,250 and wasn't budging.

Prices are all over the place. Condition and rarity for old, vintage pieces aren't standard. How could they be? Each piece must be evaluated individually and each owner eyeballed for flexibility. I always try to negotiate, but I never want to offend a seller. An old, nomadic, Berber shepherd on the edge of the Sahara desert taught me: "The trick is to get a low offer in without causing the seller to walk away."


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Sellers using online auction houses and gun sites can't be offended. They sell for what they sell for and some sell well below value, but that is the risk of auctions. My 38 Target was ot an online auction and poorly documented and photographed, so maybe overlooked by many. I was very happy to obtain it and would have paid more.

You should have no problem finding a nice example for $800, as many do not sell for that much, but if that is your budget, go for it. Remember that a seller can ask whatever they want for an early K frame Target, but it would have to be very special indeed to be worth $2000.
 
Sellers using online auction houses and gun sites can't be offended. They sell for what they sell for and some sell well below value, but that is the risk of auctions. My 38 Target was ot an online auction and poorly documented and photographed, so maybe overlooked by many. I was very happy to obtain it and would have paid more.

You should have no problem finding a nice example for $800, as many do not sell for that much, but if that is your budget, go for it. Remember that a seller can ask whatever they want for an early K frame Target, but it would have to be very special indeed to be worth $2000.


A .38 yes, a .32-20 not likely. For some reason the prewar target .38s generally do not bring a lot, but a target .32-20 (which is what the original poster is looking for) is much less common and typically brings somewhat more money.
 
You are not looking hard enough Tom. I picked up my 5" 1910 32 Winchester in post #10 for $550 three years ago and have nice 32-20 6" Target that cost $600. I think there is some mystique about 32-20 revolvers, but S&W made a lot of them, so they are not scarce. If the OP is not in a hurry, I am confident that a nice $800 32 Target can be found.
 
1905 32-20 WCF 3rd change 6" Target

Here is my 1905 3rd 6" target #53356 shipped 3/1/12
Numbers in all the correct places, no rework stamps
Original finish w/ some flecking on sideplate and bluing loss patina on the front and back of the grip frame. Very minor muzzle wear.
Mechanically great with perfect timing and lock up.
Bore is shines with pronounced rifling.

What would a gun like this sell for here on the forum?

Thanks for any help on valuation.
J
 

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.32-20 Target

There is a gizmo called a "Wonder Sight" that replaces the 5th (upper side plate) screw on 5 screw S & W revolvers that effectively makes them into a target model. The rear blade is rather small, much like the target sights of the day. Kind of old school cool. I have one on a 5' 32-20 and a Model 1917.
O.Z.
 
Here is my 1905 3rd 6" target #53356 shipped 3/1/12 . . . What would a gun like this sell for here on the forum?

The 3rd Model ran for 6 years, with just over 20,000 made in standard and target configuration. If one applies the 2% target rule, there would be around 400 3rd Change Target models made. That implies there should be substantial value, BUT auction results don't always show a great deal of enthusiasm and I think that the overall market is not super large. To some, the 32-20 caliber is a must have, but I believe more see it as something that is hard to buy ammunition for, so is passed by.

Having said that, you have a very nice 32 Winchester, one that certainly worth the OPs budget of $800. To an experienced 32-20 collector, over $1000, how much over depends on how many of those buyers find it at auction? A quick search on GB for completed auctions finds 81 non-target 32-20s and over half of the listings did not get a minimum bid? As mentioned above, the prices obtained for this model seem to be all over the board, so any estimate of what the gun would sell for is difficult to predict.
 
I did the completed auctions for "32-20" and got 5211.
I did the completed auctions for "32-20 Winchester" and got 1006
I did the completed auctions for "32-20 HE" and only got 5 auctions.
I did the completed auctions for "32 WCF" and got 117.

So guessing what your search phrase was, I couldn't find the 81 records.
Did you search on 32 Winchester special? That is a different caliber from the 32 WCF (or 32-20 WCF).

Did I miss where the post from newellj said 32 Winchester?

Sorry, I'm kind of lost.

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Well, I've been watching this thread with interest. I own a late teens vintage 32-20 M&P that to be honest gets very little use. Over the years I've "gotten the bug" several times to own and shoot a gun of one sort or another in 32-20 and started in 1979 with a 4" nickel M&P I found at a shop in Christiansburg, VA, but it didn't hang around long as I wasn't reloading back then. Next came a beautiful 3rd year of production Winchester high wall in 32-20... something of a rare bird, but since I was in a mode to shoot in competition, it was too nice to keep (yeah, I know, dumb move!) Next came a Ruger Blackhawk Buckeye Special in 32 Combo. As I've bemoaned frequently here, I sold that one in one of the dumbest moves of my life.

In recent years I've gotten the two I have now, the M&P I mentioned in opening and a Navy Arms marked Uberti copy of a Colt SAA. I honestly thought I would shoot them both more than I have, and as my time seems to be opening up a little more, that may come to be. As I said in post #19, I may have Project 616 upgraded to dual cylinders as well. I'd like to have an adjustable sighted 32-20 and this could be it... finding the adjustable sighted pre-War M&P I can afford is proving elusive.

Oh well, I guess I've reminisced enough here. If and when the 616 project comes to fruition, I'll start a new thread to let you folks know how that goes. This thread seems to be getting me into the mood.

Froggie
 
I have a Model 16 that I have a .32-20 WCF cylinder for, along with a .32 S&W Long cylinder, and the original .32 H&R Magnum cylinder, which I had modified to .327 Federal Magnum.
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This is precisely the gun I had in mind beautiful set up..$$$$..looking to sell? Or trade
 

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