Smith & Wesson .32 Double Action 4th Model - 2" - S & W

[FS1ST]

Greetings All,

Picked up this .32 DA 4th Model 2" couple weeks ago. I took a few pics and tought I would throw it up since it has a 2" barrel.
I know there are a lot of bicycle and lemmon squeezer fakes out here and I have not cleaned it and looked closely at the barrel.
The butt and serial number on the cyinder match so i gave it a shot. Dirty but the action is great. My 1st .32 DA that's not a hammerless.
It's ugly as hell but wonder if it's a real 2".

 

[BMur]

Very interesting 32.
Basics first:
Is there a matching number on the barrel and latch?
Also what can you make out on top of the barrel?
The serial number puts it likely in the late 1880’s to early 1890’s. It would be very unusual to have S&W stamped on the left side barrel for this date.
Anything is possible. Roy Jinks in his book states the 2” barrels were not standard until 1898. However, I have seen special order short barrels earlier that letter but they are extremely rare.

Murph

 

[FS1ST]

Very interesting 32.
Basics first:
Is there a matching number on the barrel and latch?
Also what can you make out on top of the barrel?
The serial number puts it likely in the late 1880’s to early 1890’s. It would be very unusual to have S&W stamped on the left side barrel for this date.
Anything is possible. Roy Jinks in his book states the 2” barrels were not standard until 1898. However, I have seen special order short barrels earlier that letter but they are extremely rare.

Murph

Morning. No markings on the right, top, or right side of the barrel. I understand there is a serial under the latch. What are the chances of damaging the ejector if I remove the cylinder? Thank you for the information.

 

[glowe]

Welcome to the Forum. The cylinder unscrews from the quill (center pin) by lifting and holding the top latch, pulling back on the cylinder and unscrewing. The ejector rod and star come out with the cylinder. Reverse to install it. Your revolver likely shipped in 1888.

I am guessing that that is not the original barrel. Looking over the 32 DAs I have/had I see no caliber stamping on one of my gun, #192,XXX, and am quite certain that the barrel stamping you show "32 S&W" did not show up until at least #200,000. The "W" appears to be an upside down "M" and the ampersand is wrong as well?? Maybe someone hand stamped that barrel. Just to be sure, the barrel has a serial number if you look forward of the top latch and between the "ears" of the top frame. Numbers will appear on both sides of the top latch to make up the whole number. The numbers are very small, so look carefully. If matching, the barrel stamping was likely added much later, post factory. Factory stamp should look like this.

 

[Boulder350]

FS1ST - Have you removed the grips to see if there are any numbers on the sides of the frame? The numbers on the barrel look like they end in 78 when you zoom in

 

[BMur]

The odds are most definitely that the barrel has been altered.
However, what has my attention is the stamps on the left side. I know it’s too early in serial number range “technically” but special order brings out many oddities and looking closely those letters were stamped on that barrel a “LONG TIME AGO”!! It wasn’t done yesterday. There is pitting “inside” the S stamp that is consistent with the pitting all over the gun.

If you want our help assuming the numbers match? We will need several more up close photos as clear as possible.
A photo of the muzzle crown
A photo of a ruler next to the barrel
A very clear photo of the top of the barrel.
Murph

 

[mmaher94087]

I believe someone tinkered around and 'made' the short barreled double action. One telltale sign is the two heads on the Joint Pivot (barrel hinge). Also, the front sight isn't set correctly in the barrel slot

 

[Boulder350]

This shows the last 2 digits of the barrel serial number.

 

[BMur]

It does look like the barrel matches the other numbers. So we need more close ups.

Murph

 

[FS1ST]

Morning, Looks like the same model number on the latch. Is there still a number on the barrel, Pls?

FS1ST - Have you removed the grips to see if there are any numbers on the sides of the frame? The numbers on the barrel look like they end in 78 when you zoom in

Hi Mark.
The number under the latch is 113978 which is in the butt, cylinder. No serial number under the grips. If the last two numbers on the barre are 78, that matches the other serial numbers. How are you seeing this number. You are looking through the cylinder. I'm going to look again. And Thank you, Much.

 

[FS1ST]

I will take cleaner pictures tonight. Thank you.

 

[Boulder350]

The barrel serial number is located in the blue circle. You can see the entire number better if you clean that area and then lift the latch, catch the light just right, or add a light at an angle. Murph zoomed on the area in blue and inverted the image to show the numbers in his post above.

When guns were sent back to the factory for work, they usually stamp a date on the frame under the grips. Sometimes a gun owner sent the gun back to the factory to have the barrel shortened or install a different barrel. Was asking you to check your gun to see if it had the factory rework date.

 

[mmaher94087]

I don't dispute the barrel serial number matching everything. My belief is that the barrel has been shortened for the reasons I posted above. The barrel has been off the revolver, the front sight is not reinstalled correctly, and the barrel hinge pin is modified from original. The front sight is obviously a re-plant. It's still a neat little revolver.

 

[FS1ST]

I may not be able to get sharp images until the weekend but thank you for all the information. A lot can happen in 135 years yet it's pretty nice.