The .32-20 Hand Ejector Thread

[OFT II]

Looks good to me.

 

[bruce5781]

Looks good to me.

Thank you. It is only due to all the good advice and the lessons I have learned from participating in this forum that I felt confident in my decision to jump on this. You guys rock !

Regards,
Bruce

 

[Fingerprint]

Hi all,
This is a great thread. I've been a 32-20 fan since shooting my Grandfather's Colt revolver as a teenager in the 50's but I put off acquiring any until recently. Others have posted Colts so I'll show my 32-20 family - a 1923 Remington Model 25 pump, a 1920 Colt Army Special, a S&W 32-20 HE (Model of 1905, 4th Change I think) and a 1980's Jager Dakota SAA clone. I shoot a light load of Unique with 85gr jacketed bullets in all of them.

The S&W HE is SN 84107 with all matching numbers including stocks. I think the SN would place it around 1920. 6" barrel. Only about 50% blue on the frame but it locks up solid and shoots well. Much better trigger than the Colt in my opinion. Am I correct in identifying it as a 32-20 Hand Ejector Model of 1905, 4th Change?

Left side of barrel: "SMITH & WESSON"
Right side of barrel: "32 WCF CTG"
Top of barrel (as near as I can tell):
"SMITH-WESSON SPRINGFIELD MASS USA PATENTED" "OCT.3.01.DEC.17.01.FEB.6.06.SEPT.14.09.DEC.29.14"
No visible markings on the frame
Diamond stocks with gold medallions.

Thanks for all the 32-20 pix, Tom

 

[DWalt]

"The S&W HE is SN 84107"

849xx shipped in 1/20; 850xx shipped in 3/20. Those are the closest SNs I have listed. Yours may have shipped in late 1919. Cylinder heat treating started at SN 81287 in 9/19. It would be a .32-20 Military and Police Model (M&P). S&W did not use the "Model of 1905" terminology that late, but some collectors still do. Do the stocks have a matching SN? They could well be original at that time.
-----------------
PS - You might want to tighten the hammer spring strain screw. It shouldn't stick out that far.

 

[Fingerprint]

Thanks for the info DWalt. The stocks do have the matching SN written in pencil diagonally across the right stock near the top. Faint but readable. I tightened the hammer spring screw a few turns - what's the best way to determine the correct setting?

 

[DWalt]

Thanks for the info DWalt. The stocks do have the matching SN written in pencil diagonally across the right stock near the top. Faint but readable. I tightened the hammer spring screw a few turns - what's the best way to determine the correct setting?

It should go in all the way. Some loosen the screw to get a lighter DA pull, but that is not a good idea.

 

[jsh108]

32-20 HE Question

I recently inherited a 32-20 HE and am trying to get a handle on what grips to try to find. Serial number is 127XX and it has 32 Winchester CTG on the barrel. Any help in id or manufactoring date will be appreciated. It has been poorly reconditoned, so I will make this one a shooter. I would like to find a set of wood grips.

 

[DWalt]

Your Model of 1902 (or second model, first change) probably shipped in the 1904-05 period. Unfortunately, I don't have any SNs very close to yours listed to be more precise. The correct grips for that time would be black hard rubber. You might find a pair of originals on eBay, and there are numerous replicas available. If you don't care about having the original type, wooden and rubber round butt K-frame grips to fit it abound, both new and used.

 

[jsh108]

Thanks Dwalt

 

[Newtire]

Who on the Forum has the lowest number and who has the highest number. Any information from factory letters or connections with family histories or law enforcement would be welcome. Model revisions and changes in markings could be noted as well. Those who still shoot theirs regularly could post tales and fi

According to the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, I have a Mo del of 1902. It has a serial number of 7xxx. Could sure use a new barrel. Kind of rough looking on the inside. Will have to load up some nice mild cast boolit loads & take her out and see how it does. I'm stuck working now for awhile. As soon as things let up a bit, I'll get to it. I'm in the market for another one of these soon!

 

[FifthWheel]

My latest addition .32-20

Posted in HE thread but I spent a lot of time lately reading this entire thread and wanted to include her here.
Mine is SN 977XX from around 1921, Model of 1905, Fourth Change. Looks and feels great. Has two repair dates stamped in grip frame '48. Possibly replated but fine job as all stampings are crisp, no nickel on hammer, trigger or star. It's a 5" barrel. Bore and action are great, no hammer push off. It should have a heat treated cylinder as it appears that started with #81287. All numbers match on frame, barrel, cylinder, on star, and on yoke as seen through charge hole. Stocks appear to match but the penciled number is too difficult to read but correct grips with very good checkering.
Got some 115gr Ultramax ammo and may get her to the range this week or next.

 

[Muley Gil]

Posted in HE thread but I spent a lot of time lately reading this entire thread and wanted to include her here.
Mine is SN 977XX from around 1921, Model of 1905, Fourth Change. Looks and feels great. Has two repair dates stamped in grip frame '48. Possibly replated but fine job as all stampings are crisp, no nickel on hammer, trigger or star. It's a 5" barrel. Bore and action are great, no hammer push off. It should have a heat treated cylinder as it appears that started with #81287. All numbers match on frame, barrel cylinder and on yoke as seen through charge hole. Stocks appear to match but the penciled number is too difficult to read but correct grips with very good checkering.
Got some 115gr Ultramax ammo and may get her to the range this week or next.

Have you checked the grip frame, under the grips, for a date stamp? Something like 8.54 would indicate a trip back to the mother ship in August 1954.

 

[FifthWheel]

Have you checked the grip frame, under the grips, for a date stamp? Something like 8.54 would indicate a trip back to the mother ship in August 1954.

Looks like 7/48, 2/49. I know it should have a mushroomed ejector rod knob so that must be one job.

 

[Muley Gil]

Yup, it made two trips back to Springfield MASS.

 

[Hunter Keith]

.32-20 HE M&P "Warhorse"

Gentleman, I am posting this very rough .32-20 WCF 1902, as a tribute to Smith & Wesson, and the amazing quality of their pre-war revolvers. This revolver was listed on GB, as simply Antique Smith and Wesson Six-shooter. I have four .32-20 Smiths, and one 1892 Winchester, in .32-20, and love this caliber. BIN was $119.00, and seller was unsure of the caliber. Serial # put it in .32-20 range, so I took a chance.Upper side plate screw was missing, Stock on the left side had a very large chip, and old goo from duct tape.Two fingers off the star extractor, are missing. The good news. Still very tight, exceptional trigger pull, single and double action, all numbers match, including the grips. Wiil get it to the range soon.

 

[bruce5781]

In honor of its 110th birthday, I would like to present this little 32-20 5" Target. No letter yet, but according to Roy, it shipped in September, 1907.
Since it lacks a "B" on the underside of the barrel, I assume it was an original nickel gun. Judging by the nickled hammer and trigger, I am going to say it has been refinished once. It has outlasted the refinish and has only the tiniest bit of nickel left on the cylinder, along with the hammer and trigger.
The bore is pitted and has a ring, but it is still a good little shooter.

Sent from my SM-S975L using Tapatalk

 

[jsfricks]

Here's one I picked up about 6 months ago at a local auction.

 

[atlasiniraq]

New member

Hello,
I have read all of this thread. I learned a lot!
This is my first post on this forum. I usually just lurk on all forums. But I was amazed at the knowledge available here and even more amazed at the willingness of the experts to share that knowledge. So, I thought I would try to post pics of my hand ejector and and see what I can find out about it. I apologize for my boldness, but I sensed that the experts on this forum enjoyed sharing their knowledge. (Very different from most of the forums on the net).
Mine is nickle plated (I do not know if original).
Serial 93502 on barrel and bottom of frame. I have not found that third serial mentioned on the cylinder. I could find no number inside the grips. Bore looks mostly good.
Was there supposed to be the S&W symbol on the side plate?
I intend to shoot this gun. I have brass on order and am looking for a deal on dies. I have a .32 bullet mold which I use use to cast bullets for my other .32's.
Anyway, thanks ahead for any info you wish to share.
Dan

 

[mlward]

So, I am helping a young man ID his grandpa's 32-20. I think I have it nailed down, but would love some verification.

The serial number is 3666X but under the barrel there is a B stamped off to the left of the serial number. The numbers match on the butt, cylinder and barrel. The gun works really well and is smooth in DA but will not lock back in SA. He would like to get that fixed at some point. The bore is in amazing condition.

Thanks Matt

 

[Hondo44]

The B indicates the gun is originally blue when it shipped new from the factory.

He'll want someone versed in S&W action fitting, not just any gunsmith. And may need a replacement trigger or hammer, but not always.