The .32-20 Hand Ejector Thread

[DWalt]

"So, from what I've read, it (138641) seems to be a late 20's production."

Correct - but it also could well have shipped at any time throughout the 1930s. I don't think I'd have been interested in carrying a .32-20 in Korea unless I was stationed in a rear area and unlikely to have any need to use it. Not to say anything about the difficulty of finding an ammunition supply in Korea.

 

[tep]

Here's mine. Model of 1905, 4th change. S/N 112XXX. It's a family heirloom to me. Has a lot of holster wear, but still shoots great!

 

[finloq]

Very nice, I'd be proud to call that lad a member of my family.

 

[oldgraycat]

I have a sw32-32 nickel plate 5screw pinned barrel sn 1644xx,excellent condition from my fathers estate, can anyone id this . love to know more about it. not for sale, dad had it for a long time, also got his colt45 army issue 1917 revolver he paid $12.50 for gun holstier and a box of ammo,. had ti longer then he had me, im 65 . no pics but will post in the future

 

[Alk8944]

I have a sw32-32 nickel plate 5screw pinned barrel sn 1644xx,excellent condition from my fathers estate, can anyone id this . love to know more about it. not for sale, dad had it for a long time, also got his colt45 army issue 1917 revolver he paid $12.50 for gun holstier and a box of ammo,. had ti longer then he had me, im 65 . no pics but will post in the future

Assuming it is a Smith & Wesson it is probably a .32 Hand Ejector, not a .32-20 as is the subject of this thread. SN is ca. 20,000 higher than the highest .32-20 Winchester Model revolver.

 

[Muley Gil]

I have a sw32-32 nickel plate 5screw pinned barrel sn 1644xx,excellent condition from my fathers estate, can anyone id this . love to know more about it. not for sale, dad had it for a long time, also got his colt45 army issue 1917 revolver he paid $12.50 for gun holstier and a box of ammo,. had ti longer then he had me, im 65 . no pics but will post in the future

Welcome to the Forum.

Please check your serial number again. The main number is located on the butt. It will also be located under the barrel and on the rear of the cylinder. Serial numbers on the .32-20s only went into the 144xxx range. They are in their own range, separate from the .38 Military & Police revolvers.

If the serial number under the barrel has a "B" prefix, it was shipped with a blued finish. Many of these were refinished in nickel.

Please post pictures. We love pictures!

As above, you probably have a .32 Long revolver or a "3" looks like an "8".

 

[Alk8944]

Poor finish, 5 screw with unmatched walnut(?) grip panels (stamped inside with a different serial #). The grips have a gold medallion.
Serial# on butt, bottom of barrel and the back of the cylinder- 138641 followed by a star- date stamped under the left grip panel 12-44

I have guns in my SN list either side of yours that shipped June 1927 and November 1928, Your stocks are from the 1910-1920 period assuming they have the large deep recessed Gold medallions and not later Nickel plated brass ones that the plate has peeled off of. You are correct that the 12-44 denotes that the gun was back at S&W for some service in December 1944.

Referring to DWalt's comment that the gun could have shipped in the 1930s. This is correct, but it could have shipped clear into the 1960s! The last .32-20 shipped from S&W, SN 141611, and two others, shipped sometime in 1965! Info. is from SCSW as I recall.

 

[DWalt]

SN 1141611 should be SN 141611. I have it on my list. Allegedly there were a few .32-20s that shipped in the late 1940s also, but I have no details.

 

[oneofsixreborn]

pictures as promised...

 

[Alk8944]

Unfortunately the stocks you picture are post 1968 Plain Clothes (P.C.) Magnas, AKA Modified Magnas. Those are Nickeled Brass medallions. The yellow color is the stock finish that was sprayed over the completed stocks and has yellowed.

These (smooth top) are what should be on your gun. (Stolen from tep's post!). The other is what a real Gold Medallion (1910-1920) looks like. (Lifted from badshot48, post 233)

 

[DWalt]

"Poor finish, 5 screw with unmatched walnut(?) grip panels (stamped inside with a different serial #). The grips have a gold medallion."
If you haven't already tried, it might be possible to improve the finish appearance by using a good metal polish such as Flitz or Mother's Mag. 1920s-era stocks appear on eBay every so often if you are interested.

 

[ddeanjohnson]

the .32-20 of Judge P.R. Price

Acquired by trade at a gun show in 20143, a S&W .32-20 Hand Ejector Model of 1905 (Fourth Change). It has a four-inch barrel and all matching numbers (66928), including a penciled number on the right grip panel. The blue finish is in about 97% condition. The gun appears to have been fired little.

I obtained a factory letter on the gun, which states that "your handgun, with serial number 66928 was shipped from our factory on January 1, 1915, and delivered to Judge P.R. Price, no address listed."

Using Google, I quickly found many references to only one judge in the U.S. who went by the name "P.R. Price." His full name was Perry Riley Price, but in both court documents and news stories that I found, he was always referred to as "P.R. Price." He got his law degree in 1902 in Missouri. He moved to El Paso, where he became county attorney and, starting in 1914, a state district court judge. (I found a reference to one of his decisions in a story from the El Paso Herald of Oct. 30, 1915.) This is a trial court handling criminal matters, among other things, and at that time El Paso was not too far removed from the wild west. It was during the period that Price presided over this trial court that my revolver was ordered (perhaps as an under-robe backup to the baliffs?).

Price was later appointed to a state appeals court based in El Paso, on which he became chief justice. He remained a judge on that court until his death in 1953.

Douglas D. Johnson
SWCA No. 2404

 

[KENGUN]

That is a most interesting story and yes being a criminal trial Judge, most likely was carried for his own protection at a time when court were underprotected.
Odd that such a historic family piece ever found its way to a gun show! But so lucky for you...enjoy!

 

[Plain Old Dave]

Minor polishing on the .32-20 I posted previously. And a set of $10 Pachmayr Presentation grips.

 

[oldgraycat]

alk8944 and muley gil rechacker ser # it is 1164xx try that one

 

[Muley Gil]

alk8944 and muley gil rechacker ser # it is 1164xx try that one

That could be a .32-20 revolver. Can you post the markings that are on the barrel?

 

[DWalt]

alk8944 and muley gil rechacker ser # it is 1164xx try that one

If a .32-20, it would likely have shipped sometime in 1923. .32-20 CTG should be stamped on the barrel, although it is possible that the barrel stamping could be be .32 W.C.F. CTG (a different name for the same cartridge).

 

[Alk8944]

I've got numbers both sides of the 1164xx that were all mid-late 1923. This is assuming the gun with this number is a .32-20 as others mentioned.

It should be marked .32-20 CTG as the transition from .32 WCF to .32-20 is reported as occurring during 1922.

 

[oldgraycat]

is stamped 32-20ctg , anyone know the value, need for insurance purpose. not for sale

 

[dogngun]

Just read through this thread and I guess I should put up a photo of my S&W .32 - 20 WCF Hand Ejector, # 98954, 5" barrel...



I bought it with these old, and real, MOP's on it, but have since replaced them with a correct set of the all wood service grips...I believe this one is from late 1921. Shows its age, but still very tight and a GOOD shooter!
I had been thinking of selling it, but...no.