What do you call this little revolver?

[JSR III]

I would guess that your gun is early post war as it bears the S&W Marcus Registradas 4 line address. For those that track these things, I have pre model 30, SN 634031 with a 4 inch barrel that has a ramp style front sight, flat latch thumbpiece and no trigger guard screw.

 

[Hondo44]

I would guess that your gun is early post war as it bears the S&W Marcus Registradas 4 line address. For those that track these things, I have pre model 30, SN 634031 with a 4 inch barrel that has a ramp style front sight, flat latch thumbpiece and no trigger guard screw.

JSRIII,
You have a Model of 1953 4 screw 2nd improvement I frame. A Pre model 30 if it's a round butt, pre model 31 if it's a square butt.

 

[haggis]

That would have to be the Exterminator from our Forum. He does make great Elk Stag grips.

I think his forum name is Executioner. His real name is Patrick Grashorn, and he does make beautiful grips.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/access...53364-f-s-stag-bone-grips-k-l-round-colo.html

Buck

 

[Gerald D]

Once again I thank you folks for your helpfulness, a PM has been sent.

 

[Hammerdown]

The .32 S&W Long Legend lives on

Hello
I have always been fond of the .32 S&W Long Cartridge in all S&W revolver variations. I carry a .32 H&R Magnum Model 431 daily, but rescued a beat to death one and had it Plated with High Polished Chrome by Fords Custom Gun refinishing in Florida about Four Years ago. It was originally blued but was heavily Pitted and required extensive Polishing to remove the deep Pits so Ford's had to re-cut the S&W Logo on it for me. It shipped in June 1958 and is shown with it's original serial numbered grips. I Later gave it to our Daughter for a Night stand gun when she got married, and left our Nest a couple of years ago.

I was at a small Gun auction early this spring and won this 5 screw Blued 3" barrel model that shipped in September 1952 for $140.00 It also has it's original grips. My son in Law was with me when I won it, and commented when we got home how much he really liked it, and that someday he hoped to find one just like it. The following day I gave it to him and he too now has a .32 S&W Long S&W Revolver Night stand gun of his own...

 

[Gerald D]

Bright nickle/chrome isn't my thing but that does make a striking looking little piece, now the 3" makes me envious for certain. Very nice revolvers but that's what I'd expect from you sir.

 

[Hammerdown]

Bright nickle/chrome isn't my thing but that does make a striking looking little piece, now the 3" makes me envious for certain. Very nice revolvers but that's what I'd expect from you sir.

Hello Gerald
Thanks, I appreciate your kind words. When I called Ford's to inquire what would be the best finish to take Constant daily carry wear with showing it the Least, Larna the owner of Ford's suggested High Polished Chrome, That is why I had the snub refinished in it. I can tell you after a solid Three year carry of it daily in a Holster , it looks as good as the day they refinished it. The 3"-J-Frame shown had been shot very little.I would say it was someone's Night stand Gun & It shoots at P.O.A. and is very accurate as the snub is. These revolver's chambered in .32 S&W Long caliber are a lot of fun to shoot, and they can be loaded by hand to be every bit as Potent as any .38 Special round....

 

[JSR III]

Hondo, it is a pre model 30 with the small round butt. Just like me.

 

[Bob Smalser]

Our house hold loves these little revolvers. Here's two of our three, both with original finishes.

Identifying these is kinda like keying out the species of a plant or critter. So correct me if I'm wrong:

1) Both are post-1949, when the 2" barrel was introduced.

2) The nickle piece has the newer style bolt spring so it lacks the trigger guard screw....a post 1953 Improved I-frame....and also lacks the upper sideplate screw....post 1956. But it also lacks a Model #, which originated in 1957....so it was made between 1956 and 1957?

3) The blued piece has the trigger guard screw...pre 1953....but also has the newer-style coil mainspring, which was spose to have been introduced in the same year with the improved I-frame. Yet it's an older I-frame, with a grip frame about 3/16" shorter than the nickle piece. A betwizt-and-between piece from 1953?

Downright sporting.

 

[Hondo44]

Our house hold loves these little revolvers. Here's two of our three, both with original finishes.

Identifying these is kinda like keying out the species of a plant or critter. So correct me if I'm wrong:

1) Both are post-1949, when the 2" barrel was introduced.

2) The nickle piece has the newer style bolt spring so it lacks the trigger guard screw....a post 1953 Improved I-frame....and also lacks the upper sideplate screw....post 1956. But it also lacks a Model #, which originated in 1957....so it was made between 1956 and 1957?

3) The blued piece has the trigger guard screw...pre 1953....but also has the newer-style coil mainspring, which was spose to have been introduced in the same year with the improved I-frame. Yet it's an older I-frame, with a grip frame about 3/16" shorter than the nickle piece. A betwizt-and-between piece from 1953?

Downright sporting.

Hi Bob,

1. Nickel gun: Exactly right! A 3 screw I frame, 1953 2nd improvement, w/3rd style flat latch. Coil mainspring, long grip.

2. Blue gun: No, it's prior to 1953. It's a 5 screw I frame, 1st improvement w/coil mainspring, 1st type; half penny sight no rib barrel, 1/8" shorter grip and 2nd style post war thumblatch.

So there was one more 1st improvement I frame between your two guns; the 2nd type which was the last type before the 1953 2nd improvement I frame. It has a ramp front sight and barrel rib, short grip, small trigger guard, and 2nd type flat latch. The 3rd type flat latch (tallest one) is most usaully found on the 1953 model up into 1966.

Clear as mud?

 

[HeyJoe]

2. Blue gun: No, it's prior to 1953. It's a 5 screw I frame, 1st improvement, 1st type w/coil mainspring, half penny sight no rib barrel, short grip and 2nd style post war thumblatch.

i dont see a fifth screw on the grip frame. does an i frame with a coil mainspring have a fifth screw?

 

[Bob Smalser]

There's no strain screw on either revolver....both have coil springs.

 

[Gerald D]

Mr. Smalser, your blued revolver looks like a twin to mine, both your pieces are very nice. Just got a call from a friend and I'll be picking up a 2" blued Model 34 to join the herd in a few weeks. Unfired, in the box with all paperwork, I've not had a good enough look to quote the particulars but I look forward to getting it in hand. This one will put my "no gun unfired" policy to the test, the 34's aren't extremely rare but I doubt there are a lot of 2" NIB ones laying about.

 

[Bob Smalser]

Clear as mud?

Quite clear, thankyou. I have no idea how their production schedule was loaded, but that seems to track with the 588XXX serial number, too.

.... I doubt there are a lot of 2" NIB ones laying about.

I began this odyssey looking for a Terrier for the wife, as I thought she was wasting size and weight carrying a 3" Chief's Special when all she was loading was light wadcutters. But I couldn't find a Terrier that wasn't either too expensive or had the snot kicked out of it.

What strikes me as odd with the pre-Model 30's, is that it doesn't seem to be difficult to find them in mint condition. I picked up our three within a year, all for well under 400 bucks. Either Smith overproduced for the market, the 32 was the favorite nightstand-drawer gun, or the post-war specimens weren't in service very long before buyers became more prosperous and switched to 38 Specials.

 

[Hondo44]

i dont see a fifth screw on the grip frame. does an i frame with a coil mainspring have a fifth screw?

Hey Joe,

The 5 screws on the I Frame and 1st improvement I frame are:
4 on the side plate (one covered by the mini magna grip panel horn) and the one in front of the trigger guard. The 2nd improvement I frame which is the model of 1953 eliminated the trigger guard screw with it's larger trigger guard. So there are only 4 and 3 screw models of 1953. And by 1957 when the .32s became Model 30 (rd butt) and the Regulation Police (sq butt) became Model 31, they were all 3 screw models.

Note: pre-improvements I frames with leaf mainsprings and strain screws came with both pre-war 'service' grips (early post war) and mini Magna grips starting around 1949.

 

[Hondo44]

What strikes me as odd with the pre-Model 30's, is that it doesn't seem to be difficult to find them in mint condition. I picked up our three within a year, all for well under 400 bucks. Either Smith overproduced for the market, the 32 was the favorite nightstand-drawer gun, or the post-war specimens weren't in service very long before buyers became more prosperous and switched to 38 Specials.

Bob,

You raise a good question. My guess is, and it's only a considered guess, the 1950's followed closely behind an era when the .32 was considered adequate and used by many police departments as a duty weapon. So many citizens felt adequate with defense guns in .32 caliber. And defense guns in those days were owned by many in the general public that weren't really shooters except maybe for their hunting guns. And like you say, they just sat in dresser drawers or their boxes. And soon the 38 Spl Chief Special, new in 1950, did take over the market.

 

[JSR III]

Hondo, just as an additional tid bit. My pre model 30 has the ribbed barrel and the front sight face is perpendicular to the muzzle with a tiny radius at the top. The nickel one that Bob posted a photo of curves immediately with no perpendicular face.

 

[HeyJoe]

thanks for the information Hondo.

 

[Hondo44]

Hondo, just as an additional tid bit. My pre model 30 has the ribbed barrel and the front sight face is perpendicular to the muzzle with a tiny radius at the top. The nickel one that Bob posted a photo of curves immediately with no perpendicular face.

JSR III,
That's interesting. Same basic ramp sight with just a slight manufacturing difference I guess. Mine are all like the nickel gun.

 

[Hammerdown]

Hello
Here is another 3" pre-30 I was a care taker of for a while. It was a night stand gun as well...