how to tell what year a smith and wesson revolver was made

Thread Status:

Not open for further replies.

1. 

   ZoneIII Fellow member

   Joined:

   May i, 2006

   Messages:

   4

   Can anyone bespeak me to a website or other source that would allow me to determine the year of manufacture of a .32 S&Due west Regulation Police revolver that I merely inherited? Information technology'southward series number is 374546. I also inherited a Colt 1911 and was quickly able to learn that it was manufactured in 1918 but I would like to engagement this little revolver besides.

   Thank you

2. The Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson by Nahas & Supica is the Bible for all things S&W. I am sure that someone who has the book handy will post the date for your gun soon. If not, endeavour asking at www.smith-wessonforum.com as annihilation about S&Westward tin be learned there.

3. Are you certain it's a .32 quotient Regulation law and not peradventure a .32 hand Ejector?

4. ZoneIII:

   Welcome to the high route.

   Posting a movie of your Smith & Wesson would help confirm what model information technology is.

   The .32 Regulation Police model was introduced in 1917, and serial numbered in the aforementioned series as the .32 Hand Ejector/Model of 1903. Regulation Police numbers started around 331320 and ended around 536684 in 1942. Regulation Police revolvers are numbered on the forestrap, where .32 Hand Ejectors are numbered on the lesser of the butt.

   This doesn't help you much, just Due south&Westward fabricated information technology a practise to number frames before they were made into guns rather then number the guns in sequence. To make matters worse, the frames that were pre-numbered could often be made into several different model guns.

   The only way to date a particular revolver is to pay a $30.00 fee to S&W and ask the company historian, Roy Jinks, to look information technology upwards in the old records. Considering the work he has to become through (the records are not computerized) the fee is very reasonable. You will also get an official letter from Mr. Jinks explaining everything he plant about your gun in the records.

   To learn more than, become to: www.smith-wesson.com

5. Sorry near that, I couldn't detect the .32 Reglation Model in the serial number list, only in the text I noted that , different the .38 Regulation Poice, they are non marked every bit such. As Former Fluff posted, a letter to S&W is the only way to find the actual engagement.

6. Your gun was fabricated in approx. 1926. You would need a letter from Roy Jinks, factory historian to see when & where information technology was shipped.

7. 

   ZoneIII Member

   Joined:

   May 1, 2006

   Messages:

   4

   Thanks for the info. Sorry I didn't go dorsum to this forum sooner only I was out of town for a few days and I guess I assumed that I would get an email message letting me know that responses had been posted similar you arrive some forums.

   My gun has the serial number on the butt, not the front strap of the grip and then information technology appears that it may be a hand ejector. I causeless that it was a Regulation Police force revolver because someone on another forum told me it was. Hopefully, someone tin can confirm this from the flick I am attaching.

   The serial numbers are also marked on the rear of the cylinder and the dorsum of the star wheel ejector. Also, the patent date is stamped on the bottom of the grips and it appears to read, "Pat June 5 1917" but the numbers are very worn. I am particularly uncertain near the last digit (7).

   The picture attached here was taken the mean solar day I got the gun. Information technology has since been cleaned up but it yet has wearable on the finish. However, the activeness is tight as tin be and everything is smoot as silk in performance. The cylinder is tighter than virtually brand new revolvers and it locks upward beautifully.

   Attached Files:

   • 

8. If you want to know for sure, a $30 manufacturing plant letter of the alphabet from Roy Jinks will tell you lot the mean solar day your revolver left the mill.

   Other than that, the grips on your revolver, if original, indicate a engagement between 1917 and 1929. The serial number should exist stamped inside one of the grips.

   I doubtable your revolver is actually a .32/20 Mitt Ejector, Model of 1905, 4th change. If so, the right side of the barrel would read 32 WCF CTG between ii Maltese crosses. Your series number falls within the group for these revolvers. They were produced from 1915-1940.

   If I am correct on the caliber, be conscientious of any loads for it. Stick with cowboy revolver loads and you and the revolver will be fine. If I am wrong on the caliber, then at least you know when the grips were made!

9. Your picture and the patent date "Pat June five 1917" on the stocks confirm that you lot practice indeed have a Regulation Constabulary model. A serial number on the butt rather so the forestrap would be unusual, only I can see a possibility where some pre-numbred Hand Ejector frames were altered and made into Regulation Police revolvers. This I recollect, would be a good i to run by Roy Jinks.

   These are neat, and very accurate guns. I promise you enjoy it.

10. LOL Old Fuff! I tin't dispute that! I guess the real question (other than the caliber) is whether it's an I or a K frame!
    Looking at the flick, against my 23/twenty HE, I can't say for sure.

    On further research I come across that Old Fuff is likely expressionless to basics on the coin with that grip patent date, and I defer to my elders.....

    This is a nifty example of seeing what you want to see........ with no size indicator in the pic, I saw a K frame when the revolver is obviously an I frame.

11. If my identification is correct, the revolver is built on the smaller I-frame, and the cylinder is only one.250" long. A K-frame cylinder is normally i.56" long.

    At this time Due south&West was trying to compeat with Colt's pop Police force Positive, which had a square barrel. Rather then come out with a new frame they made a slight modification to the backstrap of the 1903 Hand Ejector's (round barrel) frame and then fitted it with oversized stocks that made it into a square barrel configuration. These stocks were and so marked with the June 5 1917 patent date. The other inkling is that no metal is exposed at the lesser of the grip, which is the reason the serial number was unremarkably on the forestrap.

    But when dealing with Smith & Wesson, "never say never."

12. 

    ZoneIII Fellow member

    Joined:

    May 1, 2006

    Messages:

    4

    The caliber designation on the correct side of the barrel says, "32 Long CTG". There are no symbols. I am non familiar with the diverse 32 caliber rounds. Can I use 32 long and 32 S&W ammunition with this gun?

13. 

    ZoneIII Member

    Joined:

    May ane, 2006

    Letters:

    4

    Past the fashion, I forgot to mention that the cylinder length is 1.25".

14. Zone,
    To make sure that there is no misunderstanding, Quondam Fuff hit a home run and I struck out. Onetime Fuff is correct.

    I take a feeling I had better defer to One-time Fuff about the ammo query, afterall, I was just a twinkle in my papa'south eye when Fuff was shootin' this stuff!

    All-time regards,
    XB

15. Ah, but you lot're coming forth...

    It is ofttimes dificult to identify a particular Smith and Wesson without either a photograph or complete clarification. It doesn't help that frames within a certain serial number range might be made into several different model revolvers either. Expertise comes with experience, and the Old Fuff hasn't been hurt past the fact that he's a professional person firearms researcher with resources that aren't always available to everyone.

    The .32 Regulation Police is chambered to use either .32 South&W or .32 Southward&West Long cartridges. One can also utilise .32 Colt New Police force cartridges, simply they haven't been made in many years. .32 Brusk Filly and .32 Long Filly are something else and won't piece of work in Due south&W revolvers.

Thread Status:

Not open for further replies.

• Home
• Forums

  Forums

• Competitions

  Competitions

• Media

  Media

• Resources

  Resources

• Members

  Members

• Bill of fare

clarklier1965.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/dating-a-s-w-revolver-by-serial-number.198123/

Share this post