[Guest]

Just picked this up for 50.00 from a guy at work. It's a Smith and Wesson .32 Long. Never heard of that caliber. Seems like a good gun for my wife if she decides that she wants to learn. A blue book says that the pistol was made in the 30's and I think that it was for the Brazilian miitary maybe.

Any thoughts?

The gun is about 85%. It has a little wear on the bluing aroung the muzzle. The bore seems fine and the rifling is still visible. Has the original wood grips with a the gold Smith and Wesson logo.

 

[Flyer]

Yep, should be fine for occasional shooting...
"Occasional" only because the .32 S&W Long ammo is DANGED expensive... around $35 bucks a box around here!!!
On the other hand you could reload it...
Nice gun. I love the old-timers myself.
Flyer

 

[Guest]

Found this on Cheaper Than Dirt, although they are out of stock.

41242 Master Cartridge MC32L Handgun Ammunition, .32 S&W Long, 100 Grain, Jacketed Hollow Point, 50 Rounds Per Box, 20 Boxes Per Case $13.56

seems like a much better price than 35.00!

 

[diamondmike]

32 Long

The 32 Long was the first gun the Columbus Ohio Police ever used.

I have a Harrington and Richardson rev. with a 21/2 inch barrel, I have had it for years, the last time I bought any 32 Long ammo it costed like $1200 for remington, they also have a 32 short that can be fired from the 32 Long.

 

[flyandscuba]

Yep, the 32 S&W Long was a common law enforcement round years ago --hard to believe, huh? Yours actually looks pretty modern -- mine is a much older "J" frame model with a three inch barrel.

 

[Guest]

The blue book of gun values that I referenced placed the manufacture date sometime before 1940. It has some wearing of the bluing and some pitting but yes, otherwise it seems functionally fine. I figured that it would be something that my wife would shoot if she ever felt the need to learn. If not, for 50.00 it can be a safe queen and end up being something that i'll give to my children. I saw them on gunsamerica and gunbroker for anywhere between 350.00 and 1,200.00. Go figure. I just thought it was an interesting piece and something that would start my collection of Law Enforcement wheel guns! Now I need a Smith and Wesson in 32, Smith model 10 38, Colt Official Police or Police Positive in 38 and a Colt Detective special in 38.

 

[flybob]

I've got the round butt 4 1/2 S&W Hand Ejector 1903, 3rd change and I love to shoot it.
The cartridge can be handloaded in good guns like the S&W to much better velocities, short of 1000fps.
Being a straight case, it's easy to load and inexpensive to shoot.

 

[flyandscuba]

Norfdet,

Since you've got a nice K-frame with only $50 invested, you might want to see if a 'smith could extend your chambers to be able to take .32 H&R Magnum cases. It is only slightly longer (0.155") than the .32 S&W Long. Then, you could shoot the magnum, the longs, or the shorts.

Ballistics on the magnum are similar to what you'd find with a good .38 special load. If your wife liked it, the magnum load would make it an acceptable bedroom defense gun.

If the cylinder has the room, I wouldn't think that extending the chambers would be too terribly expensive.

 

[diamondmike]

32 H&R magnum

flyandscuba,

I thought they no longer made the 32 H&R magnum ammo, I have not seen any of that since Charter Arms went out of business,

 

[flyandscuba]

Nope, still available. See here:

http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteabrowse/6/9523/653+***+691+***

http://www.ammunitionplus.com/store.asp?Action=3&Category=1&SubCategory=32&ID=1218

Also, if you're into reloading -- most dies for .32 S&W Long will handle .32 H&R Magnum.

 

[cigarman]

Yes, I believe that that is the ammo that you can use in a Nagant. 32 long is very popular still in Brazil, so you should have no problem finding it.

 

[Guest]

Cigarman, it's funny you mention the Brazilian ammo becasue the book that i referenced, said the Smith and Wesson 32 long was made at some time for the Brazilian military. I guessing it was the turn of the century since 32 caliber seemed to be more popular then. The 21st edition of the Blue Book of Gun Values lists the pistol as 32 Hand Ejector Post WWII (Model 30). It says that the manufacture dates were between 1946-1976. However, mine has a date on the bottom of the grips of June 5, ????. I saw on another forum that this date was June 5, 1917, which would put mine older than what is listed in the book. Also, I thought that the hand ejector model was slightly different looking than mine. I think that mine favors more the Regulation Police model that was also in 32, but in 32 not 32 long and the manufacture dates are between 1917 and 1957. I may fill out the form and send Smith and Wesson $30.00 to research the serial number and tell me the history of this gun.

Oddly enough mine is deviod of the traditional side plate markings for Smith and Wesson revolvers. It has Smith and Wesson on one side of the barrel and 32 long ctg on the other. It has June 5, .... on the underside of the grips and has the S/N in the frontstrap and on the inside of the cylinder and the underside of the barrel where the ejector rod rests.