Had a .32 S&W Regulation Police (circa 1917) follow me home today. Not knowing a whole lot about S&W .32's I was wondering if the .32 Long marking on the barrel means this is a .32 S&W Long, or some other variation. Is this safe to shoot with reduced cast bullet loads? Any other info would be greatly appreciated.
Pete
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Factory equivalent loads up to 2 grains of Bullseye with 98-grain bullet are fine. RCBS 32-98SWC is a good choice.
73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia
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Thanks Ed. Was hoping you'd chime in. Happen to have that mould plus a wadcutter I used in competition in a .32 S&W Long Pardini. The difference in the “.32 long” barrel marking made think it might not be the “.32 S&W long” version. As far as guns go if things aren't spelled out exactly I get nervous.
Really in nice shape but the slight wear marks around the front of the cylinder and muzzle and that light surface scratch by the hammer puts it out of the collector class so plan on shooting it a bit. Make a nice Bunny Gun. :) Hardly noticed it in my back pocket while digging around for brass. Thanks again. Pete
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That gun looks like a twin of the ,32 Hand Ejector I posted about a couple of weeks ago. Took another look at it today (actually went back expecting to buy it) but on a more thorough examination of the bore decided against it. It looked to me as if the lands were worn near the muzzle--probably cleaning rod damage over the years. There will be others.
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I looked the gun over closely before buying. Would be interesting to know who's had it over the years. Even the turn line doesn't look like it was used much. A little holster wear around the muzzle and front edge of the cylinder and you'd almost believe it hadn't been fired. A fine surface scratch by the hammer is all the damage(?) I can find. Even has the patent date clearly stamped on the bottom of the grips.
When I clean a gun from the muzzle I find a cartridge or make a sleeve that will fit the bore to make sure I don't screw the muzzle up as you observed in the one you were looking at.
Pete
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Pete,
Those were very popular revolvers for arming security guards in Cincinnati, where I grew up. My father worked in the machinery factories during the non-farming times of the year. I was fascinated with rack of 32 Reg. Police in the guard shack where I would wait for my dad to get off work at the Mosler Safe Company, in Hamilton, Ohio. They were on a shelf with wooden dowels projecting from the back board into the bores and the butts just resting on the shelf. Every guard had his own revolver and time clock and had great pride in keeping “their” equipment clean.
My Dad said the office had been robbed of all the cash on a payday in the early 1920's and the only gun was 10 gauge double barrel shotgun the paymaster could lift up. So they bought “a case” of those early 32 Reg. Police revolvers.
Thanks for posting that picture, it brought back fond memories.
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45ACPete, Don't be too spooked by wear on the lands at the muzzle. I have had some rifles with bad wear at the muzzle that shot fine -- much better than any revolver. The perfect crown is one of the most overrated pieces of gun wisdom going. We cling to the idea, but there have been plenty of published tests that disprove prove it going back over a hundred years (F. W. Mann's book for instance.) We stick with the adoration of a perfect crown in spit of the facts because the theory is so darned logical that the crown SHOULD be important. But that hypothesis doesn't stand up when tested.
John
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Ric, Your welcome for the memories. Was wondering what any regular police dept. would want with such a small pistol for regular service work. Detectives, and as a backup I can see, but security guards was one I didn't think of. Pete
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Teddy Roosevelt, when police commissioner of New York City, standardize the revolvers of the NYPD with the black powder 32 Colt New Police. Which if you belong to the CBA, you read about me blowing one up in last years “Fouling Shot".
That was because it was so much more powerful than the 32 S&W (short) and 32 Colt (outside lubed short). NYPD officers depended upon their brass knuckles, saps, and nightsticks in those days. That and the gold coin dropped into their pocket!
FWIW, Ric
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By the way, the New York Prison System's standard revolver was the Colt / S&W six inch 32/20 revolver until 1946. Then they got what was left of the WWII surplus Model 1917's from the Postal Service and USPS got new left over "V” model S&W's 38 specials. Ric
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I grew up in Hamilton, Ohio (and live there, today). The .32 S&W revolver was used by policemen here, when I was a kid. Then, they went to .38 Specials and used them (mostly Model 15's as Hamilton Police became real marksmen (I believe they won the National PPC Championship one year).
Ric, my father worked for Mosler Safe Company for several years, then during the war went across the street to the Herring Hall Marvin Safe Company, then Wright Aeronautical as a tool maker in Cincinnati, Ohio until the end of the war.
YOU brought some memories back to me...
At any rate, if I were looking for a .32 today (I have several) it would be the brother of my 631 in .32 H&R Mag. I mostly shoot .32 S&W Longs in mine at target velocity.
I am a real fan of these for edible small game. They are far superior to the .22 Rimfire in a revolver for the purpose. They take small amounts of powder and lead and do a fine job for a light duty field pistol:
Dale53
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Ric, & Dale,
Thanks for the history lessons. Never realised the .32 calibers were used by police dept.'s. When I started having friends in the PD they were all using .38 Spec.'s. Never really talked to them about their guns as I was really only interested in rifles. I suppose today body armor is why most around here go with the .40 cal. Glocks.
Speaking of the PPC nat.'s. (i assume that's what it was. Wasn't all that interested) Our local Sheriffs dept. won a coupla times when it was held in Des Moines. We had a lot of the federal guys up to the local range practicing for it.
Pete
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Ric,That's a great story! From an era in which Americans were proud to defend what's right & saw no need to apologize for it. Got back into the “.32 business” last weekend after a hiatus of a couple of years. Won't let that (hiatus) happen again, as these guns are just too fun.
Dale,Stainless guns and rubber stocks are both highly practical and can be attractive, although they generally take a back seat to blued steel & wood in my eyes. Your 631, however, looks like a sleek, very practical gun. VERY nice. Very. . .nice. :-)
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Dale's picture got me craving a 631 in .32 H&R. Found a nice one on gunbroker. Man those things go high, worth it's weight in gold almost! I had to pass.:(
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The S&W Models 30 (round butt) or 31 (square butt) J-frame, post-1957 guns are plentiful, strong, well made, and will handle hotter .32 S&W Long handloads up to 1000 fps with 85-95-grain bullets ot 900 fps with 110-120-grain bullets. They cost about $100 less thanthe 631 and were available with either 3” or 4” barrels. I find their fixed sights no handicap.
73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia
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One thing I noticed about my similar Colts is that (like any revolver) if your sized cast bullet will drop through the cylinder throats more or less rattling - it's too small in diameter for any accuracy. I have shot the .32 S&W using the 93 grain Lyman bullet intended for the .30 Luger, it has worked well for me, minute of beer can out to 40 yards or so if I do my part.
Personally I don't see any point in “hot-rodding” this particular cartridge - it's plenty for small game with moderate loads, but it won't qualify for anything bigger than coyotes IMHO with maximum loads - so why bother?
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of my several 30 caliber guns, i only often shoot my 30 us carbine because it is a ” blast ” ( heh ) and my 308 sako sporter ... because it is pretty ...
but now ... 32 popgun rifle !!! .. that appeals bigtime to me ...i have an extra 308 lilja sporter barrel that would be just right for a 20 inch 32 sw or federal bean can gun ...
maybe on a ruger 3 action ... just seems right somehow ...
ken
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Go for it Ken. Besides the gun listed in my first post (still have it) I used to have a Marlin 1894(?) in .32 S&WL. Was a blast to shoot.
Pete
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I'm with Pete, Ken, go for it the saddest words in the English language are: woulda, shoulda, and coulda.
B.E.Brickey
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"Too soon old, too late smart.” Do it now, we ain't getting any younger!
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....Personally I don't see any point in “hot-rodding” this particular cartridge - it's plenty for small game with moderate loads, but it won't qualify for anything bigger than coyotes IMHO with maximum loads - so why bother?
On that point we agree, but I feel obligated to clarify the reasonable load limits because it seems that most people are more interested in that. Why? I do not know.
I think that people concerned with velocity only should seek another revolver. Perhaps that itch is what the .327 was supposed to scratch, but I have managed to avoid that affliction.
I've shot 1000 rounds of 2.5 Bullseye and 98-grain bullet for every hotter round in my .32s.
But I think if Ruger would make a 2” barrel LCR in 7.62x25 Tokarev with extra matched .327 cylinder and sell it with reflective bugeye sunglasses and Nomex gloves with a Ruger logo on them to protect the hair on your arms from the cylinder flash, they would sell like hotcakes! Note to NSA, just kidding.....
73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia
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30 popgun project : thanks for the encouragement guys ... i sold one of my shops this summer and have a deadline to clear out 40 years of pack-ratting ... havent been able to cast, shoot or tinker ... but at least i can make plans for projects ...
ken
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