A buddy offered me one for 500 bucks, worth it?

Bluing is very nice, only a couple scuffs one the wooden grips, buddy is a Cop who looks after an old neighbor lady that lives alone, she gave it to him, along with the holster and six rounds of ammo that was in the gun when her husband passed of a heart attack, she said her husband, carried the little revolver as a Los Angeles police detective back in the 50's.

Barrel length? Diamond grips?

Yessir, little diamond checkered grips and a snub nose, guessing 2"s or less, IIRC 32 S&W long, never heard of one.

Yeah, it's a 32 S&W long, 2" barrel, round butt.

I have a 31-1 with is the square butt version with a 4" barrel. I paid $500 for it, with box.

You're right at 'market' value for one at $500. In other words, if you want, get it.

Thanks Steelhead, it is a very nice small carry revolver, it disappears in your hand, I'll check load data to see what the little popper can do.

Cast bullets are your friend. I don't think there are any jacket bullets out there that I'd count on expanding.

85 gr XTP at 900 fps over 3 grs Bullseye might be fun, or even a wide meplat cast lead bullet of around 100 grains.

10-4, I was slow typing while you posted that.

I shoot 95gr WFN bullets in mine with Bullseye,

10-4, good deal, Copper Bud gave me what must have been 2K rounds of new primed R-P 45 ACP brass, A box of 1000 Fed-215 primers and a pound of RL-22, and a new box of 7mm 120 gr ballistic tips which I have no use for, plus seeing that cool old S&W, it was a good day.

...some info for you...

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?102019-The-32-S-amp-W-Long-as-a-man-stopper


Bob

Thanks Bob, I'll read up on that after dinner, I couldn't help but think how small that revolver was when my buddy told me that was the detectives carry piece, kept thinking, damn, hope he always had backup close.

Hey, that's a six shooter - hi cap for a j-frame.

LOL, I noticed that, those little 32 cal holes will allow six.

I should buy the little banger and give it to Wifey for Valentines.

Yes, you should.

That kinds chit is gonna get me in trouble with her, she got a new set of Goodyear Wranglers for her Z71 she never drives because of dry rot cracked sidewalls last Valentines, I'm a romantic fugger ;]

Put it on top of a box of chocolates and in front of some roses and a bottle of champagne. Win/win.

Hell yeah, that's a great idea, always figured you were a Casanova too!

I did exactly that with a Kimber Ultra Eclipse a while back. Worked out well....

Bet so.

I like the Hornady 90 grain hollow base wadcutters over 2 grains of Bullseye in my .32 long revolvers,...very accurate and they'll punch completely through a pine 2X4 and keep going.

The old "I" frame S&W .32's are getting hard to find in good condition, but they're worth having if you can pick one up at a decent price. They're smaller than a J frame and look almost exactly like a scaled down 5" Model 10 when they have a 4.25" barrel.

I've got a couple of them like that and they're a lot of fun.

5" Model 10 top, 4.25" "I" frame .32 long bottom.

Nice pair of pistols Bristoe, I may buy that model 30, also betting the hardcast bullets Steelhead mentioned will be descent penetrators too, would be fun building a load to shoot to the sights.

Makes me think I should go back to where I found that M38 I just got and get the 31-1 snubbie they had as well.

Go back and grab it RWE, it's your birthday FCOL, especially if it's clean and 500 bucks or less.

oh its clean and less.

If they didn't have that airweight humpback sitting next to it, the 31 would have been going home with me.

I don't know what's happened, but I've become a snubbie-o-phile in my old age...

This is a bad ass I Frame Smith in 38 S&W

LOL, a snubbie in a coat pocket is still a very handy alternative, our buddy CrimsonTide enlightened me on that last winter.

That is a pretty sombitch Steel, S&W did most certainly get the cylinder release right, much better than my Colt, shouldn't have to pull back to release, banging forward has to be quicker.

I want to pick up a 2" I frame in 38 S&W

I can see why, your earlier post is the first I've heard of an I frame, be glad to ask all the store owners about I frames on later visits if you want.

With the I-frame being mentioned, just to be clear the 30-1 is a J-frame. The "-1" being the change that switched to the J-frame.

These 2, one Smith and one Colt, both .32 longs, are closing in on the 100 year old mark. It's easy to find enough room for both of them and enough wadcutters to keep them shooting for a while in a pair of overalls.

They're just "fun" guns,...something to walk around and plink with. Not much noise,..not much recoil, but they're very accurate and will send a soup can winding.

I'm late to the show on this one, but I'm thinking you would enjoy the little fella. I gave a 3 inch model 30 or 31, I can't remember which to my Dad. I load a bag of Hodgdon lead HBWC's for him to piddle with. About once a year he brings the empties back for me to re build for him.

I put some .32's together with 100 grain Hornady XTP's lately. I've got a bunch around for loading the 7.62X25 so I thought I'd use shoot some of them through the little revolvers. I doubt that they're going fast enough to give much expansion, (I'm hesitant to hot rod these tiny 100 year old revolvers) but at least they look like a nasty load.

My contribution to the .32's

EQFD193: Now that is a DANDY little Smith!
Good for you on that one.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Thanks VG...I could not pass it up and from what I see not fired much.

Thanks Jog.

Another nice pair Bristoe, you hate old Smiths don't you? ;]

CT, Thanks buddy, also glad to hear your pops is keeping you busy at the load bench!

EQFD, that looks just like the one this threads about, except I can't remember is the cylinder latch release looks like yours.

Yup Like my 30-1 32 SW long

Here's mine.

There's a pretty clean one here on zidaho.com https://www.zidaho.com/category/312...th-and-wesson-model-31-1-in-32-long.html I have no idea if that price is good or not. I have no dog in this fight. Just noticed it.

Just a few years ago, this was the last category of classic S&W revolver that could still be had for a song in really nice condition. This was because the caliber turned most buyers off, so sellers had to ask very low prices to move them. I guess those days are over, if that ad is any indication.

Nice, I never did buy that little banger, copper bud and me haven't spoke about it since.

It's hard to know where people get the price they ask for things. Personally I wouldn't buy it if it were $250 unless I could sell it. I have no use for a 32long. If I need to use a handgun, I like bigger calibers. i want to make 2 holes not 1. Quicker the target bleeds out the better.

Yeah, they're mainly bought as collectables that you can actually take out and shoot. Ballistic bobbles, as they say.

But it's funny, because .32 caliber handguns in that power range were, not all that long ago, considered standard police guns throughout Europe, and not much longer ago they were considered that in the US, too. In Europe, it was the .32 ACP, and in the US the .32 S&W Long.

The 32s work great and make two holes in stuff like grouse, rabbits, and turkeys if you’re like me and feel the need to shoot something with every gun you buy. Thinking I may have to shoot a deer or some pigs with my 32. Of course it’s a “Magnum” so I’m sure it’ll be fine.
I’ve got a rough nickel I frame that I need to find a hand for someday too. Guy gave it to me so the price was right

LOL, good shooting Kid.

Wow,
some one dug into a older thread.

These reserrections always remind me of those who don't post anymore.
Or, in some cases, the change in tone of their posts.