1903 I frame S&W 32

[6.5 mike]

Been seeing this one at the local shows for bout 3 years now, so it followed me home yesterday. This one is the 5th change & was made in 1910 by the info I have. Has some wear & minor pitting on one side, may have laid in a drawer most of it's life, but shoots good. Only bad thing is, a pair of fake black pearl grips, bout butt ugly. FYI, Pac grips for a 36 S&W will fit, tried the set off mine. Been wanting to get a lee 314 tl swc mold for awhile, gotta get dies & brass now also. It just never ends, lol.

[bedbugbilly]

Hey . . . you know the rules . . . it does' exist if there aren't photos! LOL

Hope you post some pics. I love old Smiths and it sounds like you got a nice one! Congrats!

[Bigslug]

We had an I-frame .22 at the shop I worked at 12-13 years ago that would have followed me home if it wasn't hammered. Thin, elegant little thing with target style grips as I recall. Wish they'd make 'em again. Definitely the sort of gun the market needs more of today.

[rintinglen]

I have one, but mine has seen better days. The finish on the left side has freckling and there is substantial holster wear, but it is a kick to shoot. 2.5 grains of WW-231 under an RCBS 32-98 SWC is just the thing.
141894

[Mk42gunner]

The Model of 1903 I Frames are neat, but don't inspire a lot of confidence in their strength. I use 2.5 grains of Red Dot behind the Lyman 313445 in mine.

Here is a decent article on the .32 S&W Long: http://www.lasc.us/FryxellThe32S-WLong.htm

Robert

[John Allen]

I have a couple of top breaks and have been looking for some early swing out cylinders myself. They are just neat.

[6.5 mike]

Thanks for the replies guys, bug if you wait for me to post pic's you'll be pushing up flowers. Bigslug, they really a sweet thing to hold, like a small 1917. MK42, nice link & a great read. I was surprised he still had it after this long. When we cleaned out SWMBO moms house I had found a box of western fac loads, just went out to the shop & dug them out, 32 S&W short with an 85 gr boolit. Now I really need to get to the range.

[Char-Gar]

The little I frame Smiths are neat little sixguns. Here is mine. I shoot 98 grains wadcutter, sized .314 over 2 grains of bullseye. Pressure wise, it is best to treat these old girls with respect and gentleness.

[dubber123]

The RCBS 98 gr. SWC's shoot ridiculously good in the 2 I-frames I have. You might want to give it a try.

[6.5 mike]

dubber, I'll keep that in mind, been reading lots of good things bout that boolit. I've wanted to try the lee 314 tl in my 30 cals so it may be first.

[Green Frog]

I've got 2 six inch Regulation Police models and a 6" target in 32 S&W L as well as a 22 HFT in that old I-frame. I love them all, but you guys have me hankering for a 4" now. Thanks a lot! :? BTW, I like about 2 gr +/- up to .03 gr of Bullseye behind a 95 gr SWC in mine, FWIW.

Froggie

[richhodg66]

The little I frame Smiths are neat little sixguns. Here is mine. I shoot 98 grains wadcutter, sized .314 over 2 grains of bullseye. Pressure wise, it is best to treat these old girls with respect and gentleness.

I have one of these I got for my wife, nice little revolver.

There is a screw in the grip frame for adjusting tension on the hammer spring and I have messed with it a little. The gun will go off reliably for me every time single or double action, but won't always for my wife for some reason. Grip strength matters for some autos to work, but never knew it mattered for a revolver, but it's the only difference in her shooting it and me.

I've just be shooting commercially swaged hollow base wadcutters in it so far and used starting loads. Didn't realize there was a real strength issue with them, good to know.

[MT Gianni]

Mine is from the 50's, a nickel pre-regulation police. It does good work with the Lee 90 gr swc and 2.5 gr red dot. I would start lower with an older gun.

[6.5 mike]

I'm thinking 1 gr in the short case to start, have more of them. Figure to use Bullseye to start, have an unopened # that's been waiting for the right gun to come along. Need to make a dipper now.