Smith and Wesson 32-20

[tward]

Just bought a S&w 32-20 nickel plated with a 5” barrel . How do I do a serial number lookup? I love the 32-20 and this is my 4th pistol in this caliber. Thanks, Tim
PS serial number is 1147xx

[rintinglen]

It is a 32-20 Hand Ejector Model of 1905, 4th change made some where between 1919 and 1940, very probably in the early to mid 1920's, since sales fell off markedly when the depression hit in 1929. The highest known serial number is in the 144,000 range. The only way to be sure of the date of sale is to get a letter from Roy Jinks at S&W but they are pricey.

Yours is well above the 1919 mark, when heat-treated cylinders became standard on the 32-20 models at Ser. # 81,287.

There is no way of knowing exactly when that gun was made, because S&W back in those days would make a batch of frames and number them, plunk them in a bin, and then build guns as they needed to in order to fill orders without regard to serial sequence.

[tward]

Thanks for the reply. You answered my big question of a heat treated cylinder. Are those presentation grips?
Thanks, Tim

[rintinglen]

No, those are Magna grips, added long after the gun was sold.