S&W Pre-Model 10 M&P 32-20

45ACPete · October 1, 2010, 11:04 PM

I bought this gun recently at a good price, I think. It appears to have been shot very little as it's very tight, locks up solidly, and there's barely the hint of a line between the cylinder notches. The bluing is good with just a slight bit of holster wear on one side of the muzzle. I got it for $315 before tax and DROS added. One thing--someone applied white paint to the recessed area at the rear of the sight groove, just ahead of the hammer. I suppose the idea was to create a contrast with the front sight. How to remove this paint without scratching the gun? A sharpened wood golf tee doesn't faze it. Any ideas?

FlyFish · October 2, 2010, 10:29 AM

Assuming that it actually is paint, you should be able to take it off with paint remover without hurting the blueing. Check an inconspicuous area (like on the frame under the grips) first to be sure.

I bought a Colt Trooper MKIII that had what I was pretty sure was red nail polish on the front sight. That came off with acetone (active ingredient in nail polish remover) in about 10 seconds with no damage whatsoever to the blueing.

That is an amazingly great price on that gun, BTW. Congrats. Not that it matters, but it's not a pre-10, which would have to be .38 caliber.

carguychris · October 2, 2010, 11:45 AM

Nice pickup!

One other note: when buying commercial ammo, make sure the box doesn't say "Rifles Only", "Not for Revolvers", or something similar. Some ammo companies used to market hot-rod .32-20 ammo for rifles with receivers much stronger than the cylinder in your revolver. Most of these loads were taken off the market decades ago, but this is one of those cartridges that tends to linger on store shelves for a while.

**Mike Irwin** · October 2, 2010, 11:48 AM

Try alcohol first, then acetone. You might find that it's something like Liquid Paper.

hammie · October 2, 2010, 12:10 PM

What Mr. Irwin said. I would try alcohol, acetone, paint thinner, and then lacquer thinner, in that order. Of course, oil the gun's surface afterwards.

45ACPete · October 2, 2010, 06:00 PM

Sorry, Fly--S&W M&P's were made in both .38 and in 32-20. The advice to use acetone is sound for removing paint but NOT paint remover. That stuff is very caustic.

FlyFish · October 2, 2010, 09:38 PM

Pete - Yep, I'm aware that there was a .32 M&P, but that was .32 S&W Long (not .32-20) and not the same gun that you have. And even the .32 M&P (pretty rare gun, with production ending in 1950) really isn't referred to as a "pre-Model 10" because it was the postwar .38 M&P that continued production after 1957 as the Model 10. SCSW refers only to the .38 M&P as a pre-Model 10, and I'll take Supica's word for it.

45ACPete · October 3, 2010, 01:46 AM

My reference, limited as it may be, is Paul Wahl's "Gun Trader's Guide." Mine is the 23d edition--copyrighted 2000. He gives values for several variations of the model 10 38 M&P DA, starting with the model of 1902. Three pages later there are three lines under the heading "Smith & Wesson 32-20 Military & Police DA. I quote; "Same as M & P 38, except chambered for 32-20 Winchester cartridge. First intro. in the 1899 model, M & P revolvers were produced in this caliber until about 1940. Values same as M & P 38 models." My gun has a five in. barrel, serial number 47xxx.

October 1, 2010, 11:04 PM	#1
45ACPete Member Join Date: January 27, 2010 Posts: 33	S&W Pre-Model 10 M&P 32-20 I bought this gun recently at a good price, I think. It appears to have been shot very little as it's very tight, locks up solidly, and there's barely the hint of a line between the cylinder notches. The bluing is good with just a slight bit of holster wear on one side of the muzzle. I got it for $315 before tax and DROS added. One thing--someone applied white paint to the recessed area at the rear of the sight groove, just ahead of the hammer. I suppose the idea was to create a contrast with the front sight. How to remove this paint without scratching the gun? A sharpened wood golf tee doesn't faze it. Any ideas?

October 2, 2010, 11:45 AM	#3
carguychris Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2007 Location: Richardson, TX Posts: 4,681	Nice pickup! One other note: when buying commercial ammo, make sure the box doesn't say "Rifles Only", "Not for Revolvers", or something similar. Some ammo companies used to market hot-rod .32-20 ammo for rifles with receivers much stronger than the cylinder in your revolver. Most of these loads were taken off the market decades ago, but this is one of those cartridges that tends to linger on store shelves for a while. __________________ "Smokey, this is not 'Nam. This is bowling. There are rules... MARK IT ZERO!!" - Walter Sobchak

October 2, 2010, 11:48 AM	#4
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 33,293	Try alcohol first, then acetone. You might find that it's something like Liquid Paper. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

October 2, 2010, 06:00 PM	#6
45ACPete Member Join Date: January 27, 2010 Posts: 33	S&W pre-Mod. 10 32-20 Sorry, Fly--S&W M&P's were made in both .38 and in 32-20. The advice to use acetone is sound for removing paint but NOT paint remover. That stuff is very caustic.

October 2, 2010, 10:29 AM	#2
FlyFish Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2009 Location: Overlooking the Baker River Valley Posts: 1,402	Assuming that it actually is paint, you should be able to take it off with paint remover without hurting the blueing. Check an inconspicuous area (like on the frame under the grips) first to be sure. I bought a Colt Trooper MKIII that had what I was pretty sure was red nail polish on the front sight. That came off with acetone (active ingredient in nail polish remover) in about 10 seconds with no damage whatsoever to the blueing. That is an amazingly great price on that gun, BTW. Congrats. Not that it matters, but it's not a pre-10, which would have to be .38 caliber.

October 2, 2010, 12:10 PM	#5
hammie Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2009 Location: Glendale, AZ Posts: 344	What Mr. Irwin said. I would try alcohol, acetone, paint thinner, and then lacquer thinner, in that order. Of course, oil the gun's surface afterwards.

October 2, 2010, 09:38 PM	#7
FlyFish Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2009 Location: Overlooking the Baker River Valley Posts: 1,402	Pete - Yep, I'm aware that there was a .32 M&P, but that was .32 S&W Long (not .32-20) and not the same gun that you have. And even the .32 M&P (pretty rare gun, with production ending in 1950) really isn't referred to as a "pre-Model 10" because it was the postwar .38 M&P that continued production after 1957 as the Model 10. SCSW refers only to the .38 M&P as a pre-Model 10, and I'll take Supica's word for it.

October 3, 2010, 01:46 AM	#8
45ACPete Member Join Date: January 27, 2010 Posts: 33	My reference, limited as it may be, is Paul Wahl's "Gun Trader's Guide." Mine is the 23d edition--copyrighted 2000. He gives values for several variations of the model 10 38 M&P DA, starting with the model of 1902. Three pages later there are three lines under the heading "Smith & Wesson 32-20 Military & Police DA. I quote; "Same as M & P 38, except chambered for 32-20 Winchester cartridge. First intro. in the 1899 model, M & P revolvers were produced in this caliber until about 1940. Values same as M & P 38 models." My gun has a five in. barrel, serial number 47xxx.