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I recently inherited my great-grandmother's Smith & Wesson .32 caliber pistol from my father... If anyone can help, I would love to know the approximate date that it was manufactured. It has a 4 digit serial number, 897x, on the bottom of the handle. The 5 1/2" long barrell is marked "32 long ctg." I can find no other markings. It is a 6-shot.
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Your revolver is a .32 Hand Ejector Model of 1903, sometimes known as a .32 Hand Ejector 2nd Model. According to the serial number range, your gun was made in 1903 or 1904.
That's a neat revolver with a neat story! You might want to contact S&w and get a factory letter. It might add some more details to the gun's story:
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/w...ectionId=10504
Also, I think you may have measured the barrel length incorrectly. The Model of 1903 was available with a 3-1/2", 4-1/4", or 6" barrel. Yours looks too short to be the 6" barrel; it looks to me like the 4-1/4", which seems to be the most commonplace length for old .32HEs. The barrel length is measured from the end of the barrel to the front face of the cylinder (the revolving part).