A picture or two would make it much easier to give you concrete information about this revolver. In the 19th century, it was common for a gunmaker to market several similar models with overlapping serial number ranges. Unique serial numbers were not required in the USA until 1968.
It would also be helpful to know whether the gun has a visible external hammer.
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Is it safe to shoot over the counter 146 gr. S&W shells with this pistol?
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It sounds like you're talking about
.38 S&W, which is an incompatible larger-caliber cartridge.
.32 S&W is normally loaded with a bullet in the 85-90gr range.
Most modern commercial .32 S&W loads should be safe to shoot in this revolver
assuming it is in safe firing condition. Although many .32 S&W revolvers were intended for black powder, most modern smokeless-powder loads use very mild powder charges to make them safe to fire in a black powder revolver in good condition. If in doubt, have the gun checked by a reputable and competent gunsmith.