S&W .32 DA attribute years?

HondaCowboy82 · January 10, 2019, 10:54 AM

Doing some trading for a S&W .32 DA. I don’t yet have the serial number which will answer all my questions but trying to get a clear indication of what model I have (1-5). I believe it to be a 3rd Model, however, just wanted to clarify the different telltales of the different model years.

I know 1st Models have square access panels.

Rounded trigger guards started with 4th model ?

This one has a squared trigger guard, but unsure on pin locations. I’m also having problems attaching pictures.

Jim Watson · January 10, 2019, 11:07 AM

Double cylinder stop notches and rounded sideplate make it a second model, made only 1880-1882. But they made 22,142 of them in that short a time, so they are not very scarce.

HondaCowboy82 · January 10, 2019, 11:23 AM

Thanks for the info. I’m going to have $100 in it, so, I think I’ll come out ok on it. Dad has a 44 Russian with a SN# 1846 that was given to him by a woman who was afraid she was going to get in trouble for have a war bring back by her son? ��-CENSORED-♂️

Jim Watson · January 10, 2019, 12:07 PM

Hypothetically, a .44 Russian MIGHT be a war bring back.
S&W did a great business with Russia and some sales to Japan. I have read of a .44R showing up in Korea.

HondaCowboy82 · January 10, 2019, 01:46 PM

I agree . It’s puzzled me awhile as to what war it would have been from, but I know he has had it for 20-25 years and she was an old hoot then, so possibly WW2 or Korea. No clue the history aside from that story, but we’ve got it nonetheless

**44 AMP** · January 10, 2019, 02:23 PM

If it's a "war bring back" then its probably from WWII. As I understand it, Japanese officers bought their handguns (if they chose not to use the military issue) and they could literally be about anything.

So, a .44 Russian S&W, captured from a Japanese soldier, brought back to the US as a war trophy is entirely possible. Not likely or common, but entirely possible.

Guns do travel a bit during wartime. One gun that showed up on this forum some time back did a lot of "travelling". It was a Dutch Luger. Made in Germany, for a Dutch contract, (delivered before the 1940 German invasion), shipped to the Dutch East Indies, captured there by the Japanese, (1941), and then captured by an American, from the Japanese in the Philippines (1944), and brought back to the US after the war (1945).

So, almost anything is possible.

January 10, 2019, 10:54 AM	#1
HondaCowboy82 Member Join Date: November 20, 2005 Posts: 80	S&W .32 DA attribute years? Doing some trading for a S&W .32 DA. I don’t yet have the serial number which will answer all my questions but trying to get a clear indication of what model I have (1-5). I believe it to be a 3rd Model, however, just wanted to clarify the different telltales of the different model years. I know 1st Models have square access panels. Rounded trigger guards started with 4th model ? This one has a squared trigger guard, but unsure on pin locations. I’m also having problems attaching pictures.

January 10, 2019, 02:23 PM	#6
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,804	If it's a "war bring back" then its probably from WWII. As I understand it, Japanese officers bought their handguns (if they chose not to use the military issue) and they could literally be about anything. So, a .44 Russian S&W, captured from a Japanese soldier, brought back to the US as a war trophy is entirely possible. Not likely or common, but entirely possible. Guns do travel a bit during wartime. One gun that showed up on this forum some time back did a lot of "travelling". It was a Dutch Luger. Made in Germany, for a Dutch contract, (delivered before the 1940 German invasion), shipped to the Dutch East Indies, captured there by the Japanese, (1941), and then captured by an American, from the Japanese in the Philippines (1944), and brought back to the US after the war (1945). So, almost anything is possible. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

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January 10, 2019, 11:07 AM	#2
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,535	Double cylinder stop notches and rounded sideplate make it a second model, made only 1880-1882. But they made 22,142 of them in that short a time, so they are not very scarce.

January 10, 2019, 11:23 AM	#3
HondaCowboy82 Member Join Date: November 20, 2005 Posts: 80	Thanks for the info. I’m going to have $100 in it, so, I think I’ll come out ok on it. Dad has a 44 Russian with a SN# 1846 that was given to him by a woman who was afraid she was going to get in trouble for have a war bring back by her son? ��-CENSORED-♂️

January 10, 2019, 12:07 PM	#4
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,535	Hypothetically, a .44 Russian MIGHT be a war bring back. S&W did a great business with Russia and some sales to Japan. I have read of a .44R showing up in Korea.

January 10, 2019, 01:46 PM	#5
HondaCowboy82 Member Join Date: November 20, 2005 Posts: 80	I agree . It’s puzzled me awhile as to what war it would have been from, but I know he has had it for 20-25 years and she was an old hoot then, so possibly WW2 or Korea. No clue the history aside from that story, but we’ve got it nonetheless