Family Find

[jtmaze]

Had lunch today with my mom for my birthday and she was in town cleaning out my grandmothers house to but her in a home. It is a sad story but she is 89 and can't live by herself anymore. A long story short, My granddad died over 20 years ago and my cousins and I at grandmas request we split up all the longguns. Cleaning out grandmas house mom found a couple of pistols in the back of the closet and wanted to get my opinion on them. I go over and find a H&R Arms .32 long revolver and a S&W Model 30 3" barrell in .32 Long. S&W was still in the box with warranty card. The waranty card was printed 4/15/1955 and never sent in. Question is,"how do I track a serial number on a S&W that is not on their web search from their site?" S&W serial#746###. I would really like a date just so I can search for insurance value and collectability. These guns will never be sold and the S&W is flawless. Pics to follow. fixing to start looking at the H&R.

[jtmaze]

Ok the H&R is a 1967 model 732 seems in fair condition with almost no finish left. Can anyone give any good info on shootability.

[jtmaze]

Here are some pics...Sorry aboutthe cell phone pics JTM We the People of the United States, in order to form a more Perfect Union......

Edited June 18, 2014 by jtmaze

[Monkeyman2500]

Sorry to hear about your grandma. That smith looks to be in great shape. I love old finds like that. Don't know enough to really tell about shootability though.

[jtmaze]

I got a couple of boxes of ammo with them in .32 long and a few short mixed in. Plan on shooting the smith Friday when I am off if I don't get up early and shoot before I go to work tomorrow or Thursday ( working 12-9 the next couple of days.) JTM We the People of the United States, in order to form a more Perfect Union......

[K191145]

Except for the grip, those H&R revolvers look exactly the same as they always have. I have an 80's NEF(AKA H&R) .32H&R mag with a shorter barrell and have had at one time a double action NEF.22 with a 6" barrell, frames all look the same. While inexpensive I never considered them a cheapo as far as quality goes, I think they are durable, tough, decently built but ugly revolvers.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Make sure you wipe them down with an oily rag after handling them. It would be a shame to get rusty fingerprints on them after this long. The Smith looks absolutely beautiful.

[Patton]

I have a friend who sold that exact Smith on gunbroker for $650 about a year ago. I told him to put it on there to get the maximium amount possible. His had never been shot.

For $50 you can get a detailed letter from Roy Jinks the S&W historian. This one has diamond grips and a flat latch which dates it in the late 50's without looking up the number.

The H&R really isn't worth that much maybe $150. Edited June 18, 2014 by Patton

[jtmaze]

If there weren't some wear inside where the cylinder swings in and out I would swear this one hasn't been fired. I wipe them down and wrap the smith in the original oily paper in the box after handling. Thanks for the info guys. I will let you know how they shoot. JTM We the People of the United States, in order to form a more Perfect Union......

[jtmaze]

I saw one on gunbroker last night with a 4" barrel in not as good a shape as this one for $650 and was wondering if that were an accurate price. I guess I am going to have to go and offer my grandmothers estate some more money. JTM We the People of the United States, in order to form a more Perfect Union......

[Patton]

As far as barrel lengths and pricing I think the 2" and 4" may be a little desirable. It seems like most of the 30's have been 3".

[jh225]

Your timelines do not coincide with S&W records.

 

The gun was definitely produced post 1957 just due to the ramped front sight and the model designation. Your stated model designation does not coincide with serial number records.

 

The serial number you gave puts it as post 1961, which does not coincide with your stated model 30. Where did you take the serial number from?

 

Are you sure it says model 30, or is there a dash (-) after the 30 with another number?

 

Post a photo of the serial number (white out last 2 digits if you must, but there is really no need) , post a photo of the model number inside the crane, and post a photo of the cylonder thumb latch.

[jtmaze]

I will when I get home. The model 30 came off the box it was in and the paperwork. I will do more pics when I get home and some more checking. This gun has been in that closet since before 1990 when grand daddy died. I got the serial off the butt. I will check under the cylinder when I get home. JTM We the People of the United States, in order to form a more Perfect Union......

[DaveTN]

According to SCSW the model 30 went from the I frame to the J frame in 1961 with serial number 712954 (30-1). In 1969 it began the “H” prefix. So at 746K I would say it’s an early 60’s model 30-1. Edited June 19, 2014 by DaveTN

[BJB]

Regardless of the year or model. That is one Good Looking Smith. Hate the way you come about it but always awesome to find family owned firearms

[jtmaze]

It is a 30-1. I found the model stamping where the serial number usually is behind the cylinder carriage(term?). I just missed the -1 on the box in the excitement. JTM We the People of the United States, in order to form a more Perfect Union......

[jtmaze]

It is a 30-1. I found the model stamping where the serial number usually is behind the cylinder carriage(term?). I just missed the -1 on the box in the excitement. JTM We the People of the United States, in order to form a more Perfect Union......

[jtmaze]

Range report. Now I know why people fall in love with the smith revolvers. Sweetest trigger I have ever pulled. These pics are at about 35-40 feet( guy who mowed my yard moved my target stand) JTM We the People of the United States, in order to form a more Perfect Union......

[jtmaze]

Those are half single action and half double action. And I am happy to be hitting paper at 40 feet with a 3" barrel. JTM We the People of the United States, in order to form a more Perfect Union......

[jh225]

It is a 30-1. I found the model stamping where the serial number usually is behind the cylinder carriage(term?).

OK, so what you have is a Model 30-1

 

J-frame

 

Built sometime in late 1961 to early 1962

 

.32 caliber

 

Technically speaking, the spot where the model number is called the Yoke (upright portion of the frame) and the part that swings out with the cylinder is the Crane

 

Also, the serial number of a S&W revolver will always be on the butt of the gun. You may also find it on the rear of the cylinder, and sometimes on the Yoke along with the model number, depending on when the gun was made.

 

Numbers seen in the Crane area are generally in house assembly numbers and don't mean much to anyone other than the factory gunsmith/assembler

[jtmaze]

Thank you you are the man. I really appreciate the info. I will never sell this gun just wanted info to pass along to my grand kids as it moves thru the family. I will be investing in a S&W revolve in a better defensive caliber if the all shoot(trigger) as good as this one. JTM We the People of the United States, in order to form a more Perfect Union......

[jh225]

Thank you you are the man. I really appreciate the info. I will never sell this gun just wanted info to pass along to my grand kids as it moves thru the family. I will be investing in a S&W revolve in a better defensive caliber if the all shoot(trigger) as good as this one. JTM We the People of the United States, in order to form a more Perfect Union......

 

No problem.

 

As for the bolded sentence above. Vintage S&W revolvers have THE best single action trigger, period. Always have been, always will be. The days of finding S&W's for $150 are long gone, but you will still get a great shooter for $350-450. Collector quality are way more than that these days.

[Patton]

Also, the serial number of a S&W revolver will always be on the butt of the gun. You may also find it on the rear of the cylinder, and sometimes on the Yoke along with the model number, depending on when the gun was made.

I have a 2001 S&W revolver that does not have the serial number on the butt but below the cylinder window.

[Patton]

Thank you you are the man. I really appreciate the info. I will never sell this gun just wanted info to pass along to my grand kids as it moves thru the family.

I will be investing in a S&W revolve in a better defensive caliber if the all shoot(trigger) as good as this one.

A S&W 632 in 327 Federal Mag would be the perfect gun for you since you are talking about reloading .32 calibers.

[jh225]

I have a 2001 S&W revolver that does not have the serial number on the butt but below the cylinder window.

 

Yeah, I don't deal with any S&W's post early 1970's,(mostly '50-'60's) so I'm gonna have to go with your answer for newer versions. :cheers: