Some 32 S&W long, revolvers

Trooper Joe · May 5, 2017

Picked up this Colt (made in 1915) several years ago. It is a Police Positive labeled ".32 Police Ctg. (which is the same as S&W Long). Installed some re-popped grips, shot it a few times and put it in the safe.

Yesterday, while browsing at my local gun shop, I spotted this H&R revolver chambered in the .32 S&W Long. The gun looks like it has hardly ever been shot, so it followed me home. The gun has a "safety bar" so I guess it was made between 1973 and 1986. What a tank this thing is.

The guns are shown with some FMJ Fiocchi ammo which worked well. I put an order in for some 32 SW Long Semi-Jacketed Hollow Point from Magtech, in case I want to carry some more serious ammo.

Wouldn't mind trying some of the Buffalo Bore hard case ammo but I would probably only shoot it in the H&R and not the old Colt.

I think this love affair started when I was drooling over a nice S&W model 31 in .32 S&W Long several years ago at a gun show. Should have bought it because since then the only other one I have seen was this year at a gun show in Florida for about $700 (I think the first one I saw I could have picked up for about $500).

I guess Theodore Roosevelt, when he was the Police Commissioner in NYC in the early 1900's, was on to something when he outfitted the NYPD with .32 revolvers. (I know there were not a bunch of hopped up "meth heads" running around then, so I guess a .32 was OK for the police at that time.)

Just thought I would share this with the forum gang. No, I do not plan on carrying my H&R. Well maybe if I bought some Buffalo Bore ammo, hmmmmm'.

Trooper Joe

Captain O · Sep 10, 2017

Trooper Joe said:
Picked up this Colt (made in 1915) several years ago. It is a Police Positive labeled ".32 Police Ctg. (which is the same as S&W Long). Installed some re-popped grips, shot it a few times and put it in the safe.

View attachment 361190

Yesterday, while browsing at my local gun shop, I spotted this H&R revolver chambered in the .32 S&W Long. The gun looks like it has hardly ever been shot, so it followed me home. The gun has a "safety bar" so I guess it was made between 1973 and 1986. What a tank this thing is.

View attachment 361191

The guns are shown with some FMJ Fiocchi ammo which worked well. I put an order in for some 32 SW Long Semi-Jacketed Hollow Point from Magtech, in case I want to carry some more serious ammo.

View attachment 361192

Wouldn't mind trying some of the Buffalo Bore hard case ammo but I would probably only shoot it in the H&R and not the old Colt.

I think this love affair started when I was drooling over a nice S&W model 31 in .32 S&W Long several years ago at a gun show. Should have bought it because since then the only other one I have seen was this year at a gun show in Florida for about $700 (I think the first one I saw I could have picked up for about $500).

I guess Theodore Roosevelt, when he was the Police Commissioner in NYC in the early 1900's, was on to something when he outfitted the NYPD with .32 revolvers. (I know there were not a bunch of hopped up "meth heads" running around then, so I guess a .32 was OK for the police at that time.)

Just thought I would share this with the forum gang. No, I do not plan on carrying my H&R. Well maybe if I bought some Buffalo Bore ammo, hmmmmm'.

Trooper Joe

Joe,

I LOVE the .32 S&W Long. The "little .32" can place all six shots in an area you can cover with the palm of your hand in the blink of an eye! There was, I believe, a sheriff's deputy from the Southeastern US that carried an S&W Model 30 with a 6" barrel. He engaged a number of bad guys that carried a variety of .38 Specials, .44 Specials and .45 Automatic (self-loading) handguns. Strange, he always managed to emerge victorious. This just proves that it isn't the handgun, but the individual holding it, their training and their "will to win".

dangerranger60 · Sep 10, 2017

If you like .32, H&R made a short run of 6 shot 32 H&R Mag revolver and a couple of years of the 5 shot pistols. they will also shoot the S&W short and long .32's. When you find them they are usually dirt cheap. But they are fun little guns that can pack a punch. DR

Sgt Nambu · Sep 10, 2017

Nice old Colt, solid H&R too!

Captain O · Sep 10, 2017

dangerranger60 said:
If you like .32, H&R made a short run of 6 shot 32 H&R Mag revolver and a couple of years of the 5 shot pistols. they will also shoot the S&W short and long .32's. When you find them they are usually dirt cheap. But they are fun little guns that can pack a punch. DR

I have an Airweight "hammerless" Centennial (nickel-plated) in .32 H&R Magnum, an H&R Model 733 (nickel-plated) in .32 S&W Long and a 1903 S&W in .32 S&W Long.

(I think that I have it covered).

Captain O · Sep 10, 2017

The whole "bigger is better" crowd is sadly mistaken and "missed the boat" when it comes to the .327 Federal Magnum.

The true ballistic intellectual figured out that the .327 was the ballistic successor to the .32-20 rifle load. The .327 case is much stronger and the capper is it shoots the three shorter cartridges. From the equivalent of the 22 Remington Special in power up to "nipping at the heels" of the .357 S&W Magnum, a .327 Federal Magnum is/was not "an answer to a question no one asked". It truly fills the niche between the .22 rimfires and the larger bore rounds.

Since its inception in 2008, it has been cussed and discussed. I really think that it has a place. I do not equate bore size with the size of my male organ. A "bigger hammer" is not always needed, and an "in-between" caliber can mean the difference between needlessly destroyed meat and lost game. How many irons do you need in your golf bag? How about a 1 iron through a "pitching" or "sand wedge"?

You need to have, and use, the right tool for the job.

SynapticSilence · Sep 11, 2017

FYI, the new six shot Ruger LCR in .327 Federal Magnum will also shoot S&W .32 Long as well as .32 H&R Magnum. The .327 LCRs have the all steel frame like the .357 version does, so no problem handling the load. Love mine and I never thought I'd be carrying a revolver over my Sig P938.

Certaindeaf · Sep 11, 2017

Charles Bronson used a Colt .32 Police Positive in Death Wish to blast some street punks so it's indeed special in my book, lol.
I'd love to have a .32 wheelgun.

Tinker Pearce · Sep 12, 2017

I love my .32s. I picked up this 1903 for a song. It was pitted, out of time with bad end-shake and a cylinder-gap =you could read a book through. I fixed it's issues and refinished it in antique gray and made a grip adapter so it would play nice with my big meathooks. Hell of a shooter- I love it!