S&W .32 DA NEAR MINT!

This is a nearly MINT example of a Smith & Wesson .32 Double Action Revolver. Specs: 3.5" barrel, five-shot cylinder, nickel plated finish, and checkered hard rubber grips. Caliber .32 S&W. This is an early one in the 24,000 serial range making it a scarce 3rd Model. It's not very often we find these and rarely in this condition. The 3rd Model was produced for only two years, 1882-1883 from roughly 22,000 to 43,000. To put this into perspective, of the five variants of the .32 DA that spanned from 1880-1919 (327,641 units), the 4th Model accounts for 73% of production while the 3rd Model just 6.5%. Basically, the 3rd Model was the first .32 DA to feature a cylinder with longer flutes and only one set of stop notches. Note that it still retains the semi-squareback contour to the trigger guard as its predecessors, the 1st and 2nd Models. Being so early in the 3rd Model range, the patent dates on the barrel only go up to 1880...the 1882 patent improvements not yet added. Serial numbers are 100% matching on frame, barrel, latch, and cylinder. I'm sure the grips are original to the gun as well but I'm not going to look...as judging from the screws, this 130+ year old S&W appears to have never seen a screw driver. Overall Condition grades to NRA Antique Excellent Plus retaining 98% original nickel overall...just a few specks of loss here and there...which is most noteworthy on the bottom of the barrel directly beneath the front sight. It appears to have been fired only a few times and put away. The case colors on the hammer and trigger are 98% and vivid! Trigger guard retains 98% bright original blue with 95% remaining on the latch. Mechanics are perfect. Bore is nearly MINT! Checkered hard rubber grips are MINT! A very strong example of an early S&W DA made in 1882 that deserves a factory box.

Item# 1720

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