Does anyone here have a .32 long rimfire that they are certain was made by Smith & Wesson? I’d really appreciate seeing good quality photos of one showing the depressed head, turned neck crimp and bullet grooves. Thanks.
I have too many rimfire rounds I have no ID of maker, yet.
Can you tell me what the headstamp might/should be,
and I will check?
NHS
Dan
These would have been some of the first rimfire cartridges made, perhaps between 1861 and mid 1860s. They won’t be headstamped and should have a slightly concave base, a turned mouth crimp, and possibly a two groove bullet.
Guy,
I have some that I picked up at a Baltimore show to use as a reference that came from a S&W box but haven’t the foggiest idea of where they are. It will be a year before I get it all sorted out. In the mean time I believe this is a S&W round.
Troy
Thanks for the pictures Troy.
I also have lots of things that I don’t have a clue where they are; don’t be too disappointed if it doesn’t get any better, but it’s a little like Christmas whenever something that was lost turns up.
I have what was identified as a S&W #1 if you would like I could post the picture. the first 22 short.
Vic,
Please do post the picture of your S&W 22.
I also have some .32 longs from an auction last year that were identified as S&W, but I believe they are just early UMC.
This is a #1 S&W
The 22 short pictured appears to have a knurled bullet. Knurled bullets came later. I’m not sure if S&W ever used knurled grooves on S&W #1.
Identification of early unheadstamped 22’s is very difficult and sometimes impossible (at least for me).
Paul
I took some pics last night, but they all didn’t come out. I have this marked S&W (.22):
And the upper left .32 marked S&W:
The bullet crimp on the thought S&W, is like a smooth cannelure for a bullet crimp. I found two more like in the bottom row, that were marked by Paul C. The knurled bullet says UMC and the smooth grooves bullet says Hall & Hub.
Hope this helps.
Dan
Here is what I’ve been told is a 32L by S&W (got it from John Barber).
I didn’t see the box it came from so can’t say with 100% certainty that’s what it is.
It has the concave “wad in head” type base normally attributed to Smith & Wesson. There are also tic mark unevenly distributed around the rim. The bullet has two machined grease grooves and held into the case with a turned crimp.
Old unheadstamped rimfires are difficult to ID their source.
Paul
Thanks all. I didn’t expect to see so many of the 32longs, and I especially like the sectioned 22; I’ve never seen one of the felt wads.
Guy, I seen a cut-a-way .32 S&W about 30 years ago, and I remember the wad looked more like paper. (Top wad or shoe box type.) I see you and I believe Suydam call it felt.
I did not find it yet in Barber. Are there other references as to weather it’s a felt or paper disc? Anyone?
Thanks,
Dan
It certainly looks more like felt than paper in the photo of the sectioned .22 above.
It probably is felt, if that’s what Suydam called it. Whatever it is…it’s old!
Dan
Here are the cartridges in my bag marked “.32 SW/.32SW-L/.32 Rimfire/.32 Sh Colt”,
and “.22 S”, so I lined them up as the lable indicated, the .22 in seperate pics. All of the
.32 RF are headstamped ‘U’, although I am fairly certain I have some [somewhere?]
with no headstamp:
Are these what you refer to as “knurled”?
