S&W 31-1

TXTad

TXTad

Active Member
I picked up this 1975-ish 31-1 yesterday. I had been looking for a shooting quality one since someone gave me a few free boxes of .32 S&W Long ammo, and I don't like to shoot "specials" in magnum chambers. Make for expensive "free" ammo, but a fun excuse to get a gun.

This one seems unfired since it left the factory, but suffered a little bit of neglect. There's some light surface rust on the lower front right of the frame, and on one side of the cylinder. Nothing very bad at all. The worst part, though, is that there is some very minor pitting in the last inch of the bore, also on the right side. I suspect it won't matter much for plinking with mild cast loads, but I was disappointed about it. If it wasn't for that, I would consider this a perfect example of a shooter.

Since I do have a .32 H&R Single Six and a .327 Federal Bisley Single Seven, I'll never load this one over 850-900 fps. I'll just have to find what 90 or 100 gr bullet it likes best and stick with that.

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Glaciers

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
Nice find! I picked up a 31-1 just last fall. Rare bird up here where I live. Look forward to shooting mine this summer. Also have a 327 SP101 4” with sights that I used 32 H&R’s in.
Enjoy your nice pistol!
 
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Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
TX Tad - Fantastic Revolver!

I'll toss out some info here, take or leave part of it or all of it.

I settled on the Accurate 31-095W waddcutter and I have been very happy with it.
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A lot of people claim the RCBS .32-98 SWC is also an excellent bullet for that cartridge and I'm sure they are right. So, that may be another choice.

The Accurate 31-095W drops at about 96 grains with my alloy. I size to .313" and lube that WC with NRA 50/50. I send that down the barrel with 2.4 grains of Bullseye and all is right.

DSCN0063.JPG

A NOE .317 x 313 (P) expander in a Lee die body works perfectly and mimics the Lyman "M" type expander profile (but with better dimensions).
 
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J

Jeff H

NW Ohio
Very envious of those little Smiths!

My mom had one, which I swear was a 3", in the box and pristine. I did not find it after she passed and have no idea where it went. After she could no longer see, she was adamant that my dad did not get rid of her guns - even though she couldn't shoot them. He mentioned selling that little gun once and caught some serious flack. He never mentioned it again.:oops:
 
Glaciers

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
The one I picked up is a 3” and it was presented to me as unfired, and since it was purchased from a good friend and Smith collector, I’m confident.
But as I picked up the pistol for the first time inspection and the cylinder didn’t want to open. With a little more pressure it popped open. Old dried grease in the crane.

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TXTad

TXTad

Active Member
Glaciers said:
The one I picked up is a 3” and it was presented to me as unfired, and since it was purchased from a good friend and Smith collector, I’m confident.
But as I picked up the pistol for the first time inspection and the cylinder didn’t want to open. With a little more pressure it popped open. Old dried grease in the crane.

View attachment 39411

View attachment 39412
Click to expand...
This one is gorgeous! I wanted the 4", but now I'm having the 3" itch. Maybe even a 2".

I think I have a latent love for anything .32 that is starting to express itself more and more. I've always been an 8x57 fan, I've got a couple of oddball .32 ACPs, .32 H&R Single Six Vaquero, and a .327 Bisley Single Seven. I'm salivating over the recent Lipsey's .32 H&R S&W Centennials.
 
TXTad

TXTad

Active Member
Petrol & Powder said:
TX Tad - Fantastic Revolver!

I'll toss out some info here, take or leave part of it or all of it.

I settled on the Accurate 31-095W waddcutter and I have been very happy with it.
View attachment 39406
View attachment 39407

A lot of people claim the RCBS .32-98 SWC is also an excellent bullet for that cartridge and I'm sure they are right. So, that may be another choice.

The Accurate 31-095W drops at about 96 grains with my alloy. I size to .313" and lube that WC with NRA 50/50. I send that down the barrel with 2.4 grains of Bullseye and all is right.

View attachment 39408

A NOE .317 x 313 (P) expander in a Lee die body works perfectly and mimics the Lyman "M" type expander profile (but with better dimensions).
Click to expand...
That wadcutter is a good idea. I've already got the Lee SWC mold (90gr I believe), so I'm going to add a 100 gr SWC of some variety and call it done. I can at least delude myself that's my plan. :)
 
P

Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
TXTad, I think the 4" or the 3" is the way to go. A 2" gives up a lot of sight radius. I'm a fan of snubnose revolvers for SD but not ones chambered in 32 S&W Long. That cartridge has a different role.
I think you'll find that 4" J-frame is a good combination size & accuaracy for something chambered in 32 S&W Long.

I had to go with bigger grips to extract the full potential from mine but I have large hands. Another member of this forum had a set of Herrett's on his Model 31-1 and I went in search of a set for myself. I'm happy to say I found a set and they really make a difference.

DSCN0260.JPG
 
Glaciers

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
Petrol & Powder said:
TX Tad - Fantastic Revolver!

I'll toss out some info here, take or leave part of it or all of it.

I settled on the Accurate 31-095W waddcutter and I have been very happy with it.
View attachment 39406
View attachment 39407

A lot of people claim the RCBS .32-98 SWC is also an excellent bullet for that cartridge and I'm sure they are right. So, that may be another choice.

The Accurate 31-095W drops at about 96 grains with my alloy. I size to .313" and lube that WC with NRA 50/50. I send that down the barrel with 2.4 grains of Bullseye and all is right.

View attachment 39408

A NOE .317 x 313 (P) expander in a Lee die body works perfectly and mimics the Lyman "M" type expander profile (but with better dimensions).
Click to expand...
First off good post. Next I want to point out that P&P bringing up the NOE expanders are great. These expanders are available ever thousands. Great product.
Next, I want a 4”. You guys are enablers.
 
oscarflytyer

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
Beautiful! Jealous! Shame about the bbl. Love the 32L/32NP revolvers/have 3/always looking!

fwiw - I have an old Smith Regulation Police 32 circa 1921 with a somewhat of a sewer pipe bbl. Didn't shoot well til I cast and am shooting the Lee TL314-90 SWC. Mine casts as is fat (I think actually .314"!). The ugly bbl loves it - as do the other two. I cut my best group in half with it in the RP. I am shooting it over 3.0 Unique rolled around in Ben's Liquid Lube.

 
CZ93X62

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
Full agreement with LEC Guy--and welcome aboard, sir.

S&W's small "Hand Ejector" frame was developed c. 1900 specifically to house the 32 S&W Long......this was their 'I-frame'. C. 1950 S&W lengthened the frame window 1/4" to create the 'J-frame'; this to fit the 38 Special cartridge. The I-frame had been housing the 38 S&W in 5-shot arrangement for some years by this time, as well as 22 LR/6-shot. My view--the present-day J-frame's best cartridges are the 22 LR, 22 WMR, 32 SWL, and 32 H&R Mag. 38 Special is just a bit too much, and 357 Magnum is an abomination, and five shots in a revolver is an unnatural act.
 
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Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
357 Mag in a J-frame is a bridge too far in my opinion.

38 Special works in a J-frame but I think it's right at the upper limit of that frame size. The five round cylinder IS annoying when you're shooting courses of fire designed around 6 shot guns!
 
Glaciers

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
Well I have J frame 5 shot 357. I like it. Do I shoot 357’s often? No. I agree it is a bridge to far for a steady diet. I mostly shoot 38’s, but, if I need the 357 it’s available if needed. You remember: better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. The little 2” J frame 357 is a great pocket pistol. I carry the SP101 3” in my pocket stuffed with 357’s in Summer.
The Smith model 19 really can’t take the 357 that well, so the J frame is marginal.

But if I ever ran across a Smith 31-1 that was mechanically sound but showing lots of carry wear then I might consider bringing it out to 32 H&R.
But it’s highly more likely that a Charter Arms Professional in 32 H&R shows up first.
 
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