Smith & Wesson K-32

by
posted on July 18, 2013
wiley-clapp.jpg (2)

Over the many years that Smith & Wesson has been making revolvers, they’ve produced literally hundreds of different models and thousands of variations of those models. Some, like the timeless M&P revolver in .38 S&W Spl., have been in continuous production for decades. Others die quick deaths, because if they don’t sell, they don’t last. The revolver with which I am concerned here is the K frame .32 S&W Long, which was assigned Model No. 16 when they started numbering in 1957. Made from the late 1940s to the mid-70s, the K32 had a very interesting background.

It came along when S&W was booming in the post-war gun market. Actually, the sleek K frame was part of a trio of guns the company called the Masterpiece models. Others in the well-advertised series were the K22 and K38. They were K frame, blue-steel, 6-inch barreled revolvers intended for bullseye competition. S&W actually went to the trouble to match the weight of the three models by changing the barrel profile. Competitive shooters of that day were often users of the revolver, so a matched set of three guns sounded rather appealing. They could use either the K32 or K38 for the “any centerfire” events and the K22 for the .22 rimfire. Shooters had to use a .45 for the other third of the 2,700 course and yep, Smith made a couple of.45 ACP revolvers. The size of the .45 cartridge mandated an N frame, so the matched-in-weight concept couldn’t be made to work here.

In practice, most shooters chose a K22 and a K38, then a match-conditioned M1911A1 or a Colt Gold Cup. When the company began to make Model 41 autos, shooters flocked to them and the K22s began to be rare birds on the Bullseye firing lines. The K38s lasted pretty well, simply because it was hard to make the .38 Spl. cartridge feed in an auto. I have never seen much in the way of evidence to justify the existence of the K32. They sold well enough to stay in the catalog for quite a while, but were eventually discontinued. They are very valuable because of their scarcity and a brand new Model 16 next to a brand new Model 14 (K38) of the same vintage will invariably command a greater price. In theory, the K32 should have been a better choice for a competitive shooter, because of the reduced recoil. I believe that it failed because of the performance of the smaller wadcutter bullet at 50 yards.

Latest

Smith & Wesson Model 1854 Stealth Hunter lever-action rifle black gun right-side view on white background
Smith & Wesson Model 1854 Stealth Hunter lever-action rifle black gun right-side view on white background

Gun Of The Week: Smith & Wesson Model 1854 Stealth Hunter

Welcome to American Rifleman’s Gun Of The Week. For this episode, we have a version of Smith & Wesson’s Model 1854 lever-action that’s specifically made for field use. Meet the Model 1854 Stealth Hunter.

The Armed Citizen® April 25, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

The Great FN Gun Giveaway At NRAAM 2025

Here’s a chance to win a custom, one-of-a-kind FN 545 Tactical pistol at the 154th NRA Annual Meeting & Exhibits, April 24-27, in Atlanta, Ga. No purchase necessary.

Training With Moving Targets

Most target shooters understand static or bullseye-type stationary targets quite well, but did you know that adding motion into your training routine will improve practical marksmanship and the skills necessary to conquer defensive situations?

USA Shooting Celebrates 30th Anniversary

USA Shooting marks a historic milestone in April as it celebrates 30 years as the national governing body for international shooting sports within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

Rifleman Review: Rock River Arms LAR-15M .17 HMR

Building a reliable semi-automatic rifle chambered for the .17 HMR can be a challenge, but Rock River Arms seems to have solved the issue with its unique RRA .17 HMR AR-style rifle.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.