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Old 11-23-2011, 06:44 PM
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DCWilson DCWilson is offline
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Welcome to the forum. Your first post is going to make hearts beat faster among a lot of .22/32 fans.

The first .22/32 revolvers were released in 1911 starting with serial numbers in the 138xxx range. The first few thousand of these also came with numbered stocks, though the stock numbers don't correlate or match other numbers on the gun. You have stock set no. 395 -- early-ish.

If the 791 is seen on the frame when you swing the cylinder open, that's just a process control number that means nothing once the serial numbers are applied to the various parts of the gun.

The earliest .22/32 target models are often called Bekeart revolvers because San Francisco businessman Phil Bekeart convinced S&W to issue a .22 target revolver built on the company's .32 caliber frame. Not all of the early Bekeart models were sold in Bekeart's store, but it is always special to find one that was. I think some on this forum have a list of the serial numbers of guns actually sold by Bekeart. They may be able to tell you if yours is one of those.
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