Quote:
Originally posted by ischia:
I think you guys are talking about what is called a Bekaert 22/32. Named for Phil Bekaert, a San Francisco hardware store owner. Mine is #164122 6" barrel,unique walnut grips that go down over what would be called a small round butt. The first 3000 also had a number(mine is 1858) stamped on the butt of the grips.This number had nothing to do with the serial #. Very small frame,great shooter with standard velocity only.Non recessed cylinder.
Any Idea when mine may have been shipped?
Ischia
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Ischia,
Yes, they are talking about the Bekearts; officially designated by S&W as the 22/32 Heavy Frame Target, later shortened to Heavy Target. Heavy frame sounds strange for such a small gun until one considers that the only other S&W .22 at the time was the tiny Lady Smith 'M' frame!
You really should get yours lettered.
Based on other guns on the forum that have been lettered, here's two close to yours: #163698 shipped to Bekeart in June 1912; grip # unknown. 163803 has grip # 1546; ship date & destination unknown. Yours is in the Collectors 3rd classification of Bekearts.
The 1st production run in 1911 of 1,044 Bekeart models are in the range of # 138227 thru # 139275 with a few gaps in the numbers. The original shipment of 292 to Bekeart was also in that range and are considered the 1st classification of "True" Bekeart Models from a collecting viewpoint.
Many of the other 1,044 guns in that range went to other dealers and are considered the 2nd class of Bekearts.
The 3rd class is the remainder of the Bekearts with grip numbers up to #3000 when grip #s were discontinued, but there is no 'list' of serial numbers for this class; the grip number being sufficent to identify along with a factory letter.
The 4th, last and least desirable class is any Bekeart from later pre-war (WW II) production runs that 'letter' as being shipped to Bekeart Sporting Goods. Again there is no serial number list for this class. There you have it.
Note: Bekeart serial numbers were in the .32 Hand Ejector serial number series, so there are huge gaps in the Bekeart serial #s. For example, the next 1911 production started at #160,000.