.22 Outdoorsman

narrows · #1 03-04-2011, 08:14 PM

I think I may have posted this earlier in the wrong spot...this is a 5 screw gun. Sorry about that...

Copied from previous post...

I have a .22 S&W revolver s/n 207XXX. No rib on top of barrel, patent stamp on top of barrel, no address line or "made in USA" stamp, 5 screw gun, adjustable rear sight, LHS of barrel stamped ".22 Long Rifle CTG"

The serial number came off the inside of the grips (both sides), on the frame behind the trigger guard, and on the back side of the cylinder.

There is no prefix in front of the serial number. The front sight has a gold rectangle, and is stamped "Redfield".

Any ideas how old this gun is and what it might be worth?

BTW...looking for the Standard Catalog to buy here in BC, but have not got it yet.

Thanks for your help

Masterpiece · #2 03-04-2011, 08:36 PM

Going by the Serial Number you have given I believe it to be a Bekeart Style 22/32 HE Target Revolver made in the Mid-Late Teens. The Front Sight Blade has most likely been replaced with the Redfield Sight Blade you mentioned. It should also have the Matching Serial Number on the Barrel Flat under the Ejector Rod. Is it possible for you to post photos?? They would help immensely. Especially the inside of the grips where you said they were Serial Numbered on "Both" Grips. This is very interesting as I have never seen this done from the factory. Are the Numbers Stamped or Penciled onto the Grips? Also as far as the value it's really going to be hard to speculate without some photos to make an educated assessment.

rburg · #3 03-04-2011, 08:39 PM

I'm guessing you've missed the mark. Try again. Look for the serial number on the butt of the gun. Report back with letters and numbers, both. If its an outdoorsman, it can only have a serial between about 632,000 and 684,000 (give or take.)

bettis1 · #4 03-04-2011, 08:48 PM

Narrows,

Welcome to the Forum. From the serial number that you posted and the fact that you got the number from the front strap of the grip, I believe that you have a .22/.32 Hand Ejector (aka Bekeart Model), rather than a .22 Outdoorsman. That isn't my area of knowledge so perhaps others will come along with more info.

Bob

narrows · #5 03-05-2011, 01:33 PM

Hey, thanks for the information.

Here are all the numbers on this gun...

On the bottom of the grip, stamped into the wood (no steel showing, the wood grips come together at the bottom) is stamped 2296.

As mentioned before, on the rear of the cylinder, on the front strap behind the trigger guard, and pencilled into the inside of each grip is 207939.

Opening the cylinder, on the yoke, it is almost so small it is unreadable, but looks like 3430. Same number stamped on the frame where the yoke closes.

It has no address line, nor "Made in USA" on it. Only the SW logo stamped on RHS on the plate.

It is a 5 screw model, it has the screw in front of the trigger guard.

Again, thanks for your help-----

narrows · #6 03-05-2011, 01:53 PM

I just saw another thread trying to identify a gun that is exactly the same as mine.

Looks like it is a .22/.32 Bekeart Model, S/N 2296. If this is under 3000, is it one of the "first issue" models?

Hobie · #7 03-05-2011, 02:44 PM

Post a pic...

Masterpiece · #8 03-05-2011, 04:15 PM

Hi Again,
To answer your question as to being one of the First Production Run Revolvers,Yes it "Possibly" is. The 2296 stamped on the bottom of the Grip designates this as being the 2296th Revolver being produced in the Original Run of 3000 22/32 Heavy Frame Targets,but not necessarily shipped to Philip Bekeart!! Now this is taking into consideration that the Grips "Do" belong to your Revolver!! The only thing that leads me to believe that there is the possibility it isn't is the fact that the Serial Number seems quite high to have been made in the First Run. Now here's where it gets tricky. S&W has never been known for shipping guns in any specific order & since these Revolvers were serial numbered along with the 32 Hand-Ejectors there is still the possibility that it may be from the First Run. My suggestion to you is contact the S&W Historian Roy Jinks & request a Research Letter to verify the Shipping Date & Destination of your Revolver. I checked my records and your revolver's serial number doesn't show up in Phil Bekeart's Original Order. Although he did continue to order these later & maybe you'll get lucky & find it was shipped to him at a later date. Highly unlikely,but you just never know. I still find it interesting that "Both" Grips are numbered to the gun which is somewhat unusual. More times than not you're lucky to have some of these early guns with a serial number on the grips at all. The Number 3430 that is stamped on the yoke & frame is the assembly number. It may be stamped as well on the lower left grip frame under the grips. Also I still believe the Front Sight Blade has been replaced with the Redfield Sight Blade as you noted previously. It would help us out greatly if you were able to post some photos & maybe we'll see something that you may have missed in your description. Keep us posted!!

Masterpiece

rct269 · #9 03-05-2011, 05:25 PM

Jinks has just completed some research on these guns and posted the results on the SWCA portion of this forum. His post concluded with the admonition the data was not to be shared outside of SWCA. So be it! The bottom line, as I recall it, is he now has all the serial numbers of the "real" Bekeart (sp?) revolvers. It would be in your best interest to heed the cousel offered in the post above, and get a letter.

Ralph Tremaine

narrows · #10 03-05-2011, 08:04 PM

Well, thanks again for the info. I took the grips off again, and there is no s/n stamped there. On both sides of the frame, under the grips, there are some very very small stampings...you'd need an electron microscope to see them.

Both grips have that 207939 number pencilled in on them.

I have attached a couple of pictures...at least I tried to!

narrows · #11 03-05-2011, 08:32 PM

Thanks for the futher information. I tried attaching some pictures but it seems that they may be too big for the site.

Out for a while now, but tomorrow I will dig the gun out and take some smaller pics and post them.

I looked under the grips and on both sides there are some very very small stampings..you would need an electron microscope to read them.

The main number is pencilled inside of each grip.

More tomorrow.

Steve