Got my Bekeart style home today, 1916 from another thread, 2261xx. took it down for a good cleaning and grease/oil, it was dry.. I was able to see the last three digits of the serial number on the right grip in very faded pencil. Everything else is matching as well. Well worn with lots of blue loss. Is the front sight a normal factory partridge type? The rear sight is a square notch type. From another Bekeart thread perhaps special order? Paine was normal sights for this year I thought.

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Nice catch.

No, the front PATRIDGE has been notched. More than likely the front and rear sight blades have been changed from the Paine and U notch rear. The front patridge and sq notch rear did not become standard until the early 1920s.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

You are really going to love shooting that revolver. I've got one from he same year, serial number in the 253XXX range. Really draws a crowd at the range.

I bought it as a shooter, I do like the sights however put a little flat black on them. I do like shiny things.. but not shiny sights. Planning on the range tomorrow even thought it is supposed to be 100+ flipping degrees.
I also have a similar one in 32 Long Nickeled but no target sights. That one does get folks to look.

There is no known factory Patridge with the "slope nose" configuration of this one. It appears this one could have been made from a factory Patridge, and it could even make sense----given some sensible reason for the "slope nose". I can think of some, but don't want to get laughed at.

Ralph Tremaine

Yep it's not like the front sight on my K38.. Gives a nice sight picture however. Be nice to know what this one could tell of it's 100+ year life. Still locks up tight, and the bore is much better than what one would expect, can't really see any thing wrong still bright sharp lands and grooves. Overall little to no rust, pitting etc, even under the grips. Somebody cared for this one, and USED it. Perhaps 22LR was not corrosive back in the day.

Stay with standard velocity rounds, and it will show you just how great it can shoot.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

My other 22LR is a High Standard Citation, everything is SV. Do have a couple of HV for the 22LR rifles. It will only get the SV rounds.

I post this partly because it is funny. However, in this case it also helps to show what an unaltered Patridge sight looks like.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

OK , I am confused. Is the front sight factory or altered? Only the picture of my front sight is in the thread. Looks different than other partridge sights I have seen, but definitely not a Paine front.

All right, now that I am logged in I see that I am busted for speklling LOL

Although the standard issue front sight for the early .22/32 HFT's was the Paine sight, the Patridge could still be ordered. There are also many of these guns with Sheard or Lyman beads as well.

I have in my collection a true Bekeart shipped .22/32 HFT that sports a Patridge front sight.

One must remember that S&W was in the business to make money and if a customer wanted something "out of the norm" and it could be done for little or no $$$, it was done.

PS: If you could PM me the full serial number I would love to add your gun to my .22/32 HFT database. I have one other 226,1XX gun listed and it shipped 4/1/1916 with serial number 226,160.

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James Redfield
LM #497

Well it is over 100, warts and all. I'm going to shoot it, care for it and pass it on when my time comes.

I would say the rear sight has not been modified, but the square notch has always seemed too wide for a target gun. The original front sights offered a small top bead or blade, so I always liked the U notch best for accuracy. Your front sight might be what is left of someone's hatchet job on a factory installed front sight. Here were the options for factory installed sights.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

You will note that the pamphlet states that for "16 years" etc., so it dates to either 1927 or 1931 depending on whether they were referring to the original batch of Bekeart shipped guns that went out in 1911 or when it became a production model in 1915.

Either of these possible dates is past the date of the engineering change issued on 8/29/1923 by H. Wesson to officially change the front sight from the Paine to the Patridge and from the regulation police style stocks back to the two screw extended target stocks.

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James Redfield
LM #497

The catalog Special Target Sights page is from a 1912 catalog, which did not contain any information about the 22/32 HFT. i think the first catalog I have the shows the gun is 1919, but I do not have anything between 1912 and 1919.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

In looking at factory front Patridge sight on my 54 K38, the one on the 22/32 looks pretty much the same but smaller. With exception of the "notch". The K38 also has a "slant nose". JSR III Pm-ed the full serial. Do you know where 226160 was shipped to? This pistol is from Southern CA, in one family for at least 50 years from what I was told.

Just got back from the range, no fun in 100+ heat.. 22/32 HFT was fun to shoot. No issues at all and very accurate. I was able to hold groups about an 1 1/2" at 10 yards, about what I normally do. Need to find a SAT that will fit those tiny screws.. Hitting high left right now.