Hello; I was at a LGS I frequent to pick up a Ruger Redhawk I had put on lay-a-way when I saw an older S&W .22. They were selling as a parts gun, since it was missing the firing pin and rear adjustable sight. The bore was good and the cylinder felt nice no slop. The timing seemed good also. I know very little about S&W revolvers,I would like more info about this revolver so I can look for a firing pin and rear sight. Since i only paid $70 I figure it was worth a try to fix it.

Hand Ejector
Serial # 591897
.22 LR
6" barrel
5 screw model
Has strain screw
had adjustable rear sight

Thank for any help on this

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Be careful - it looks like it has been in a fire.

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Merle, retired
western PA

It isn't a Kit Gun; it is a .22/32 Heavy Frame Target from the mid 1920s or so. I think I would have some concern about the tempering of the metal, since you don't know the origin of the discoloration. Also, parts might be tough to find.

However, I will tell you that the stocks alone are probably worth the $70 you paid for the revolver.

JP

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

I think most of what looks like discoloration is because I used my scanner to photograph it. Doesn't look that bad in real life, the cylinder is a little lighter than the frame and barrel. no signs that it had been near extreme heat. Thanks for the info. Any ideas where to look for the firing pin and sight, would they have been used for other models from S&W

Welcome to the forum.

Good buy! It still has the hardest parts to find or replace; the hammer and vertical adjustment screw.

But 1st you have a .22/32 Heavy Frame Target with features of an example made between late 1923 and 1927, but the serial # doesn't match the era. Could you recheck with a magnifying glass? Also the # under the barrel or ear face of cyl may be easier to read and should match the # on the front grip strap. My guess is that the 5 is misread. It should be a 3.

The grips are the correct style and are original to your gun if the penciled serial on the back of the right grip matches the gun.

I don't believe it was in a fire. Some cyls faded to purple similar to yours. Or the cyl was reblued improperly; we've seen both. The entire gun doesn't look re-finished however. So verify the # on the rear of the cyl matches the other stamped locations on the gun mentioned above.

HISTORY:

Phil Bekeart, a San Francisco gun dealer, is credited with the concept of a larger (than the existing 7 shot .22 Long ‘M’ frame) .22 LR target revolver built on the I frame 1st called the “Model 1911 Bekeart Model, 22/32 HFT”. He agreed to order 1000 of the new model if S&W would produce it. When Smith added this model to regular production c.1915 it was given the model name of “22/32 Heavy Frame Target”, because relative to the tiny M frame Ladysmith, the only other Smith .22 at the time, it was a heavier frame. Changed to “22/32 Target” in ~ 1930 when the K22, a heavier, K frame .22 was introduced. The 32 in the name indicates it was made on the 32 S&W Long cartridge frame, the I frame.

A very similar model but with 4" barrel was introduced in 1935 and it’s the .22/32 Kit Gun.

REPAIR:

The firing pin and retaining pin can be found. Jack First has model of 1953 firing pins made for $18.95 + $10 shipping that fit your gun. Also the firing bushing if it's missing from the recoil shield.

The sight is harder to find. But pre war k and N frame sights can be modified slightly to work. More about that if you find a K or N frame sight.

I advise advertising on this forum in the classified section. This is the best forum for help. Ask for an I frame factory target sight. Check eBay and Gunbroker auctions as well.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

A fairly accurate way to tell if it's been in a fire is when the springs go flat - heat draws the temper out of them......

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Merle, retired
western PA

I agree with Jim that it is a .22/32 Heavy Frame Target. I have one that is SN409001 (1925). The flat sided barrel is what looks strange to me. Can anyone fill us in on that? Also, as mentioned before, the grips are probably worth what you paid for the revolver or maybe much more. If you can find the parts and get it in shooting order, you will probably have an accurate little .22. Good luck in your quest for parts.

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Ed

I once had a M36-1 that had gone through a fire. It was covered in a creosote like deposit. Used a fine wire wheel to get most of it off. I had it Rockwell tested before I shot it. The springs were OK and it shot fine.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

The OP took the picture by scanning it on his printer! I'll bet that is making the barrel look flat.
Ed

I agree. Most gun parts except the hammer and triggers are relatively soft as the temper has been drawn way back. A fully hardened piece of 4140 steel would be in the low to mid 50s Rockwell C, Upon tempering it drops in relation to the temperature of the temper cycle(s). Out of curiosity and the fact that I have a hardness tester, I checked several frames cylinders etc, they were all so soft I had to go to the Rockwell B test and scale and all were in the same range as mild steel as far as hardness. Now, there is a lot more to heat treated steels and mild steel besides hardness. But, for a heat treated steel to go from fully hardened to that soft takes a very high temperature temper cycle. Springs are tempered somewhere between 7-850f. So to get hot enough to effect the temper of the frame, cylinder etc you would wreck the springs. So, if the springs are good, so is the frame etc. But, the sear surfaces of a case hardened hammer/trigger may well be ruined if it got much above around 400f. They could be re case hardened or replaced. But, notice that in the ops pictures the case hardened colors still show well. If it would have gotten very hot those likely would have gotten messed up.

I like it and for that price I would have snapped it up. If nothing else horror of horrors, a barrel chop and a J frame rear sight would get you a neat little 22. The collectablity of that one being pretty low

Hondo44 - Thanks for the informative reply. I checked the numbers again with a good light and magnifier. The first number is a 3 not a 5. The cylinder number matches. looking inside the right grip I can see the first two numbers, 3, and 9. the rest is not visible because of what i think is excessive oiling over the years. dark stained. The photos look funny because of the scanner. My camera recently crapped out. I will contact
Jack First to see if he can help. Since collector value is probably low, I would keep it as a shooter. Someone on another forum thought it might have been re-blued (badly) at some point. There is some light pitting t the end of the barrel that looks like it might have been blued over.

I don't think it's been in a fire.

You have the evidently original grips. Had it been in a fire, the grips would be gone. Even had someone stored it with the grips off, it's almost inconceivable they would have stored the grips so far way they'd have been spared the fire.

I'm deeply envious of your good fortune.

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Just Say No - To Social Media

Assuming that the correct serial number is 391897, I have 391898 in my database that shipped in March of 1924 and went to Brown Camp Hardware in DesMoines, IA.

The rear sights are very hard to come by and I have seen several of them broken and repaired or totally gone over the last decade of research. It seems that when over elevating the rear screw without loosening the front screw caused the base to crack at the front screw hole.

You may be able to locate someone else with a donor gun that you can get parts from. I have looked at many of the well known parts suppliers with little success for this model.

If you look at my avatar you will see about a dozen of this model including one of the early prototypes.

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James Redfield
LM #497

Yes, it's a project but it's a gun worthy of the effort.

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NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs

There's always post war adjustable target sights on eBay. If you want to get the gun shooting now, do a search for "vintage gun parts smith". A J frame sight will take the least amount of trimming to fit your 22/32 Heavy Frame Target, while you search for an original sight. The post war sights are micro click and far superior to pre war sights. You may like it enough to keep permanently.

Then if you find the pre war sight, you can sell it to someone else needing a sight for a pre war gun.

Dave Clements custom guns produces an S&W pre war repro sight that's exact. He installs them on Ruger Vaqueros. He sold them in the past for $95.
Clements Custom Guns

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Jim
S&WCA #819

FWIW, I contacted Dave and he is not taking any orders for 6 months until he clears out his backlog.

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James Redfield
LM #497

The Jack First firing pin is slightly different but works fine in my 22/32. Pic shows broken original and First replacement pin. I would soak bushing area in Kroil for a few days to make it a little easier to remove. My spring was OK but might get a new one if he has one. Good luck, they are great guns!

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PTLAPTA!

Thanks for all the great info. I'll call jack first to see if I can get the gun shooting. Then look for a more recent sight, again so I can shoot it while looking for an older one. I go to most of the gun shows within a reasonable distance. Next time I will bring my caliper and the specs for the original, hell, maybe I'll luck out on someones parts bin.

Ordered a firing pin, spring, bushing, and pin, from Jack First, this morning. Hopefully it will work with little or no work. Now to find a rear sight that will work till I can find something more to the original. Will let you know how things work out. Thanks again for all the valuable information.

No matter how this turns out for you , at that price you cannot lose.

Observation : The side plate seam looks rather open to me ; may indicate refinishing at some point.

So - is that flat barrel look an optical illusion caused by the scanner?

waveski. Yes it looks that way because of using a scanner.Also, it is a little more open then I would expect. Good chance someone was a little over zealous in the buffing. looks like a re blue, though not a great one. I don't know if the original blueing was satin or bright, this is satin. I'll try to borrow a camera to take some better pics..

Today was a lucky day, which is good as I broke a tooth on friday and have to go to the dentist tomorrow. Anyway, a friend and I ended up going by the GS where I bought this revolver, today, and we noticed a couple small plastic bags in the display case where this revolver was. They looked like parts, so I asked the owner and we looked at them. They were for this gun. Had a rear sight that fits perfectly. Don't know if original or newer. Bag was from Brownells. I have checked all the major suppliers and none of them had a rear sight. This may be old stock, but who cares. Also had a firing pin, bushing, and spring. The pin is a little big in diameter, but can bring it down enough to work. Though I ordered a bushing, spring, firing pin and cross pin from Jack First, which should be in tomorrow. There was also an extractor rod collar and another part, the spring loaded pin that holds the extractor rod/cylinder closed.

When I get the firing pin in, I'll shoot and come back and give a report

So were those parts included with the gun, or did you pay extra for them?

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Merle, retired
western PA

Wonders never cease!

That is great news! If the sight is from your gun, it'll ahve a mtching serial # on the bottom side. But no big deal if it doesn't!

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Jim
S&WCA #819

M E Morrison, No charge, should have come with gun, he just didn't notice them.



Hondo44. There is a serial number but it is higher than the one on the revolver, so I assume that it is an original sight, just not to this gun

Well, that's the sign of an honest man! Does this give you all the parts you need to complete the gun?

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Merle, retired
western PA

M E Morrison - Should be. I am waiting for the firing pin assembly from Jack First Guns. Get that in and i should be good to go.

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