Model 34-1 Kit Gun (Mfg. 1957)

Trooper Joe · #1 08-16-2018, 11:49 AM

Hello all. Just figured out the latest Photobucket program and can again share some of my gun shop finds.

Just found this nice model 34-1 yesterday at a great price. Had a set of S&W target grips on it so I installed some old "J" frame grips (new ones are on their way from Midway).

The knife shown below was custom made for me and was patiently awaiting a partner to take into the Michigan woods

.

Trooper Joe

LEO918 · #2 08-16-2018, 12:14 PM

That's a great catch. I picked this one up this week....

Trooper Joe · #3 08-16-2018, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LEO918

That's a great catch. I picked this one up this week....

What year was you Model 34 made. I am trying to determine how far off the grips I will be using are.

Thanks,

Trooper Joe

LEO918 · #4 08-16-2018, 04:01 PM

Joe:
If your Kit Gun shipped in 1957 it would have had walnut grips with the diamond around the grip screw.

whataboutbob · #5 08-16-2018, 06:10 PM

34-1 started in 1960

Trooper Joe · #6 08-16-2018, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whataboutbob

34-1 started in 1960

I agree. The lady I talked to at S&W was wrong about the 1957 date. Tom Clapper in his article agrees with you.

http://www.ogca.com/Legendary%20Kit%20Gun.pdf

Trooper Joe

Mule Packer · #7 08-16-2018, 11:51 PM

Here's my 34-1. They're great little guns...perfect for sticking in the saddle bags or slipping into a holster on your belt for a walk in the woods or a day on the river. Everybody should be lucky enough to have one.

Hondo44 · #8 08-17-2018, 04:17 AM

Beautiful 2" Kit gun. The J frame Kit Gun was introduced as the Mode 34-1 in Oct 1960. They have flat latches until 1966 and diamond grips until 1968.

A serial # or partial will help determine it's true vintage.But at this point, the grips you have a very likely correct.

Ivan the Butcher · #9 08-17-2018, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mule Packer

Here's my 34-1. They're great little guns...perfect for sticking in the saddle bags or slipping into a holster on your belt for a walk in the woods or a day on the river. Everybody should be lucky enough to have one.

I picked up a 4" like this one early this summer. I shot it for the first time last Tuesday. I did pretty good for me. This has got to be the second best 22 I ever fired! I had the best with me also.

A friend was with me shooting. We both had M&P 9c's with us. He shot the 34-1 and went wild about the smoothness of the trigger. After he awhile I handed him the 17-3.

Unlike the 17-3, my 34-1 came with the box, papers and screwdriver and cleaning kit. The idiot at the gunshop threw away the original bill of sale!

Ivan

Trooper Joe · #10 08-17-2018, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hondo44

Beautiful 2" Kit gun. The J frame Kit Gun was introduced as the Mode 34-1 in Oct 1960. They have flat latches until 1966 and diamond grips until 1968.

A serial # or partial will help determine it's true vintage.But at this point, the grips you have a very likely correct.

Jim,

I looks like the lady at S&W said 1967 and I thought she said 1957. 1967 would match up what I thought was listed in the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson, 3rd Edition.

Thanks again for your help.

Trooper Joe

Trooper Joe · #11 08-23-2018, 12:28 PM

Went to the range yesterday with a box of Winchester Super X, 40 grn. "Super Speed" ammo. The ammo would not load in the cylinder (photo shows how far it went in before stopping)

This is the ammo that was too large in diameter for my Model 34-1.

I thought that I may have had a lot of corrosion in the cylinder chambers maybe from a long diet of .22 shorts or something. However, when I got home, I found that most of my other .22 ammo (listed below) chambered just fine. I also noticed that even the Winchester ammo in question chamber just fine in my NAA .22 LR cylinder and my Beretta 21a chamber. Also, the chambers were like a mirror, no corrosion at all.

Looks like the Model 34-1 was bored very tight when it was made compared to my other .22 hand guns I checked today. (The 34-1 was about .224 and the others were about .225.)

Winchester Super X, 40 grn. "Super Speed (max dia. .226)
CCI Mini Mag (max dia .225) little snug but I was able to push it in OK
CCI Stinger (max dia. .224) loaded just fine
CCI Standard Vel/lead bullet (.223 - .224 ) loaded just fine
Federal target ammo/bulk pack (.224 dia) loaded just fine

I had a Ruger Bearcat that had very tight chambers like this and after firing it was very hard to unload the empty cases.

Just thought I would share this with you folks. Would appreciate any comments.

Trooper Joe

Wiregrassguy · #12 08-23-2018, 02:05 PM

You might want to burnish the chambers. That should free up enough to where the cases don't bind.

Guy

murphydog · #13 08-23-2018, 02:24 PM

S & W .22 revolvers are somewhat famous (or infamous) for having charge holes bored at minimum diameters. Your case measurements seem to bear this out. Using a finishing reamer by hand seems to fix this, or you can just use the smaller cased rounds to avoid any problems.

Trooper Joe · #14 08-23-2018, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by murphydog

S & W .22 revolvers are somewhat famous (or infamous) for having charge holes bored at minimum diameters. Your case measurements seem to bear this out. Using a finishing reamer by hand seems to fix this, or you can just use the smaller cased rounds to avoid any problems.

Thanks for the info guys. I put a new .22 cal brass brush in my drill and hit each chamber. The chambers have an almost mirror finish so I am just going to use the ammo that works.

That Winchester ammo seems out of specs a little and I don't need to use it.

Trooper Joe