My photos aren't the best, but can anyone help identify, date & value this .22? Best I can figure out is it might be a "kit gun" or some variation.....

It has five screws and the finish is almost like new.

It has what looks like an aftermarket front sight and replacement stocks.

It has a 4" slightly tapered barrel, ?pre-war adjustable rear sight and a (?) "rebated" backstrap.....

....and needs cleaning....


Thanks for any help or info....
DB

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That’s a round butt gun. The grips convert it to square butt.

I’m not sure about the details of the gun but it has been reblued.

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My sgntr is mor thn 30 chrctrs

I think it is a 22/32 that has been modified .It has the long action hammer,old style rear sight Serial # on front of grip Does it match the numbers under ejector rod & back of cylinder.And the ejector rod looks to be from a later gun(small end)
someone did a nice job I would be glad to own it

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age is just a number

That is a real beauty, and I am not so sure it has been reblued. You have a post war transitional 22/32 Kit gun just as you thought. The grips are from a gun made much later. The red post front sight may be original,you would have to get a letter to be sure about that. The model was made from 1946 to 1952 so yours would be in the middle somewhere.I like it and you do not see this model often in as nice condition as yours More people will be along with even more information I am sure

Appears to be a pre-war HFT (.22/32) that went back to S&W in the 70’s and was rebuilt/refinished. It’s out of my league, but very cool.

The 4 line address isn’t correct for a pre-war gun and and the flat stud screams refinish.

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"I also cook."

You have a .22/32 Heavy Frame Target (pre WW II) that was worked on by the factory. It has a rebated grip frame, meant for extended target grips. I believe the red plastic has been replaced.

I was incorrect. This is a post WW II transition kit gun built on a pre WW II frame. See threads below.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

"Does it (serial number) match the numbers under ejector rod & back of cylinder." Yes, all three match...

Thx,
DB

It looks like a Regulation Police target to me. I don't know much about these guns except they are valuable. Someone will be along shortly that knows about them.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA #2629

For a period of time guns sent back to the factory for rebluing and repairs and such were stamped with the four line address.

I believe Roy was the person that actually got that stopped.
It's a shame they did that, but, they did.
Thanx Roy for intervening.

bdGreen

I like it.
Where did you pick it up ?

I'm with the refinished crowd on it.
The grip frame is like a Regulation police.

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Paul
S&WCA #2726

I missed the flattened studs so it most likely has been refinished and may be a reworked 22/32 hft as opposed to a post war gun. Yours needs a close inspection to figure out all that has been done.

Nice shooter 22/32 HFT as others have said it has been reblued outside the factory as the sideplate seam is a dead giveaway along with the flattering of the hammer stud should be a wonderful shooter

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Randy

Private sale from a nice guy in Springfield....

DB

Can't be a pre-war HFT as it has the RP rebated frame and post-war serial number stamped on the fore strap. I believe this may be one of the 196 RP target's built in 1957 from pre-war parts. The serial number is a little low compared to the one printed in the SCSW, 4th but there is not a list of applicable SN's that I know of. Again, someone familiar with these guns should be along soon to weigh in.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA #2629

Sorry for my newness, what "studs" have been flattened by the re-blueing process?

Thx,
DB

See the round circle under the cylinder latch? That is the end of the hammer stud. It is threaded in from inside of the frame.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Folks are referring to the hammer stud which is the round indentation under the cylinder release. And, the rebound slide stud which is located just to the left of the top of a set of service grips on the left side of the frame. The problem is, this gun was manufactured in 1957, if my guess is accurate, and these studs are polished flat on post-war guns. Your hammer stud can't be completely polished flat because it is not pressed into the frame like post-war guns. It is screwed in and has a domed appearance. The rebound slide stud is also screwed in but can easily be polished flat before bluing. The barrel pin appears to be proud of the frame and not polished flat. That is how it should be. So, I think your gun is fine. The R stamped on the side of the frame probably means the guns were assembled in the service department and does not connote a factory refinish. That's my take on it. YMMV.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA #2629

Guys, thank you all for all this information, I'll try to get a factory letter on this one as soon as I can.
Did I do good for $150 ?

DB

The 22/32 Heavy Frame Targets built just after WW I had the rebated backstraps into the early 20s. This gun's number is way too high for that period, so we are looking at something else. That something else is definitely NOT a Regulation Police Target because it is obviously a 22 rimfire.
The real small frame experts will be along to give you the good data, but I suspect that you have a Post-War (WW II) Transitional Kit Gun built in the late 40s/Very early 50s. Some of the Pre-War Kit Guns had the rebated frame, so a leftover rebated frame is within the possibilities. If it IS a late enough Transition gun, the 4 line address could be original.


The gun is definitely a reblue, and almost certainly by the Factory. The front sight was replaced when they reblued it. The "R" is probably for the Repair (Service) Dept.


Can you show us the bottom of the barrel where the number is, and the cylinder under the extractor, please?

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

That's a handsome little gomer.

Did you do okay?

Go directly to the local sheriffs office and turn yourself in for theft.

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

Did anyone notice the recess for the cartridge rims ? I may have been way off base with my 1st post

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age is just a number

2 more photos...
Also forgot to ask what model are the stocks?
I'm away from my books at the moment...
DB

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Those Target grips are from the late 60s or 70s.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

The Bible sez recessed cylinders were first produced in 1935.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Duh! Tunnel vision is a terrible thing.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA #2629

That thing needs a serious cleaning. Nice old .22, and yes you did very well on the price.

Neat gun!
Would love to have it.
You done better than Good.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

$150 ??

Want to double your money?

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Only a cold warrior

Going by the book and your serial number I'd be inclined to say this.

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Paul
S&WCA #2726

Except, the OP's revolver has the pre war rear sight.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Weatherby nailed it, as did daddio202 higher in the thread. The postwar transitional .22/32 Kit Guns are even less often seen (and therefore more in demand among KG collectors) than the scarce prewar model.

The rebated frame should not surprise. Even before the war, the Kit Gun could be had in round and square butt configurations, with the square butt represented by either the small square butt stocks (i.e., Regulation Police, which necessitated a rebated frame) or large square butt stocks (the two-screw target stocks that were standard for the 6" .22/32 HFTs during most of the years before WWII).

Postwar I-frame production didn't really get rolling until nearly five years after the war's end. I estimate that this revolver shipped in 1951 or 1952, which are shipment years for many other .22 and .32 I-frames with serial numbers between the prewar high numbers (below 535000) and the lowest numbers on the 1953 model I-frames (somewhat over 600,000).

EDOTED TO ADD: Gil, the prewar adjustable rear sight is expected on the postwar transitional KGs. There are pics in this thread:

Transitional Kit Gun - With Box and SAT

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David Wilson