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S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 All 5-Screw & Vintage 4-Screw SWING-OUT Cylinder REVOLVERS, and the 35 Autos and 32 Autos


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Old 02-27-2021, 04:55 PM
Erniesq Erniesq is offline
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Default Identification & Value Help Please

Hello -

I am new to this forum (my membership is not even one hour old as I type this). I have an older friend that owned a sporting goods store in my hometown since the early 1950's (the store was finally forced out of existence a couple of years ago due to the introduction of a Bass Pro shop). My friend accumulated firearms for his personal collection during much of that time, including the one I hope you folks can identify. This is one of at least 40 Smith & Wesson handguns he has sitting in multiple safes, amongst a few hundred handguns in his possession.

I have diligently studied the "To IDENTIFY your Gun" sticky, but am happy to post any other helpful information. In the spirit of the instructions, here is what I know:

1) There is no model number (assembly numbers are present);

2) It is a hand ejector, six-shot, 22 long rifle revolver;

3) The serial number is located on the front grip strap (either "739249" or "39249" (the first character, if it is a character, is not the same font as the remaining numerals);

4) It has a six inch barrel;

5) It has a pre-war adjustable rear sight;

6) It is a "five screw" version;

7) The bottom of the grips are numbered either "996" or "966."

All information and observations are welcome, but I am especially interested in the approximate year of manufacture and value.

Thanks,

Erniesq
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Old 02-27-2021, 05:23 PM
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I *think* this is what is generally referred to as a Bekheart 22.
I'm also pretty sure that first digit that is poorly stamped is the number 1 not the number 7.
Others will be along who are more knowledgeable about these little gems.
Welcome to the forum.
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Old 02-27-2021, 05:48 PM
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The .22 revolvers are outside my comfort zone.

But you should check other locations to confirm the serial: easiest under the barrel, and on the cylinder's back face.

The gun has a re-work star behind the front strap serial. But the first digit or whatever is just two right-angled lines


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Old 02-27-2021, 06:05 PM
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When I looked at that serial number the first thing I noticed was how shallow the stamping is on the bottom half of the number 3. That is due to the compound curve of the frontstrap of the grip frame - a combined concave vertical curve (top to bottom) and a convex curve (left to right) around the front of the grip.

Based on all that and what I know the number 1 looks like for that early font I came to the conclusion that the "2 angled lines" is the top half of the number 1 and the bottom half got even more lightly struck than the bottom half of the adjacent digit (the 3). Looks to me like the bottom half of the number 1 got struck so lightly as to not have been struck at all (due to the non-flat surface it was being stamped onto).

Anyway, that was my thought process for thinking it was a poorly stamped number 1.
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Old 02-27-2021, 06:27 PM
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Thanks for the helpful information so far, please keep it coming.

I put the serial number under higher magnification and the first number does appear to be a poorly struck "1" - also, I did not notice the star after the serial number and now understand that to be a rework mark applied by S&W. I took the grips off and have added a picture of the markings on the lower grip frame.

Thanks,

Erniesq
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Old 02-27-2021, 06:27 PM
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Wow just Wow!!!!!! What a way to come to the Forum. I am not an expert with 22/32 Heavy Frame Hand Ejectors, but believe you have one of the first one-thousand actual Beakeart Models made. There are many more expert than me on this model and will be along soon to verify, but your revolver is in fine condition and shipped in 1911. Welcome!

Oh forgot to add that the serial number is 139,249. The one-thousand original Bekearts were made in serial number range 138,220 to 139, 275
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Old 02-27-2021, 06:36 PM
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Hi Erniesq

To start, welcome to the S&W Forum. You came to the right place to find out about this nice handgun.

To directly answer your question, your friend's revolver is a .22/32 Heavy Frame Target. "Bekeart Model" is a nickname derived from the San Francisco distributor who first urged S&W to produce this model. However, collectors usually only refer to the .22/32 as a "Bekeart" if it is one that actually shipped to Philp Bekeart. The rest of them are just .22/32 HFTs.

Based on the stocks, this one left the factory sometime before 1920. I'll let others try to determine the actual serial number, but it is relatively early. The numbered stocks are also an indication of early production. Only the first 3,000 units had numbered stocks.

The Service Department star probably means there is a date code on the left side of the grip frame, under the stocks. That would tell you when the gun went back to the factory for service.

Anyway, I can see why your friend held onto this one.
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Old 02-27-2021, 06:38 PM
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You posted your new photo while I was writing my previous post. Looks like the SD worked on this gun in December, 1913. Again, it is a very early .22/32 HFT.

P.S. Tell your friend he should get a Historical Foundation letter on this gun. It could be a "true" Bekeart and, hence, a fairly valuable piece.
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Old 02-27-2021, 06:41 PM
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Well, it received factory service work in December 1913 and August 1968 and at least one of those trips involved a standard refinish. My guess would be 8/68. Weren't the Bekeart grips numbered? That would account for the number on the bottom of the grip panel...#956...?
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Old 02-27-2021, 07:05 PM
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What a find!...And you say there are multiple safes with other guns?...This one in particular is begging for a SWHF letter......Ben
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Old 02-27-2021, 07:26 PM
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Spectacular debut!!!
It sounds as though your friend is sitting on a treasure trove.

Welcome aboard.
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Old 02-27-2021, 08:03 PM
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Welcome Erniesq;

Great job on the description and photos.

1. The serial # is indeed 139,249 as others have declared. The 1 and the star were likely lighter strikes than the other #s, but two re-finishes have also helped obscure them.

2. This is an ad from an original period magazine:
'Phil B. Bekeart Co.' April 1912 ad posted in a thread that jives with the later box label referring to it as a 'Heavy Frame'. The Target Revolver is in smaller font. Also notice that it's referred to as the Model 1911 in the adv which it is. It became the '.22/32 Heavy Frame Target' model in 1915 when introduced as a regular production catalog item; a .22 caliber made on the .32 'I' size frame. Due to the history of its inception posted by another member above, it's also known as the Bekeart Model.


Photo Credit bmg60

3. The grip # is shown upside down so it is 966. Brief history of the "Model 1911 .22/.32 Hand Ejector - Bekeart Model" and the Bekeart Gun Shop:

The “Bekeart” was 1st produced in 1911 for Phil Bekeart, owner of the Phil B. Bekeart Co. Gun Shop in San Francisco, (~1870 to not long after 1949) who reportedly convinced S&W to build a .22 on the .32 Hand Ejector I frame. History indicates he ordered 3000 to get them to tool up for it. The 1st batch of 294 shipped were only sold to him, then eventually to other dealers. Finally in 1915 it became such a good seller that it was added as a regular production model with the official name above. Regular production began at #160000 in 1914 and it was named ".22/32 Heavy Frame Target" of 1915.
Those produced after the true Bekeart guns (which were all made prior to 1915), are sometimes referred to by the collector generic moniker, Bekeart Model.

The 1st 3000 guns produced beginning in 1911 had a second # stamped on the butt of the left grip that could be seen without removing the grips from the gun. These #1-3000 grip numbers do not match the gun's serial #. They just indicated the sequence of gun production/shipping: S&W guns are not shipped in serial # sequence.
For example: Grip #1 was the 1st gun made but the gun's serial # was 138235, grip #2, the 2nd gun made with whatever the next serial # used was, etc. The lowest # gun is 138226 / Grip #35.

4. Grips that are original to a S&W gun have a serial number on the back of the right grip only, which matches the gun serial #.


5. There are Four recognized Bekeart classes of collectibility demand and therefore value. Yours could be class 1 or 2 depending on if it shipped to Bekeart (if confirmed in an Historical letter), the most valuable version. Albeit that gun is devalued about 75% due to the factory refinishes. Would have been a lot less value if refinished outside the factory.

BEKEART Model 1911
-----1st class - 294 guns of 1050 (numbered from 138226 through 139275) that went to Bekeart (1st shipments)-------

The 1st six Bekeart shipments were:

June 7, 1911-30 pieces,
June 22- 60 pieces,
June 28- 60 pieces,
June 30- 60 pieces,
August 31- 50 pieces and
October 13- 34 pieces.
Hence 294 guns shipped.

----------2nd class - remainder of 1050 guns not shipped to Bekeart (756 units)----------
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Old 02-27-2021, 08:47 PM
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Very informative, thanks everyone.

Full disclosure - I am 100% out of my element here - I am a 30+ year collector of WWII long rifles (mostly German, Russian, and Japanese) and accessories. That said, and mindful of Jim's comment that this S&W is devalued by 75% based on the refinishes, what is the range of value if it is a category one handgun (a true Bekeart) and what is the range of value if it is a category two handgun?

My friend wants to know so he can fully evaluate if it makes sense to spend $100 on the recommended SWHF letter.
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Old 02-27-2021, 08:52 PM
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Jim, I found Roy's comment in the book was that the original order was for 1,000? Did they all have sequential numbers stamped on the butt?
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Old 02-27-2021, 08:55 PM
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Welcome to the forum! Beautiful revolver! if your friend is online, urge him to join. Then he can ask directly. We don't bite hard. Promise. And when you get a chance maybe you could show us some of your collection. We like other guns besides Smiths and we REALLY like pics!
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Old 02-27-2021, 09:26 PM
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Thanks lihpster -

My friend is very old school and is the furthest thing from technologically savvy - I am still trying to teach him how to recover his voicemail - not much chance of him becoming a member here or anywhere else.

As for my true passion, and so long as I do not jeopardize my membership by posting non-S&W stuff, here's a couple of teaser pictures evidencing where my money goes.

Erniesq
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Old 02-27-2021, 10:03 PM
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Ernie, those are spectacular! I'm sure the guys would love to see more! i know I would! There is a section of the forum for firearms of other makes. Maybe you could start a thread there.
As far as tech challenged, I resemble that remark! Actually I have dealt with my father who doesn't get a universal remote. So I got ya.
By the way, my uncle traded shots with guys that carried those. I wish I had what he carried but what's the point of a semi BAR?
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Old 02-27-2021, 10:16 PM
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This .22/32 HFT was the 966 gun assembled out of the original run of 1,050. As others have stated the first run began at 138226 and ended with 139275. All of the first 1,050 were shipped out but only 294 actually went to Bekeart.

As the story goes, Bekeart suggested this design as the only .22 caliber revolver of the day was the much smaller M frame known to collectors as the "Ladysmith". Supposedly, S&W would only do the retooling needed to build a .22 on the larger I frame which was typically used for their .32 caliber guns if he ordered 1,000 guns. Hence the name .22/32 indicating a .22 built on a .32 frame.

Where the story gets weird is that Bekeart only received 294 of the first run of 1050 with his first of 6 shipments going out on 6/7/1911. Other S&W dealers of the day had shipments starting on 6/16/1911 which leads me to wonder when either he or S&W realized that he could not move all 1050 guns. Or maybe he only offered to take a few hundred and S&W was OK with that.

According to my database, 139249 shipped on 9/7/1911 to MW Robinson in NYC.

So, it is one of the first 1,050 assembled (#966) evidenced by the stamping on the left stock bottom but was not one of the 294 that went to Bekeart.

The interesting thing is that the ad that Hondo posted makes a claim that Bekeart had arranged with S&W to manufacture EXCLUSIVELY "another" 1,000, 22 Target Revolvers (Heavy Frame). The ad further states that they would be ready for delivery about June 1, 1912.

I have guns in the 163,XXX serial range shipping to Bekeart in May of 1912 so they would have been available to consumers by June 1912. The left stock imprint number of these guns falls into the second thousand block of assembly numbers with the lowest number that I have recorded as 1094 and the highest is 2071. These guns fall into the 163XXX, 164XXX and 165XXX serial blocks. This would lead me to believe that the second block of imprint numbers started at 1051 and went to 2100 assuming that S&W produced a second run of 1,050.

I have all of the first 1,050 recorded except a couple that were unreadable in the factory records with shipment dates and destinations. Unfortunately S&W did not record the assembly numbers that were stamped into the left stock bottom so any of those numbers were either sent to me or observed in auctions or reported in the shipping date forum in the S&WCA section of this forum.

I was only able to secure this early information on the first 1050 through the kindness of Dr. Roy Jinks who allowed me to do research at his office in the factory records. Only through his dedication to the preservation of the factory records was this possible. Collectors owe Dr. Jinks a great debt for all of the years that he has put into preserving this information for us.
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Old 02-27-2021, 10:18 PM
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Erniesq, even with the devaluation, I recommend getting the letter because it will return what is invested at sale. Also, I think Jim is being conservative at 75% devaluation...but I'm just a dilettante collector. You might also consider getting the Historical Foundation to do a records search as it might add considerable provenance that boosts the value of the gun. You will first have to get the letter to have them do a search.
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Old 02-27-2021, 10:43 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wiregrassguy View Post
Well, it received factory service work in December 1913 and August 1968 and at least one of those trips involved a standard refinish. My guess would be 8/68. Weren't the Bekeart grips numbered? That would account for the number on the bottom of the grip panel...#956...?
Yes, the grips were numbered up to somewhere in the 2000's IIRC.

Edit. I see Jim beat me to it. FWIW, IMHO, a factory refurbed #1 or #2 Bekaert is still a valuable gun.
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Old 02-27-2021, 10:54 PM
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Sorry if this is information overload, but I did find the serial number on the cylinder and the underside of the barrel, along with another "S" diamond marking (standard blue, I believe).

Anyone care to opine on a value range?

Thanks again all, I definitely came to the right place.

Erniesq
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Old 02-27-2021, 11:03 PM
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Here's what I see from Erniesq's recent pictures. The diamond S is overstamped on a previous diamond. I'm no expert so take this with a grain of salt. I believe the original diamond was for a barrel replacement and the diamond S was for a refinish. My only reservation is was the service department using the diamond as early as 1913? That is really early for these service dept stamps from what I've seen.
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Old 02-28-2021, 05:05 AM
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Photo Credit bmg60

Well, from the ad, it says the gun is worth $20.00.

Just kidding

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Old 02-28-2021, 10:07 AM
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A slight detour from the OP's questions but just a little footnote after pondering some of the information I posted above. Bekeart received 294 of the first 1050 produced. I started doing some math to see if that number might have some mathematical significance. At first I thought that maybe he was required to take 25% of the first run however after running the numbers 294 is exactly 28% of 1050. Had it worked out to 26.2% or 24.7% then I would have said apparently no significance.

The fact that it works out to exactly 28% makes me wonder if that percentage was chosen on purpose. If only we could find the correspondence between S&W and Bekeart, perhaps this mystery would be solved.

Getting back to the OP's concerns, the .22/32 prices are all over the board. As a student of this model and the owner of around 15 examples plus a factory prototype, most of mine were bought between $350 and $750. A refinish definitely drops the value to a collector but better if done at the factory. Original Bekeart shipped guns draw a bigger price and an original box can boost the package price anywhere from $500 to $1,000.

My usual method to establish the market is to look on sites like GunBroker and see what the competition is asking and how long on the market. I have watched .22/32 HFT listings there priced at $1,000 plus sit for years. You can also search the "SOLDS" to see what the guns have actually sold for. This is probably a more accurate meter for what one might receive.

The photo which is also my avatar is from a regional S&WCA show where I displayed my .22/32 HFT collection.
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Old 02-28-2021, 10:41 AM
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Hey, can I add more "Likes" to James Post #18??
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Old 02-28-2021, 11:33 AM
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Thanks Gary but I just love talking/learning about this model. Hopefully others find it interesting. I find investigating the history is quite enjoyable for me.
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Old 02-28-2021, 12:39 PM
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Guys and gals
In reading this post, some of you are tell the OP to get a serial number in numerous places beside the one and only place we need for research. That place is on the butt only! In this case the front strap. Erniesq, great entry. Please post others in the collection. I would think this .22/32 Heavy Frame Target would sell for upwards of $800.00.
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Old 02-28-2021, 01:35 PM
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Welcome to The Forum Ernie!

It’s posts like yours, and responses from the true experts that make this such a special place to visit, and visit often. Enjoy! Hope we will see more of this collection in the near future.
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Old 02-28-2021, 04:32 PM
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Thanks for posting Erniesq. I learned a lot, and these guys know their stuff.

You found the right place to get the accurate info.

Welcome - Stick around awhile !
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