I've had in my collection for many years now a Smith&Wesson 22/32 .22 cal large frame target pistol. I think it is an " I " frame and is very old as the color case hardening is worn off in places. Is there a section here or on the net that I may be able to find the serial number listed to when it may have been made?
Thank you.

I've had in my collection for many years now a Smith&Wesson 22/32 .22 cal large frame target pistol. I think it is an " I " frame and is very old as the color case hardening is worn off in places. Is there a section here or on the net that I may be able to find the serial number listed to when it may have been made?
Thank you.

An I frame is a small frame, smaller than a J frame. You may have had a 22 Outdoorsman.

__________________
Dick

There is no publically available serial number list.

Later, Mike Priwer

Rob-- Back when your .22-32 was made, it was considered a "large frame" gun to distinguish it from the Ladysmith series.

Send the serial number to me via my email in my profile and I'll see if I can help you determine its age.

Tim

thank you for the offer BlackAgnes,but I'm unable to find your email address.
You can reach me @ [email protected] or over on Surplusrifle.com, I'm a Mod over there.
Thanks
Rob.

Watch for e-mail,

Bekeart

The correct name for this model is the .22/32 Heavy Frame Target. Thats probably were the close, but not correct, label of "large" frame originated by the poster. If your serial number is under 165,000 pls. post it and I can tell you when it was shipped.

I think you guys are talking about what is called a Bekaert 22/32. Named for Phil Bekaert, a San Francisco hardware store owner. Mine is #164122 6" barrel,unique walnut grips that go down over what would be called a small round butt. The first 3000 also had a number(mine is 1858) stamped on the butt of the grips.This number had nothing to do with the serial #. Very small frame,great shooter with standard velocity only.Non recessed cylinder.

Any Idea when mine may have been shipped?


Ischia

Ischia,
Yes, they are talking about the Bekearts; officially designated by S&W as the 22/32 Heavy Frame Target, later shortened to Heavy Target. Heavy frame sounds strange for such a small gun until one considers that the only other S&W .22 at the time was the tiny Lady Smith 'M' frame!

You really should get yours lettered.
Based on other guns on the forum that have been lettered, here's two close to yours: #163698 shipped to Bekeart in June 1912; grip # unknown. 163803 has grip # 1546; ship date & destination unknown. Yours is in the Collectors 3rd classification of Bekearts.

The 1st production run in 1911 of 1,044 Bekeart models are in the range of # 138227 thru # 139275 with a few gaps in the numbers. The original shipment of 292 to Bekeart was also in that range and are considered the 1st classification of "True" Bekeart Models from a collecting viewpoint.
Many of the other 1,044 guns in that range went to other dealers and are considered the 2nd class of Bekearts.
The 3rd class is the remainder of the Bekearts with grip numbers up to #3000 when grip #s were discontinued, but there is no 'list' of serial numbers for this class; the grip number being sufficent to identify along with a factory letter.
The 4th, last and least desirable class is any Bekeart from later pre-war (WW II) production runs that 'letter' as being shipped to Bekeart Sporting Goods. Again there is no serial number list for this class. There you have it.

Note: Bekeart serial numbers were in the .32 Hand Ejector serial number series, so there are huge gaps in the Bekeart serial #s. For example, the next 1911 production started at #160,000.

__________________
Jim
S&WCA #819

A little information a serial numbers that I have colleted across the years.

Ischia,

163605 / ??
Shipped in May 1912, but did not go to Bekeart.

163662 / 1615
Shipped to Bekeart on June 3, 1912.

163698 / ??
Shipped to Bekeart in June 1912.


.22/32 Heavy Frame Bekeart Model with a serial number between 207926 and 208416. These were part of a large order shipped to M.W.Robinson in 1914. ** I have never seen any reports of any numbers in this range.

The lowest number after the 163xxx - 164xxx run, that I have heard of, is 220074.

2251XX, "Shipped from our factory on September 23, 1915 and
delivered to Abercrombie & Fitch Co., New York City, NY."



Hondo44 / Jim

The lowest number I have heard of for the second production run is #163198 Shipped May 1912.

i will take possession of my bekeart #501212 on aug 15, '11 so i am just starting to find out what this revolver is all about.

Welcome to the forum. A .22/32 HFT with that serial number would have shipped about 1929, or maybe a year or so later if it languished in inventory for a period of time.

Please post photos as soon as you have your new revolver! Feel free to start your own thread in this section.

__________________
David Wilson

I was given this model revolver with a 6 inch bbl in 1958, for my 12 th birthday. I am 65 now. I still have it and its a great handgun. My grandson is going to get it someday.
John Murphy

John, can you post photos? Not all of us have guns that have been in personal possession for over half a century, and it's great to see images of both actual and prospective family heirlooms.

__________________
David Wilson

I have had this pistol a few years and am tryin to ID it...Looks like it may be a 22/32...S/N is 138795 Inside the frame is 791 and on the butt is 395...

p22 pistol.jpg

Welcome to the forum. Your first post is going to make hearts beat faster among a lot of .22/32 fans.

The first .22/32 revolvers were released in 1911 starting with serial numbers in the 138xxx range. The first few thousand of these also came with numbered stocks, though the stock numbers don't correlate or match other numbers on the gun. You have stock set no. 395 -- early-ish.

If the 791 is seen on the frame when you swing the cylinder open, that's just a process control number that means nothing once the serial numbers are applied to the various parts of the gun.

The earliest .22/32 target models are often called Bekeart revolvers because San Francisco businessman Phil Bekeart convinced S&W to issue a .22 target revolver built on the company's .32 caliber frame. Not all of the early Bekeart models were sold in Bekeart's store, but it is always special to find one that was. I think some on this forum have a list of the serial numbers of guns actually sold by Bekeart. They may be able to tell you if yours is one of those.

__________________
David Wilson