I went to two gun shows this weekend and found several toys. This one is a 22 on a J frame or an I frame, I am not sure which. I am hoping the experts can weigh in and give me some information about it. I think it is a 22/32 Bekeart but not for sure.

The pic of the serial # is not the best, so in case you can't make it out, the # is 501xxx. I also want to thank you guys for any 411 you give.

It has a rear peep sight, and the front sights have "MARBLE" on the left side and "SHEARD 35-A" on the right. No clue as to what that means or even when this was made.

Hi
what you have is a 22/32 heavy target on the I frame by the serial number it is a 1936 to 1937 gun. the front and rear sight have been changed. the rear sight is home made. the front sight has been changed because if you look at the pin that holds it in place it has been removed and replaced. looks like a very nice gun shoot it and enjoy it.
a letter will not tell you any more than what is above.
jim

Why do I never find stuff like this?


AFS

Hello
bmg60 has given you the straight scoop.
I would only add one small detail - the rear sight blade looks to be home made. I think the sight itself appears to be original.

Would you concur, Jim?

JP

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

I cannot add any info but dang, that is one neat revolver! Let us know how she shoots.

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Stay safe people!

Very nice looking gun, I would be interested to hear how the rear sight works for you. Thought you might be interested in seeing a "Sheard 35" in it's original package.

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John. SWCA #1586

hi
I concur the blade has been made by some one, a gun smith or a shooter.
looks like some one copied a blade that was at one time a option on a
Registered mag. Ed McGrivern did some work with peep sighs on a Registered in the 1930,s.

Jim


357 Registered Magnum – Reg # 2966

This revolver was shipped with 8 ¾ inch
Barrel, Blue Finish, King rear Peep
sight and 1/16th King white bead.

Shipped to Albany Hardware & Iron Co.,
Albany, NY. One of only 5 known Peep
Sight guns.

Pretty neat information. I didn't think it was that old but I also thought the rear sights were all original. I believe you are correct about the blade but everything else looks original.

What was the purpose in putting the Marble Sheard front sights on these? Did the gun have to go somewhere special for this or was it a do it yourself type deal?

I haven't made it to the range and won't until this weekend I think, but I will definitely let you know how she shoots. As always, thanks for the 411

Oh the grips are also numbered to the gun, well written in pencil and faded somewhat but still the same as the serial number on the right grip.

Hi
the front sight looks like it was done by some body other that a gun Smith.
because the pin is marked on the end as if some body used a straight punch instead of a cup punch.
the reason for the sight change is that the owner wanted a different sight picture in order to shoot better.
Jim
heres a picture of mine it has had a lot more use than yours but it will still shoot most of them in one small hole.
use standard ammo in your gun no hi speed.

A $50 Factory letter will give you one more potentially important piece of information: To whom the gun was originally shipped.

You might be surprised--I was when I lettered an old S&W!

If it shipped to someone famous or infamous, the value of your revolver could increase significantly.

You never know...

Tim

Oh that's a very nice toy. If the grips are original with matching serial number, the lack of medallions (1920 to c.1929) indicates a possible earlier shipping date than what the number indicates. It has a '30s style ejector rod Knob which started c.1929. So it may be on the cusp of both changes.

Here's a summary from it's introduction period:

The 1st production run in 1910 of 1,044 Bekeart models are in the serial range of # 138227 thru # 139275 (note the range represents 1,048 #'s so apparently some #'s weren't used). The original shipment of 292 to Bekeart was also in that range and is considered the 1st classification of "True" Bekeart Models from a collecting viewpoint.

The 2nd class of Bekearts are the remainder of the guns in that production run and serial range that went to other dealers.

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 sufficient to identify along with a factory letter.

The 4th, last and least desirable class is any Bekeart from later pre-war production runs that 'letter' as being shipped to Bekeart Sporting goods in S.F. 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 production run started at 160,000.

When Smith added this model to regular production it was given the model name of 22/32 Heavy Frame Target since the only other Smith .22 at the time was the tiny M frame Ladysmith.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Thanks Hondo44 that is also a lot of information, and I appreciate it. Still not sure which category mine would fall into, but I am pretty sure it would be the fourth one. I guess a factory letter would tell me for sure -- maybe

Great thread and information for us learning about older guns.

Thanks for the post.

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Memory of Randy Freas-Rimfired

I have a question about one of these I found TODAY on my way home from picking up that model 1905 I asked about earlier. Is in better shape than what the OP posted, but does not have the factory grips. It has these HUGE grips with not finger grooves, but an actual piece of wood that the index finger rests on, I have seen them before but do not know what they are called.

At any rate, what would something like this be worth? It was also a 6". I dont have the serial # because the grips covered it.

I used to think the same thing, but I think I hit gold twice today... would have been 3 times, but someone beat me to a pre-17 that looked MINT for $425. Beat me literally by 20 minutes.

Patience is truly a virtue in this "sport"

The grips looked like this

Look up the Sheard Co. on the web. They were located in Tacoma Wa. I own #164122 with this sight. Really interesting company Great photos of their building and store .Outfitter for Alaska and buyer of furs coming back in the late 1800's and early 1900's Did a lot of smithing and custom work for S&W,Colt, Winchester and Remington as well as sales.

Ischia