New to me .22/.32 Target

JPriest · May 29, 2013

Hi guys,

As mentioned in my other thread I have been eyeing this beauty at my LGS for a while and bought it last week. Just picked it up yesterday and would welcome any comments on it.

There is significant wearing of the bluing around the barrel, but the frame looks pretty good to me. Barrel is 6", front sight is partridge (I think), stocks are diamond checkered walnut with the small chrome logo. All serial numbers match (underside of barrel, cylinder, front strap and stamped inside the stocks).

Barrel is pinned, but cylinder is not recessed, which is why I think it is early to mid-30s (cataloge says they recessed them from 1935 or so onwards).

Stocks have one or two small dents, but no cracks and show remarkably little wear or smoothing.

It shoots dead on with no issues in single action, but I had light hammer strikes about half the time in double action, so I tightened the screw at the bottom of the front strap and hopefully that will fix that.

I'm thinking this was made in the early to mid 30s and I am pretty sure I will send away for the letter on this on in the next week or so.

I'd love to hear what everyone has to say about this gun, good or bad.

Thanks.

JPriest · May 29, 2013

a few more photos

Here are a few more photos.

H Richard · May 29, 2013

For $375 did you wear a mask? That was a steal. Easily worth pushing $600.

rct269 · May 29, 2013

Well, I've been sitting and staring----trying to come up with something bad to say about it-----with not much luck.

The front sight is, in fact, a partridge---except it's really a Patridge (the name of the fellow who developed it). A partridge is a little bird---pretty good eating too.

The screw at the bottom of the front strap (strain screw) is supposed to be tight, so you're right on the money there.

I can't put up any good argument against your guess on the birthday. I have one (444707) that left home March 8, 1927. But then again, I have another one (with a bigger hole in it--449510) that left about a month earlier------and went to South America of all places!

I finally thought of something (sort of) bad to say! It sure enough doesn't look like it just came out of the box, but I'm about ten years newer than your gun; and I don't either!

They're neat little guns! Enjoy it!

Ralph Tremaine

JPriest · May 29, 2013

H Richard said:
For $375 did you wear a mask? That was a steal. Easily worth pushing $600.

It sat under the glass with an asking price of $425 on it for at least 3-4 months. I had sold a Glock on consignment with the shop before and they asked me for an asking price and a low price I would be willing to take so I figured it would be the same with this gun. I asked the manager if the seller would take $375, he checked the paperwork and that was the low number so it was a done deal. I'm pretty happy with it. I guess maybe a lot of people just don't know the value of older guns, or they are more interested in newer shinier or plastic guns.

gunlovingirl · May 29, 2013

$375??? I'm amazed it sat there for 3-4 months at $425! You get the deal of the day award!

Hondo44 · May 29, 2013

Yep, maybe the deal of the week!

That's a sweetheart, and a steal for sure. Enough wear to be able to shoot and enjoy yet still looks pretty darn nice.

Definitely made after 1929 with the flat silver medallions and newer "barrel" style ER knob and before 1935 as you pointed out.

DCWilson · May 29, 2013

Deal. Lots of guys would have paid nearly twice what you did to get that gun.

I'm thinking 1930 for earliest possible ship date, but I-frames were slow movers in the 1930s and another Heavy Frame Target is known with a nearby serial number that didn't ship until 1936.

The prewar .22/32s in any barrel length are finely crafted machines, but I have found them hard to shoot accurately. Still, competitions were won with these guns when the people holding them shot tight groups at 50 yards. So clearly extreme accuracy is possible.

Great score. Congratulations. Please post range reports when you have a chance.

JPriest · May 29, 2013

Here's how I did with it the first time out

This is my target sheet from the first time out (yesterday) with the .22/.32 target.

Distance was 7 yards. I fired 50 rounds at this target.
If you don't count the flier to the top (I think that was the first shot) they all went into a 3 inch group.

I fired from standing, unsupported, and about 50/50 single/double action and 50/50 two handed/single handed.
Also, all were fired with no adjustments to the sights, just fired them off as they were left by the previous owner.

As mentioned above that included the problem with the FTFs from the light firing pin strikes and rough double action pull. I think tightening the front stap screw should improve that next time out.

Green Frog · May 29, 2013

You should be a very happy camper!

I'm not 100% sure of the rate of exchange USD to CD, but unless it's a lot higher than I think you did quite well on a very desirable shooter. Mine is altered (replaced barrel and e-rod) and has the smaller, Regulation Police type stocks, and I wouldn't even talk to someone trying to buy it for that! Welcome to the club... I just hope you are able to get 22 ammo more easily there than we can here.

Froggie

JPriest · May 29, 2013

Green Frog said:
You should be a very happy camper! I'm not 100% sure of the rate of exchange USD to CD, but unless it's a lot higher than I think you did quite well on a very desirable shooter. Mine is altered (replaced barrel and e-rod) and has the smaller, Regulation Police type stocks, and I wouldn't even talk to someone trying to buy it for that! Welcome to the club... I just hope you are able to get 22 ammo more easily there than we can here.

Froggie

Canadian dollar is just about even with the U.S. dollar lately. $375CDN. .22lr is still plentiful. I bought a Remington 597 .22lr rifle about a year and a half ago and got 4 500 round bricks at about $25 a piece at the same time and I still have most of it left so I should be set for a while.

TANZER · May 29, 2013

22/32

SN 4967XX shipped in March of 1929.

glowe · May 29, 2013

I have to say something that will gets lots of disagreement, but I think your revolver has been refinished. An excellent job, but I think I can see a little polishing waviness on the left side frame and the stampings do not have those sharp raised edges that are seen on original finish guns. It could be the photos, but I am still thinking th "R" word.

I would, however have happily paid the $425 just to have it in my collection. I think you did just fine and have a great little revolver.

Hondo44 · May 29, 2013

Gary,

Yes I see the 'waves' and the logo is very weak. On the other hand, the front edge of the ER knob is bright and the sideplate seam and other edges are sharp. Just no tellin' for sure from photos but your right, doesn't matter, still a great buy!

JSR III · May 30, 2013

Very nice looking "Beakeart" style .22/32 HFT. I don't believe that it is refinished. Screws look sharp and clean and the sideplate fits like it should. Cylinders were recessed at around 525,600 so yours predates that modification. It is possible to find earlier examples with the recessed cylinder however I feel that this is a later modification. (I know this because I own one). There was also a period in mid pre production when the smaller regulation police style stocks were standard issue. They later went back to the two screw extended target style however you could still order it either way.

I have four in my collection including one of the early ones shipped to Bekeart. They are great little guns and the going price is probably double what the LGS was asking. You did just fine.

JPriest · May 30, 2013

Thanks everyone for the replies. I am interested in the rebluing issue, not that is means a whole lot to me either way.
I shot some video, but for some reason my camera won't really focus too close so I don't know if it is any better than the photos or not.

.22/.32 Finish. Reblued? - YouTube

Also, I had given it a coat of renwax before taking the photos.
For some of the points mentioned above, the serial numbers under the barrel and on the cylinder are not real easy to read. They are small, but I don't know if this would be from rebluing or not. As for the S&W logo, in person it looks more crisp than I could get it to in any of the photos or the video. I tried to compare it to the logo on my 28-2 and 629, but of course they are much larger and even a little different in design, so it wasn't much help. The Made in USA looks really sharp in person.

Hondo44 · May 30, 2013

That helped a lot. I didn't think it was re-blued and I still don't. The logo showed much stronger in the video. The stocks are in such good condition that gun couldn't have needed a refinish. Hammer and trigger still have very nice color case hardening that looks original, plus the other indicators I mentioned above.

The small #s under the barrel and other places are so small, they are always hard to read. The right stock will have the serial # of the gun stamped on the backside proving they are original to the gun.

JPriest · May 30, 2013

Thanks. The stocks do have the serial number of the gun stamped inside.

mod34 · May 30, 2013

Gun porn at its finest! Drool, drool, pant, pant..........!
A clear "10" on the famous (infamous) mod34 Drool-o-meter

New to me .22/.32 Target

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