Interesting .22/32 Kit Gun

Orry

Orry

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Here is a matter for the collective genius of the forum. This .22/.32 Pre-World War II Variation, serial number 5310xx was shipped from the factory on June 14, 1938 to Shapleigh Hardware Company, St. Louis. It was shipped with a 4 inch barrel equipped with U.S.R.A. sights, blue finish and checkered walnut round butt silver medallion grips per factory letter. There is a small trademark on the left side.

Here is the intriguing part and the reason for this post – the right side bears a large trademark. The side plate is imprinted with the same assembly number found on the yoke and frame. The wear and fit is consistent with a plate one would think to be original to the frame.

Has anyone seen or come across this anomaly before?

_22-32%20SampW-6173_zpsari6t75r.jpg


_22-32%20SampW-6168_zpscls7gbxr.jpg
 
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That one's a beauty; congratulations.

In late December 1936 the order went out to move the company trademark from the left side of the frame to the sideplate and make it larger. I have seen guns with large logos on the sideplate that shipped in January 1937, so there was no time wasted in implementing the order from the corner office. It's not beyond imagining that a 1936 frame should eventually be paired with a 1937 sideplate, thus producing a gun marked on both sides.

Double-trademark revolvers like yours are not often seen, but they exist. I have prewar Kit Gun 531108 (shipped Nov 1938, so like yours it seems to have spent some time in inventory). Here are a couple of photos.

f518ffd6-0554-42dc-a866-030ff20ed4bb_zpsc031e0ca.jpg


f2abb73d-bd79-4e33-a637-092ed3102ea3_zps2a9bb163.jpg


The stocks you see here are 1920s Regulation Police stocks and thus incorrect for this revolver. The frame is not rebated, so it is amazing that the stocks can even be mounted on it. They haven't been shaved to get around the "step" problem. I'll put some correct round butt silver medallion wood on the gun eventually.

This KG also has a Call gold bead front sight. It's not one of the usual front sight varieties on Kit Guns, but this one shows that the company would build these in any way the customer wanted.
 
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Beautiful gun and very interesting thread. I've never seen a double logo'd S&W before and if I came across one for sale, I'd would have been hesitant to buy it thinking that something was amiss. Until now, of course ;)

Thank you for sharing.
 
I have a couple Kit Guns and love them. I would be delighted to find a nice prewar example, regardless of the location of the monogram. Two very nice revolvers pictured here!!!
 
This is a great thread and bit of information. The cool stuff and knowledge here never end. We are all so lucky that S&W has maintained so many records for so very long. I think it is one of the most absolute important things ever experienced...

Think of all the history of aircraft and a million other machines and things that have been destroyed and lost forever. That's sad...

Thank you for sharing the story and the pictures!
 
S&W SS Revolvers said:
This is a great thread and bit of information. The cool stuff and knowledge here never end. We are all so lucky that S&W has maintained so many records for so very long. I think it is one of the most absolute important things ever experienced...

Think of all the history of aircraft and a million other machines and things that have been destroyed and lost forever. That's sad...

Thank you for sharing the story and the pictures!
Click to expand...

The thanks goes to Roy Jinks, not the factory. Roy saved the records that were destined for the landfill.
 
I have an early 1937 vintage K-22 Outdoorsman. It too has the small logo on the left side of the frame and a large logo on the side plate. It would be interesting to know, in all frame sizes, how many had this anomaly.
 
Awesome kit gun. I saw an old S&W .22 in a pawn shop and wasn't sure what I was looking at. It was an I-frame or J-frame .22 with flat latch, 4" barrel and fixed sights. I thought the kit guns all had adjustable sights.
 
My 1903 HE does not have a trademark on the side plate...my model 63 early model does not have a trade mark on the side plate, My new Air weight model 637-2 has one on both sides.
 
22/32 kit gun?

My 22/32 kit gun has a # 2100. What aprox date was that built?
My father use to hunt small game with it. Also used it in match shooting in Rome, NY, in the early to mid 50's.
 
The .22/32 Kit Guns do all have target sights. The Model of 1953 with the flat latch had to be produced between 1953 and Oct 1960 on the 'New" I frame, and 1961 to 1966 on the J frame. Must have been a .32 Long late version with a ramp front sight and barrel rib, a flat latch, and have a fixed rear sight, which were built on the same frame size; and at a glance I've been 'fooled" as well.

To a be .22 with fixed sights, the only other gun it could possibly be is a K frame Model 45. However, obviously a bigger gun and none were made with flat latches in .22

Therefore, almost with certainty, with a 4" barrel and flat latch it was a late Improved I frame or Model of 1953 Regulation Police with a square butt. Both shown below.


.32 Post war Hand Ejector/Regulation Police:

LEFT SIDE:
.32 HE pre-war I frame Model 1903 (2nd Model)-5th Change, 3 ¼" barrel, produced Oct. 16, 1913, top left;
.32 Regulation Police Transitional I Frame w/Rd sight, 3 ¼", 6 screw, rebated sq butt, c. 1949, next;
.32 HE 'early' Improved I Frame w/Rd sight, 2", 5 screw, rd butt, c. late 1951, bottom.

RIGHT SIDE:
.32 HE late Improved I w/ramp sight & barrel rib, 3", 5 screw, rd butt, flat latch, shipped c. 1953, top right;
.32 R.P. Model of 1953 New I frame, 3", 3 & 4 screw, sq butt, flat latch,c. 1954, next;
.32 R.P. Target Transitional I, 4", 6 screw, rebated sq butt, 1957, next;
.32 R.P. J frame Model 31-1, 3", 3 screw, sq butt, 1980, bottom.

orig.jpg
 
My 22/32 kit gun has a # 2100. What aprox date was that built?
My father use to hunt small game with it. Also used it in match shooting in Rome, NY, in the early to mid 50's.
Click to expand...

Where did you get the 2100 number from? If it is from the butt of the gun it is an early pre 34 most likely made the first year.

If the number is from the yoke, then it is the assembly number and will only tell you if the frame, yoke and sideplate are original if all three parts have matching numbers.
 
Hondo44 said:
The .22/32 Kit Guns do all have target sights. The Model of 1953 with the flat latch had to be produced between 1953 and Oct 1960 on the 'New" I frame, and 1961 to 1966 on the J frame. Must have been a .32 Long late version with a ramp front sight and barrel rib, a flat latch, and have a fixed rear sight, which were built on the same frame size; and at a glance I've been 'fooled" as well.

To a be .22 with fixed sights, the only other gun it could possibly be is a K frame Model 45. However, obviously a bigger gun and none were made with flat latches in .22

Therefore, almost with certainty, with a 4" barrel and flat latch it was a late Improved I frame or Model of 1953 Regulation Police with a square butt. Both shown below.


.32 Post war Hand Ejector/Regulation Police:

LEFT SIDE:
.32 HE pre-war I frame Model 1903 (2nd Model)-5th Change, 3 ¼" barrel, produced Oct. 16, 1913, top left;
.32 Regulation Police Transitional I Frame w/Rd sight, 3 ¼", 6 screw, rebated sq butt, c. 1949, next;
.32 HE 'early' Improved I Frame w/Rd sight, 2", 5 screw, rd butt, c. late 1951, bottom.

RIGHT SIDE:
.32 HE late Improved I w/ramp sight & barrel rib, 3", 5 screw, rd butt, flat latch, shipped c. 1953, top right;
.32 R.P. Model of 1953 New I frame, 3", 3 & 4 screw, sq butt, flat latch,c. 1954, next;
.32 R.P. Target Transitional I, 4", 6 screw, rebated sq butt, 1957, next;
.32 R.P. J frame Model 31-1, 3", 3 screw, sq butt, 1980, bottom.

orig.jpg
Click to expand...

Thank you for the examples. The one I saw looked most like the 2 on the upper right. I could not tell if it was a SB or RB because it had rubber Pachs on it. I'm pretty sure it had a 4" barrel though. I could only see part of the gun and part of the tag, but I believe it was marked 35-1 .22 long. It may have said "rifle" on the next line; I couldn't see. Or it could be a mis-marked .32 long, as I had no view of the charge holes or the muzzle to confirm if it was a .22. This may warrant a return visit to my local emporium. Thanks again for the pics and backing info.
 
blacksharkL82 said:
My 22/32 kit gun has a # 2100. What aprox date was that built?
My father use to hunt small game with it. Also used it in match shooting in Rome, NY, in the early to mid 50's.
Click to expand...

Although introduced in 1953, I don't know of any produced or shipped in 1953. For example # 00145 wasn't shipped until Mar 1954. S&W was still shipping the previous Kit Gun version, the Post War Transitional model thru 1953. Earliest shipping of the Model 1953 was sporadic, and as usual out of sequence. If 2100 is from the butt, it likely shipped in the 3rd quarter of 1954. And it would be a 4 screw version including one screw under the top of the right stock (grip).
 
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I learn something new every time log on to this site! Thanks for sharing the pics of your revolver. I never knew about the transition of the small S&W emblem to the large one.
 
The mystery flat latch was a .32 Long. I went back and inspected it. It's a lice little package but not close to my interests. Thanks for the info Hondo44.
 
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