.22/.32 HF target barrel swap

I

ischia

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It is a late "Bekeart" but sadly the rear sight tang was broken in the past. ( factory tang originally milled into the top strap.)Very good gunsmith repair with second front screw added to the now short end of same because where the original factory second screw in the tang would have been was broken off. Great shooter but now not much collector value. An original "I" frame target rear sight tang is a REALLY hard part to find. I have tried for several years ,no luck. I have a N.O.S vintage correct 4" Barrel for the swap. Would then be a Bekeart "kit gun".
thanks,
Ischia
Any thoughts
 
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S&W .22/.32 HF target

Most probably much later about 1940's or later. For sure an "I " frame . When would the "I" frame '4" Kit Gun have been manufactured? Found on E Bay some years ago at $ 35.00 a GREAT deal. As new condition,I've never seen another.
Ischia
 
We've seen HFTs that were sent back to the factory after 1935 to have the 4" barrel installed. Also seen HFTs retrofitted with cylinders that have recessed chamber mouths after about 1931 when that feature was introduced.

You'll like your 4" and find out why the Kit Gun became so popular. If your HFT has the large acorn shaped extractor rod knob (pre 1930 production), you probably noticed that the notch under the 4" barrel is too small. It's made for the smaller barrel shaped knob.

So you have two choices; find an extractor rod with the barrel knob or enlarge the 4" barrel notch to match your 6" barrel notch shape.

Note: a 4" barrel from early post war WWII or post 1953 (with barrel rib and ramp front sight) won't have a notch in the barrel because it was made for the straight rod with knurled tip instead of a knob.
 
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I will have to dig it out but certain it's pre 1930. Brass/gold S&W medallians on original worn grips I'm sure of. Orginal barrel shows signs of wear. The 4" barrel is N.O.S and pristine. I will keep the original barrel with the piece for sure. 4" barrel has no rib so might be any easy swap Could be an early barrel as well, if I have gotten lucky.
Thanks,
Ischia
 
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Ischia,

The grip medallions are gold plated brass which date your gun to pre 1920, if original. With your gun's serial number we can closely date when it was shipped.

Are the grips 2 screw target grips? You can confirm their originality to the gun by looking for the penciled serial number on the backside of the right side grip. It'll probably be hard to read: it's at the top of the grip in a vertical position. Use good light, sunlight is the best. Magnification helps too.
 
S&W .22/.32 HF target

Yes, 2 screw. Worn but serviceable, I'll pull them and check again in sunlight as I remember having a casual quick look when I bought it several years ago now. I'm up to speed on these H/F targets as I bought my first in 1972 for $35.00. #164xxx with the # on butt 1858. Passed on another at a GS with very poor barrel many years later. Same vintage as well. Such is hindsight. Great little shooters! Didn't often come often come up at GS's before GB.and the internet. Still would like to find that "I"frame rear sight tang.
Thanks,
Ischia
 
As a collector of these I can tell you that finding a correct unbroken rear sight is tough. I have seen several guns over the years suffering from some sort of rear sight difficulty.

My guess is that when using the rear screw to elevate the sight one had to loosen the front screw slightly to prevent the tang from cracking/breaking.

I have even seen them glued back together for resale purposes.
 
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ischia said:
The 4" barrel is N.O.S and pristine. I will keep the original barrel with the piece for sure. 4" barrel has no rib so might be any easy swap Could be an early barrel as well, if I have gotten lucky.
Thanks,
Ischia
Click to expand...

Which front sight does your 4" barrel have, the Patridge with the silver dot or the Pocket sight (1/2 round with the notch at the top)?
 
22/32 HF barrel

Just the forging as part of the barrel. With a slot with pin where the sight blade would go. #on underside flat 220382 just ahead of threads for mounting to the frame. Pat. dates on on top of barrel: Dec.17.01,Feb.6.06, Sept.14.09 SMITH &WESSON,SPRINGFIELD,MASS,U.S.A.(all caps) above.
Ischia
 
FWIW, guns in the 220,XXX range appear to have shipped in late 1914 or early 1915. They also appear mostly with the 2 screw extension stocks with gold medallions and although I see some Patridge front sights most are Paine.

I also show one flier that shipped in 1929 again proving that serial numbers and dates are not an exact science.
 
ischia said:
Just the forging as part of the barrel. With a slot with pin where the sight blade would go. #on underside flat 220382 just ahead of threads for mounting to the frame. Pat. dates on on top of barrel: Dec.17.01,Feb.6.06, Sept.14.09 SMITH &WESSON,SPRINGFIELD,MASS,U.S.A.(all caps) above.
Ischia
Click to expand...

Wow, that's way out of the serial number range for a 4" barrel. They weren't made until the low 5XX,XXX SERIAL number range.
 
Could you post a few photos of the barrel including the flat part with the serial number?

As others have stated, the kit guns with 4" barrels did not appear until the late 30's in the 527,XXX range when the .22/32 HFT's were losing market share after the introduction of the K22"s around 1935.
 
22/32 hf TARGET

iT'S THE BARREL ONLY. i MAY HAVE A VERY RARE BARREL. LOOKS FACTORY AND NOT BUBBED AT ALL. ROLL STAMPS ARE IN THE CORRECT PLACE AS WELL AND NOT A REBLUE AS WELL. iSCHIA
 
S&W .22/.32 HF target

Need help in how to post photos. Any tips on where to look in this site?
Ischia
 
S&W .22/.32 HF target

Thanks for your attempt to help. Garbled sound. WAY too complicated. Checking out as I've lost interest.
Thanks just the same,
Ischia
 
Sounds like the problem is on your end... Can't help with that.


Try this. Click on Go Advanced. When the full editor opens, click on the paperclip icon and upload the pictures as attachments. That's about as simple as I can make it.
 
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S&W .22/.32 HF target

Thanks again for your help. Nuclear Power Pro. WOW! Nowhere near your abilities on a computer. I struggle all the time especially when one learns one way then " We have a much better way for you" (mostly about seperating one from their money) comes along. Always trying to re-invent the light switch,I guess. It did take far too long to think wheels on suitcases MIGHT be a good idea?
Thanks again,
Ischia Home website
 
S&W .22/.32 HF target

Many thanks for your patience. I have had perhaps lifelong artistic talents but not so much in the computer arena. If one does not use 'THE BEAST" regularly one does not have the same facility as one who does. Even more so when the "arena" is continually morphing and changing. I'll P.M. a member who was kind enough to offer his e-mail. I would really like to help all forum members with what seems to be now a bit of a mystery?
Grazie,
Ischia A.K.A. Stefano when with family in Lacco Ameno on the island of Ischia, Italia.
A dolce fa niente (the sweetness of doing nothing) Just relax and enjoy just being. Old Neapolitan saying.
 
S&W .22/.32 HF target

Many thanks for your patience.
 
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Here are the photos that I received. Unfortunately I can not read the barrel serial number on my monitor so have requested a better lit close up.
 

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I read it as 236382.




attachment.php



Windows 11 has a magnifier feature. Hit WinKey and + to open. You can invert the colors by hitting CTRL-ALT-I
 

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Well the notch in the barrel is definitely for the barrel shaped extractor rod knob from the 1930s. But that serial number is way too low for that vintage.

That way out of range serial number could very well be the reason the barrel wasn't used: if the beginning 2 was a 5 it would be exactly a right number for the vintage of the barrel.
 
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