I posted this information in another thread and was asked to re-post it in its own thread so it would not be lost. I collect this model and have studied it for the past 10-15 years. I own quite a few including a factory prototype acquired from Roy Jinks, hence my avatar. I maintain a database of over 2000 entries and am always willing to share whatever I can and look forward to hearing about your gun and adding it to the collective knowledge. Here goes:
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I have been away from the forum for a while but found this thread and thought that I would add what I could since the .22/32 became my area of interest.
The 22/32, is thought to be the brainchild of San Francisco gun dealer and S&W west cost distributor, Phillip Bekeart, first shipped in June of 1911. Supposedly, Bekeart approached S&W and asked if they could build a 22 caliber revolver on the larger I frame currently being used for the S&W .32 caliber line. The only .22 of that time was the much smaller M frame revolver known by collectors as the Ladysmith. Not to be confused with the more modern .38 caliber Lady Smith. Supposedly S&W told Bekeart that they would not consider doing the tooling required to build such an arm without a substantial order of at least 1,000 guns. According to the story, Bekeart said to proceed and he would take the first 1,000 produced. This is where the story goes off a bit. Of the first run of 1,050 guns built, we now know that Bekeart only received 294 with the rest going to other S&W dealers. Bekeart's first shipment went out on 6/7/1911 however, other dealers got shipments as early as 6/16/1911. So this begs the question as to when did either Bekeart or S&W learn that he would or could not take all 1050 and that they would ship them throughout their dealer network?????
Also the guns did not ship in serial number order and although the first run was 138226 through 139275, 138226 actually shipped to Von Lengerke and Detmold, NYC with 138227 going to Bekeart. These guns have a small S&W logo on the left side of the frame.
To clarify the sights. Most of the first run do have the Paine front sight and the U notch rear however, S&W was always willing to accommodate a customer so you could still get one with a Patridge front sight and a square notch rear. I own 138289 with stock imprint number 289 that has the Patridge front sight and square notch rear and is a Bekeart shipped gun.
Stock imprint numbers. The first 3,000 guns assembled had a number impressed into the left stock bottom. These numbers have no correlation to the serial numbers or frame assembly numbers and indicate the order in which the gun was assembled. In my database #1 was 138235 and my highest recorded in the first run is #1018 found on 138952. Both shipped to Bekeart.
The next number to appear in my database is 161141 shipped 5/18/1912 and that block runs to 165954 (in my database) shipped in 9/1912. These guns appear to have stock imprint numbers in a range of 1098 to 2071 which should represent the second run of 1050 guns produced.
The next block of guns is the order for M.W. Robinson who ordered 460 guns. Unlike the guns shipped to Bekeart, these guns are all in numerical order although not shipped in order. This group starts at 207926 and runs through 208415. Robinson received 5 shipments that went out on January 31, February 18, 21, 27, and March 19, 1914. The stock imprint numbers that I have for these start at 2117 on gun 207998 ship date not known to 2582 on gun 208260 shipped 3/19. I believe that this group is part of the third and last run to receive the stock imprint numbers. 2582 is the highest number recorded in my database and I have never seen a .22/32 in the balance of my database with an imprint number. These guns now have a medium sized S&W logo on the right side of the frame.
The next gun to appear in my database is 220150 with no shipping date however, 220166 shipped 7/9/1914.
The first NO LOGO gun is one that I own, 270836 and shipped 5/1/1919 with regulation police style stocks with no medallions. The last gun I have recorded in this block is 297356 that shipped in 11/1919.
The next block starts with 341601 shipped 2/12/1921 and wears 2 screw extension stocks with no medallions. The S&W logo is now small and on the left side of the frame. There are still many guns in this range wearing the regulation police style stocks without medallions.
In the 380XXX and 390XXX range I begin to see a lot of the 2 screw stocks coming back without medallions. The order came down in May of 1922 from H.Wesson to begin stamping guns with the made in USA stamp. 384120 is the first to appear in my database with the Made in USA stamping shipped on 10/4/1923. The order came down from H. Wesson on 8/29/1923 to switch back to the 2 screw extension stocks and the Patridge front sight as standard features.
The first gun to appear with the new medium style extractor rod knob end, (which I refer to as the MERK) is 482053 and although I don't have a date, others around it shipped in early 1928.
Around 517299 shipped 6/23/1930 I see the first silver medallion stocks.
Recessed chambers supposedly begins around 525600 in April of 1935 however the first one to show up in my database is 529180 shipped 7/5/1935.
The 4" Kit guns were introduced in 1937 at about 525670 although I don't record one until 527711 shipped 4/1938.
531078 shipped 6/14/1938 now has a large S&W logo on the right side of the frame.
The first small extractor rod knob is seen on gun 534642 shipped 4/2/1952.
For clarification I use LERK, MERK and SERK to identify the extractor rod knobs. The LERK or large size looks like a button. The MERK or medium size is just slightly larger than the rod itself. The SERK or small size is the same size as the rod and the knurling or checking is cut into the rod itself.
The information above has been taken from my own database of over 2,000 entries. Some came directly from the S&W files viewed through the kindness of Roy Jink's at his former home office. Some comes from scouring online auctions and catalogs, member contributions and the rest comes from the S&WCA ship date forum.
The serial numbers blocks used are not necessarily the complete run from S&W and are only based on numbers that I have been able to record. Where I say lowest number with "silver medallions" only refers to MY database and is only there to give some reference point. You may discover guns numbered higher or lower with these features.
In the words of our founder, I hope this helps.
***************************************************
I have been away from the forum for a while but found this thread and thought that I would add what I could since the .22/32 became my area of interest.
The 22/32, is thought to be the brainchild of San Francisco gun dealer and S&W west cost distributor, Phillip Bekeart, first shipped in June of 1911. Supposedly, Bekeart approached S&W and asked if they could build a 22 caliber revolver on the larger I frame currently being used for the S&W .32 caliber line. The only .22 of that time was the much smaller M frame revolver known by collectors as the Ladysmith. Not to be confused with the more modern .38 caliber Lady Smith. Supposedly S&W told Bekeart that they would not consider doing the tooling required to build such an arm without a substantial order of at least 1,000 guns. According to the story, Bekeart said to proceed and he would take the first 1,000 produced. This is where the story goes off a bit. Of the first run of 1,050 guns built, we now know that Bekeart only received 294 with the rest going to other S&W dealers. Bekeart's first shipment went out on 6/7/1911 however, other dealers got shipments as early as 6/16/1911. So this begs the question as to when did either Bekeart or S&W learn that he would or could not take all 1050 and that they would ship them throughout their dealer network?????
Also the guns did not ship in serial number order and although the first run was 138226 through 139275, 138226 actually shipped to Von Lengerke and Detmold, NYC with 138227 going to Bekeart. These guns have a small S&W logo on the left side of the frame.
To clarify the sights. Most of the first run do have the Paine front sight and the U notch rear however, S&W was always willing to accommodate a customer so you could still get one with a Patridge front sight and a square notch rear. I own 138289 with stock imprint number 289 that has the Patridge front sight and square notch rear and is a Bekeart shipped gun.
Stock imprint numbers. The first 3,000 guns assembled had a number impressed into the left stock bottom. These numbers have no correlation to the serial numbers or frame assembly numbers and indicate the order in which the gun was assembled. In my database #1 was 138235 and my highest recorded in the first run is #1018 found on 138952. Both shipped to Bekeart.
The next number to appear in my database is 161141 shipped 5/18/1912 and that block runs to 165954 (in my database) shipped in 9/1912. These guns appear to have stock imprint numbers in a range of 1098 to 2071 which should represent the second run of 1050 guns produced.
The next block of guns is the order for M.W. Robinson who ordered 460 guns. Unlike the guns shipped to Bekeart, these guns are all in numerical order although not shipped in order. This group starts at 207926 and runs through 208415. Robinson received 5 shipments that went out on January 31, February 18, 21, 27, and March 19, 1914. The stock imprint numbers that I have for these start at 2117 on gun 207998 ship date not known to 2582 on gun 208260 shipped 3/19. I believe that this group is part of the third and last run to receive the stock imprint numbers. 2582 is the highest number recorded in my database and I have never seen a .22/32 in the balance of my database with an imprint number. These guns now have a medium sized S&W logo on the right side of the frame.
The next gun to appear in my database is 220150 with no shipping date however, 220166 shipped 7/9/1914.
The first NO LOGO gun is one that I own, 270836 and shipped 5/1/1919 with regulation police style stocks with no medallions. The last gun I have recorded in this block is 297356 that shipped in 11/1919.
The next block starts with 341601 shipped 2/12/1921 and wears 2 screw extension stocks with no medallions. The S&W logo is now small and on the left side of the frame. There are still many guns in this range wearing the regulation police style stocks without medallions.
In the 380XXX and 390XXX range I begin to see a lot of the 2 screw stocks coming back without medallions. The order came down in May of 1922 from H.Wesson to begin stamping guns with the made in USA stamp. 384120 is the first to appear in my database with the Made in USA stamping shipped on 10/4/1923. The order came down from H. Wesson on 8/29/1923 to switch back to the 2 screw extension stocks and the Patridge front sight as standard features.
The first gun to appear with the new medium style extractor rod knob end, (which I refer to as the MERK) is 482053 and although I don't have a date, others around it shipped in early 1928.
Around 517299 shipped 6/23/1930 I see the first silver medallion stocks.
Recessed chambers supposedly begins around 525600 in April of 1935 however the first one to show up in my database is 529180 shipped 7/5/1935.
The 4" Kit guns were introduced in 1937 at about 525670 although I don't record one until 527711 shipped 4/1938.
531078 shipped 6/14/1938 now has a large S&W logo on the right side of the frame.
The first small extractor rod knob is seen on gun 534642 shipped 4/2/1952.
For clarification I use LERK, MERK and SERK to identify the extractor rod knobs. The LERK or large size looks like a button. The MERK or medium size is just slightly larger than the rod itself. The SERK or small size is the same size as the rod and the knurling or checking is cut into the rod itself.
The information above has been taken from my own database of over 2,000 entries. Some came directly from the S&W files viewed through the kindness of Roy Jink's at his former home office. Some comes from scouring online auctions and catalogs, member contributions and the rest comes from the S&WCA ship date forum.
The serial numbers blocks used are not necessarily the complete run from S&W and are only based on numbers that I have been able to record. Where I say lowest number with "silver medallions" only refers to MY database and is only there to give some reference point. You may discover guns numbered higher or lower with these features.
In the words of our founder, I hope this helps.
...Ben
