S&W "Pinto?"
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Hondo44
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Yes! You have a wonderful little .22/32 Heavy Frame Target just barely pre WW II by about 200 #s. The earliest version looked like this when new:
A .22 LR made on the .32 S&W Long frame, hence the name 'heavy frame' which sounds incongruous from it's size. Because the barrel and cylinder are nickel, and this model was not produced in a pinto version, or nickel (at least in any quantity to speak of if special ordered), it raises some questions of originality as in were the barrel and cyl replaced at some time? or just refinished?
Therefore please check under the barrel and on the rear face of the cyl to confirm the serial #s match the # on the foregrip strap behind the trigger guard. Is there a star on the forestrap or a date on the frame under the left grip panel? These are evidence that the gun went back to the factory for rework.
If the barrel # doesn't match, it's been replaced and may have even been a 4" barrel in which case it was a .22/32 Kit Gun.
A little history of your gun, first produced in 1911:
Phil Bekeart, a San Francisco gun dealer, is credited with the concept of a larger (than the existing 7 shot .22 Long ‘M’ frame) .22 target revolver built on the I frame. He agreed to order a large quantity of the new model if S&W would make it. The early models are known as "Bekearts", highly sought after and are categorized in the four levels of collectability.
On April 25, 1911 an order for the 1st production run of 1,050 Bekeart models began in the serial range of # 138226 thru # 139275, completed on July 10, 1911. Only 1,044 revolvers were actually completed/shipped and their grips were #’d 1 - 1044.
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.
A .22 LR made on the .32 S&W Long frame, hence the name 'heavy frame' which sounds incongruous from it's size. Because the barrel and cylinder are nickel, and this model was not produced in a pinto version, or nickel (at least in any quantity to speak of if special ordered), it raises some questions of originality as in were the barrel and cyl replaced at some time? or just refinished?
Therefore please check under the barrel and on the rear face of the cyl to confirm the serial #s match the # on the foregrip strap behind the trigger guard. Is there a star on the forestrap or a date on the frame under the left grip panel? These are evidence that the gun went back to the factory for rework.
If the barrel # doesn't match, it's been replaced and may have even been a 4" barrel in which case it was a .22/32 Kit Gun.
A little history of your gun, first produced in 1911:
Phil Bekeart, a San Francisco gun dealer, is credited with the concept of a larger (than the existing 7 shot .22 Long ‘M’ frame) .22 target revolver built on the I frame. He agreed to order a large quantity of the new model if S&W would make it. The early models are known as "Bekearts", highly sought after and are categorized in the four levels of collectability.
On April 25, 1911 an order for the 1st production run of 1,050 Bekeart models began in the serial range of # 138226 thru # 139275, completed on July 10, 1911. Only 1,044 revolvers were actually completed/shipped and their grips were #’d 1 - 1044.
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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dacoontz
Member
H,
If that's a true Pinto then it would be an early gun with that finish and very interesting. Look at the nickel parts and the frame to see if there is an N stamped on any of them. Some factory Pintos will have an N stamped on the barrel flat and on the frame under the grips (usually on the left side of frame). If you're not sure post some pics of the areas I described. Thanks for sharing, and could be a really cool find.
And how does the barrel pin look? Hard to tell from the pics, but might be an indicator if the barrel isn't completely original.
If that's a true Pinto then it would be an early gun with that finish and very interesting. Look at the nickel parts and the frame to see if there is an N stamped on any of them. Some factory Pintos will have an N stamped on the barrel flat and on the frame under the grips (usually on the left side of frame). If you're not sure post some pics of the areas I described. Thanks for sharing, and could be a really cool find.
And how does the barrel pin look? Hard to tell from the pics, but might be an indicator if the barrel isn't completely original.
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Good Morning!!! After additional investigation we have found the following; under the barrel on the front part of the flat is a very,very small B. Initially I thought it was a machining mark but younger eyes prevailed. On the left side of the grip frame at the grip pin is a small Q4. On the right side of the grip frame close to the grip pin is the letter B which is slightly larger then the B under the barrel. Thanks for additional info. Howard
bmg60
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Hi
No need for a letter the B indicate the gun was shipped as a blue gun>
Enjoy the gun they are great shooters. I use standard 22 long rifles in mine.
they don't like the high speed ones.
Jim
No need for a letter the B indicate the gun was shipped as a blue gun>
Enjoy the gun they are great shooters. I use standard 22 long rifles in mine.
they don't like the high speed ones.
Jim
Are the trigger and hammer nickeled? I can't quite tell in the photos. If they are, that is a further clear indicator of a refinish at some point in the gun's history. The somewhat soft logo on the sideplate also indicates a secondary polish prior to a refinish.
The matching serial numbers show that the gun is not made of mismatched parts, but I will observe on the Kit Gun question raised above that there are no known Kit Guns in the 5344xx range. The lowest numbered KG in the 534xxx range lies above 534500.
That gun probably shipped in 1940/41. I am guessing that an owner probably gave it a pinto refinish in the 1950s or 1960s.
The matching serial numbers show that the gun is not made of mismatched parts, but I will observe on the Kit Gun question raised above that there are no known Kit Guns in the 5344xx range. The lowest numbered KG in the 534xxx range lies above 534500.
That gun probably shipped in 1940/41. I am guessing that an owner probably gave it a pinto refinish in the 1950s or 1960s.
Q4 is not a standard stamp. I expect it is just a fitter's mark.
Good that the H and T are still case colored, because that means the guys who refinished the gun observed factory protocol for refinishing different parts.
Good that the H and T are still case colored, because that means the guys who refinished the gun observed factory protocol for refinishing different parts.
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pinto?
So,if not a KG,then what model would that make it?
(
So,if not a KG,then what model would that make it?
(
Hondo44
Member
H,
Post #2. Worth $400-$500.
Post #2. Worth $400-$500.
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Just to lay out the basic data on the prewar .22/32 revolvers: The .22/32 Heavy Frame Target (sometimes called the Bekeart model) had a six inch barrel and was produced from 1911 until 1940.
The .22/32 Kit Gun was a subset of the HFT with a four inch barrel and the option of round butt stocks. It was produced from 1936-1940.
About 20,000 HFTs were manufactured, and about 1300 prewar KGs. That's why KGs are so rarely seen and so much more expensive.
Some older HFTs were sent back to the factory for conversion to Kit Gun configuration -- their barrels were replaced (and sometimes the cylinders, though that was not usually a necessary replacement). You can often distinguish these by their serial numbers, which will lie below 529450. At this time (late 1930s and 1940s, mostly leaving out the war years) the factory was numbering replacement parts to the frame, so you should expect to see a correct frame number in the 300000 range stamped also on barrel and cylinder if those parts were replaced. Look also for a factory date stamp on the left side of the grip frame. I would guess that only a few dozen such conversions were ever done.
The .22/32 Kit Gun was a subset of the HFT with a four inch barrel and the option of round butt stocks. It was produced from 1936-1940.
About 20,000 HFTs were manufactured, and about 1300 prewar KGs. That's why KGs are so rarely seen and so much more expensive.
Some older HFTs were sent back to the factory for conversion to Kit Gun configuration -- their barrels were replaced (and sometimes the cylinders, though that was not usually a necessary replacement). You can often distinguish these by their serial numbers, which will lie below 529450. At this time (late 1930s and 1940s, mostly leaving out the war years) the factory was numbering replacement parts to the frame, so you should expect to see a correct frame number in the 300000 range stamped also on barrel and cylinder if those parts were replaced. Look also for a factory date stamp on the left side of the grip frame. I would guess that only a few dozen such conversions were ever done.
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