Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 4" 22/32 Kit Gun?

Anybody here got one?
Anybody got pics of one next to a model 34?

Don't ever see them at any LGS.
Wondering how many are out there...

I grew up shooting one with a four-digit serial number, the first two digits of which were "0" and "1". No pics, though.


Okie John

Gee, I could be mistaken, but thinking the 22/32 kit was the name of the model that became the 34 when model numbers were introduced.

Of course, very early 22/32's would have a few differences.

Gunzo,

I believe the early 22/32's were on the I-Frame and later were on the J-Frame.

Jerry

Probably this.

The I frame revolver is what I'm asking about.

Seems that I read that not all of the older ones had a hammer block? Would this indicate that an empty chamber be under the hammer when carried?

I like mine, an older model.

DF

John, I have my dad's.. I owned a couple before, but I have had his for about 15 years... Great shooter, very accurate.. Also have a 2" model..

Nice guns.

That 2” looks more like a K frame than a J.

DF

Just checked the 2" model 34-1!!

I reckon looks can be deceiving.

How rare is a 2” M-34?

DF

Farmer, I really don't know... I bought this one in the early 80's used... Skeeter Skelton wrote about one he had in 2" and how handy it was... He was right.. Several times I have sold all my handguns, but this one I always kept... Great forest grouse pistol.. Don't use it like I did but a handy little weapon...

Dirtfarmer: I do not know the exact answer to your question "how rare are the 2" Model 34's".
But I do know they bring a 10% to 20% premium over comparable condition 4" Model 34's.
This is my observation from chasing them for the last several decades.
I have 3 (three) Model 34's with 2" barrels and have owned a couple more that were not up to my collector quality standards and they got resold.
Two of my Model 34's with 2" barrels are blued Model 34-1's and my third is a Model 34 of later vintage and is factory nickel finished in the original factory "nickel" (grayish) box.
I would guesstimate that 1 (one) out of 10 (ten) Model 34's are 2" barrel models.
I would love to hear others "estimates" on the rarity of the 2" Model 34's.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Thanks guys for that info.

How many of yours are flat latch?

Seems I’ve seen 6” J frame .22LR, don’t see them listed in Blue Book. Don’t guess they’d technically be a Kit gun.

DF

Just found the M-35 in Blue Book, 6” J frame. That’s the one I saw. They’re priced higher than the 34’s.

Must be rarer.

DF

Well I'll be dammed, I was wrong, a little bit.

http://www.ogca.com/Legendary%20Kit%20Gun.pdf

Very nice pieces, DirtFarmer and WyoCoyotehunter!

VarmintGuy, I agree with your assessment on the model 34s. I hunt S&W handguns tirelessly, and the kit guns in general, and the model 34s specifically, are like hen's teeth, When you do find them, they're often trashed and not at all up to collector quality. I, too, recently found a nickel model 34 that was not worth the price tag to me.

I've got a couple of the stainless versions of the 34, the 63 with 4 inch barrels... I used to disdain the 2 inch versions as non-sense. And of course I saw the light after all of the collectors decided they wanted one. From looking through gunbroker too much the last couple of years===> the shorty model 63's command a premium over the 4 inch 63's, actually getting (as opposed to asking and not selling) 'almost' twice as much as the 4 inch version.


JohnW,

Sorry we've gone a bit off your topic, happens when you bring up S&W Kit Guns. I had a 22/32 I-frame (pre-model 35, 6 inch barrel) years ago and IIRC it had a hammer block.

Going off of memory, always a dangerous and unreliable thing; The pre-model 35 started with the 'Beakert' not too long after the turn of the century, and I believe 'Beakert' was a dealer in San Francisco who convinced S&W to produce the 6 inch barreled I-frame in 22 LR (by ordering enough of them), hence his name attached to it. With that long of a history some of the 22/32's were very likely made without a hammer block.

Jerry

a short history; https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2018/2/8/a-look-back-at-the-smith-wesson-2232-kit-gun/

I'd say 2" Kits and 34s aren't particularly rare but minty ones are, because they kinda call out to be carried and got a lot of carry wear, including sitting in back pockets and overall bibs in places where "concealed carry" wasn't something most people knew about or cared about if they did.

I've owned about all of the variations of the J-framed .Smith 22s over the years. Bought most of them new and only kept the ones I really loved: blue 35 (yes, they did make a few nickeled ones, although I always wondered why), blue 51, and blue 4" 651 (the only one I carry any more). Had a 43 for a few months but it was so light the Wisconsin winter winds would blow the sights off target--too much of a good thing, worse than an original Ruger Bearcat!

Nifty guns. I shot 'em all, right out of the boxes.

Good stuff here and some great pics.

I have an original model 43 Airweight. Love it and it's not going anywhere. Without me anyway...

Got an itch for the slightly smaller I frame revolver. Think I'd prefer the 4", but I'd be OK with a longer barrel too.

Don't think I want one without the hammer block. How would a guy know the difference without holding it in his hand?

I'm having trouble telling the improved I frame from the early J frame.

Someone who knows, tell me what I need to know.

DF

Ask over at the S&W forum. I believe that they had a coil spring instead of the y or v shaped spring. Model numbers started in 1957. Flat latch was in the 50's.

..thanks so much....

However...
"In May of 1960, the .22/32 Model 51 Rim-fire Magnum Kit Gun was introduced, chambered for the .22 Winchester Rimfire Magnum. The 51 was S&W’s initial entry into .22 magnum Kit Gun production and began with serial number 52,637. These were made only on the J-frame and 4” barrels, produced until 1974."

51s had a 3.5" barrel like the 43....

I've owned most of the models mentioned... The only ones I have left are a 63 with an extra .22 Magnum cylinder and a Model 35 also with an extra Magnum cylinder...unless you also want to count the 317....the UltraLite Kit Gun...

Bob

I believe it said in the article that when the switch to the J-frame was made the serial number changed to a "M" prefix...

Bob

The light was goofy, so the guns look like the blueing is off. Anyway they are a 34-1, and a Police Positive match in 22LR.

My I-frame.



And two J's.

about 15 yrs ago i had a hobson’s choice of sorts between a NOS model 18 and a NOS model 34 with 4” barrel. i went with the model 18, which i still have. the model 34 went with my uncle. fast forward a couple of years and the uncle died of a rare disease, his evil 2nd wife was administrator of the estate and shut the rest of the family out, and ta daa that 34 is gone forever.

now for some reason smith only makes J frame .22s with a 3” barrel.

MIne has a pre-M serial number, but has the coil spring and flat latch.

Number is 98xxx. I'd guess late 50's, early '60's or around there somewhere.

Not sure when they dropped the flat latch.

DF

That S/N puts it in 1956. But even the SCoS&W says J frame dates are approximate.
The thumbpiece was changed in '66.
The M prefix began in '69.

Thanks.

Good info.

DF

An easy way to tell is to look at the curve between the forward trigger guard and the yoke. On the I frame, the curve is a short radius, whereas the J frame has a bit more length (towards front of the gun) to it. May be hard to envision, but once you have an I and a J side by side, it's easy to tell; then you'll never forget!

Thanks.

Does that frame radius difference persist even with those transitional I frames?

DF

I've probably never held an I frame in my hand.

I assumed that there was a noticeable difference in frame size.

Was I mistaken?
Again?

EdM, I really dig the Roper-style stocks on your I-frame!

Never found a Smith with those but I do have an I-J "Supershot Sealed 8" .22 with grips of the same profile. They were justly popular for target shooting back in the '20, '30s and '40s. And people who used a .22 revolver for subsistence hunting liked them too--good for hitting a grouse or ptarmigan head.

Thanks. The grips are properly penciled and factory numbered to the gun. The piece is runs with my M41 in the accuracy department.

Thanks for posting. That's neat.

DF

Differentiating I from J frame:

I Frame - 5 screw frame, short cylinder (1.25- 1.26), strain screw on frame

Improved I Fame - 4 or 3 screw frame, short cylinder, no strain screw

J Frame - 5, 4 or 3 screw frame, longer cylinder (1.525), no strain screw

The new design hammer block was instituted in post war production at S/N 536685.

Thanks for that info.

What's a "strain screw"?

DF

If you can find a 631 S&W. = 32 H&R mag / 32 Long... in stainless 4” they are really nice.

I love mine.

OK, looked it up. Strain screw is the adjustment screw for leaf hammer spring Smiths.

Coil spring guns don’t need one.

DF

Me too!

I really like my J-frame S&W’s. I bought a 4” model 34 10-12 years ago for $300 at a local gun shop. My wife likes that one.😊 4-5 years ago 8 bought a 5” stainless model 63 off of G/broker that has a REALLY nice trigger. This afternoon I just picked up a 6” model 35 from my local dealer that I bought on G/broker a few days ago.

The 5” 63 and the 6” 35 were a bit more than the standard 4” 34. 😀

That is a really nice old gun!!!

Thanks, I like it and it'a a keeper.

I have the original grips, bought these magnum type S&W grips many years ago. I like the way they feel more than the std. factory grips.

Thanks to Savuti, I now know it's '56 vintage.

DF

EdM

Pics of your I-frame are the cause of this thread. YOU SUCK!!!

And you are probably gonna cost me some hard-earned...

My chiro guy knows all about them...

Wanted a 4" when I bought my 63, but settled for a 3". Just about a perfect packing pistol for me. Only downside is it's not legal for hunting, so if I want to be able to pot a rabbit or squirrel while woodsing it, I need something else. Someday I'll get a 3" M60 to match.

Have a 63, the ss version. Tends to gall. Stick with carbon steel blue.

Always happy to help.

Huh? When they first came out with stainless semi-autos, there were some issues of galling at the sliding interface of the slide/frame. But they soon figured it out and mitigated the problem by proper material selection (while still using stainless steels.) I haven't heard about the issue in a long time.

I never heard of any galling issues with stainless revolvers. What tends to gall on your M63?

I've got two Model 63's. I put a lot of rounds through them===> No galling here.

I like these "Kit" guns... look up and read whatever I can on them, this is the first mention of galling that I have read.

Jerry

I traded off a perfectly good 6" M17 to get the 4" M34-1 and I've never regretted the switch. That K frame was just too heavy for a .22 LR. I had that 34 for a few years when they came out with the stainless M63, but the ones that I tried were never as smooth as the 34 that I had. Liking the looks and durability of a stainless I did the next best thing and had my 34 Armaloy plated which I think is some kind of a nickel plating. I've got a pretty good size mitt on me, so I ordered a full size checkered thumb rest Herrett set for it and also tried a larger rubber set, but the Herretts are back on it again. I really like the looks of the S&W set that Dirtfarmer put up and I'll check with S&W to see if I can get a set of those.

I like the Hogue wood grips.....

Beautiful grips, and pic. I had a 34 long ago, nice light kit gun, took on many fishing trips and was great for cottonmouths. Later sold it to get a 17-5 4" which had all target grips, Hammer, Trigger, Patridge sight. Great shooter, not bad on weight, regret selling that one more.

got a 34, too. round butt in Hogue woods....

This one is a "No Dash" Model 63 that I picked up around the time my first daughter was born.





Nice little gun for packing, but I have found that for accuracy work I shoot the K Framed .22s quite a bit better. However for it's intended purpose, of a "kit gun", it is a neat little piece.

Those grips factory, Mackay?

Here's a few of my Kits, all use the same holster!

From top to bottom:
Model 60-4 3" .38
Model 43, 3.5" .22
Model 51 nickel, 3.5" .22mag
Model 63 stainless, 4" .22
Model 34 4" .22
Model 631 stainless 4" .32 mag

I use the bianchi holster for mine, too...

desertoakie,

What grips on that model 43?

holy cow. jealous

If I recall correctly, they're Herrett Shooting Stars.

And Your favorite is?

Jerry

Also thought this crowd might find this Kit Gun Synopsis interesting;

http://www.ogca.com/Legendary%20Kit%20Gun.pdf

Check this out.

Early 2" gun, 5 screw. Pretty pricey.

https://www.collectorsfirearms.com/smith-wesson-22-32-kit-gun-22-lr-pr45758/

DF

I've had various 34's and 63's over the years. I finally have settled on a Ruger SP101 22 LR 4". All the positives plus it's an 8 shooter.