Howdy
They were called kit guns, or more properly 22/32 Kit Guns, because they were small enough to fit into a fisherman's tackle box, or kit. 22/32 because they were 22 rimfire revolvers built on the I frame (later the J frame) which started out as a six shot 32 caliber revolver. I picked up this Model 63 a bunch of years ago. It left the factory around 1980-1981. I was lucky enough to get the box and all the goodies, including the pamphlet about the ammo that S&W used to sell.
While we're on the subject of I frames................
The very first I frame was also the very first revolver S&W made with a solid frame and a swing out cylinder in 1896. I picked up this 32 Hand Ejector 1st Model Double Action Revolver (Model of 1896) a bunch of years ago from a local shop. It left the factory in 1898, it is a little bit unusual with its 6" barrel. The finish is quite worn, but it functions just fine. The 32 S&W Long cartridge was introduced with this model.
The action of this model is quite unusual. There is no thumbpiece to push forward to open the cylinder. To open the cylinder you grab the knurled end of the ejector rod and pull it forward.
But the really unusual part of the design was the way the cylinder locked up. It harkended all the way back to the old Tip Up design of the 1850s. Notice the rounded nubs on the top of the hammers.
The bolt was actually above the cylinder, mounted in the top strap.
The bolt rotated around a pin in the top strap.
There was a split spring under the bolt that normally kept it in the down position, engaged in the cylinder locking slots. When the hammer was cocked, the rounded nub would rotate the bolt up, disengaging it from the cylinder, allowing the cylinder to rotate. The front of the rounded nub was wedge shaped, so that when the hammer fell, it wedged the split spring open. This allowed the spring to keep the bolt pulled down, keeping the cylinder locked in battery. When the hammer was cocked for the next shot, the cycle repeated. This was exactly the way the old Tip Ups from the 1850s worked. Notice the rear sight is positioned directly about the pivot pin, so that when the bolt rocked up the sight picture had minimal movement. The bolt only popped up about 1/8" or so at the most, so there was almost no noticeable motion to the rear sight. Not that it really mattered, the hammer spur blocked the sights when it the hammer was down, you could only sight the gun when the hammer was cocked. I'm not sure why S&W reverted to this old system with the first 32 Hand Ejector, but I suspect it might be because Colt put out their first revolver with a swing out cylinder in 1889. Perhaps S&W reverted to the old system because they had not fully developed the modern Hand Ejector design, and wanted to get something out to the market place. Just a theory of mine. In 1899 S&W put out the first 38 Military and Police revolver with the normal operating system for the cylinder and the bolt, and by 1903 the 32 Hand Ejector followed suit.
This nickel plated Model of 1896 left the factory in 1899. They all had engraved cylinders, with the S&W name, address, and patent dates engraved between the flutes. Notice the very squared off appearance of the frame near the hammer. This was the only model to have that squared off appearance.
The 38 Regulation Police, at the top of this photo, and the 32 Regulation Police at the bottom were interesting I frames. Both of these little revolvers shipped in 1924. You can tell by the positions of the cylinder flutes that the 38 was only a five shooter, while the 32 was a six shooter. As marked on the barrel, the 38 Regulation Police was chambered for the 38 S&W cartridge, not the 38 Special. The original I frame cylinders were not long enough for the 38 Special cartridge.
These little revolvers had an interesting way the grips were mounted. The grip frame was very small. The wooden grips were slightly larger and were inletted for the metal grip to fit inside.
S&W actually obtained a patent on this type of grip design.
Because the bottom of the grip was covered with wood, the serial numbers of the Regulation Police revolvers were marked on the front of the grip frame.
No discussion about S&W I frames would be complete without mentioning the first 22/32 Hand Ejector, the Bekeart models. Other than the tiny M frame Ladysmiths, S&W was not making a 22 Rimfire target revolver with a swing out cylinder. Perhaps they thought there was no market. Phillip Bekeart was a San Francisco gun dealer, and in 1911 he persuaded S&W to make a small run of 292 22 caliber target revolvers on the I frame. This Bekeart is not a true Bekeart to some collectors because it shipped in 1940.
The Bekeart grips were longer than the Regulation Police grips, but they too were inletted for the small I frame grip frame. Notice these grips required two screws, and yes they are different lengths, and yes it messes up things if you try to put the wrong screw in the right hole.
Because the Bekeart models were much larger than the tiny M frame Ladysmiths, they were called the 22/32 Heavy Frame Target model. This photo shows how much larger the I frame revolvers were than the tiny Ladysmiths, but how much smaller they were than a K frame K-22. The 22/32 Heavy Frame Target revolvers were the only solid frame side swinging target revolvers S&W made until the K-22 appeared in 1931.
One more photo to compare the size and shape of an I frame 22/32 Heavy Duty Target revolver with a modern J frame 22/32 Kit Gun. This Heavy Duty has conventional grips. It shipped in 1923. Notice how much shorter I frame cylinder is and notice how the J frame trigger guard is more elongated. I frames had traditional curved leaf main springs while J frames have coil main springs. The longer cylinder of a modern J frame makes them able to fit 38 Special cartridges, but 38 Special J frames are still only five shooters.
A J frame 38 Special Flat Latch Model 36 (Chiefs Special) from 1961. A five shooter.
