From the Vault: Smith & Wesson 22/32 Kit Gun

Brownells Gun Tech™ Keith Ford hasn't found the bottom of his gun safe yet: today he shows us his Smith & Wesson 22/32 Kit Gun. The origins of this handy little .22 LR revolver go back to 1911, when S&W introduced a rimfire target revolver built on their .32 caliber I-frame, called the 22/32 Heavy-Frame Target model. In 1934, Smith brought out the shorter barreled 22/32 Kit Gun, so named because its was compact enough to put in your fishing kit, trapping it, or any "kit" you wanted to equip with a handy .22 revolver. During the Great Depression, hunting and fishing were more than just sports. They were the means of putting food on a lot of families' tables, so a small, inexpensive yet reliable revolver like the 22/32 was a necessary tool. Keith's gun was manufactured in 1941, just before production of civilian firearms halted for the duration of World War II. He walks us through the identifying features of a pre-war 22/32 Kit Gun. (Hints: check the sight rib, the end of the extractor rod, the hammer pin, and the lettering on top of the barrel.) In 1957, Smith & Wesson redesignated the 22/32 as the Model 34, and in 1960 it was moved to the slightly larger J-frame. Later, a stainless steel version, the Model 63, came out, and today you can still buy a new 8-shot Model 317 Kit Gun, with an aluminum frame and cylinder, in a variety of barrel lengths.