Reising .22 Target Pistol “It’s a Bear” | 1922 Hartford-Made, Tip-Up Barrel, 12+1-Round .22 LR
Manufactured in 1922 at Reising’s Hartford facility, this scarce “It’s a Bear” .22 Target Pistol is one of roughly 5,000–5,500 produced. Eugene G. Reising’s design pairs a tip-up carbon-steel barrel with an unusually generous 12-round magazine—an innovative capacity for rimfire handguns of the era. Collectors prize these early Hartford-address guns for their low production numbers, distinctive bear-head grip panels, and direct lineage to Reising’s later military firearms.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good condition, showing some signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Condition: Good - Clean, well-maintained, minor wear marks.
Bore Rifling: Good Rifling - Intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: Minor scratching, scuffing, and small blemishes are visible on the blued steel surfaces.
What’s Included
- Factory 12-round Reising .22 LR magazine
The tip-up 6.75-inch barrel pivots on a latch at the muzzle, letting the shooter load a single round directly into the chamber or inspect the bore without disassembling the pistol. This feature, combined with the single-action blowback system, makes maintenance straightforward and keeps lockup tight.
Reising equipped the pistol with a screw-set banded front blade and a dovetailed U-notch rear sight—both iron sights that remain drift-adjustable for precision target work. Rear vertical cocking serrations on the blued slide offer secure purchase.
Safety features include a half-cock notch on the spur hammer and a magazine disconnect that prevents firing without the magazine inserted. These additions were advanced for the 1920s and reflect Reising’s engineering foresight.
The brown hard-rubber grips showcase the bear-head motif flanked by the slogans “REISING” and “IT’S A BEAR,” giving the pistol its nickname. Combined with its limited production and Hartford origin, these grips make the piece instantly recognizable to collectors.