K-22 date?

[zgate]

A K-22 just followed me home from a show. The serial number is 11xxx, no letters or other markings. It has S&W finger grove grips and a 6” barrel I would say it is around 98-99% with just a touch of holster wear on the muzzle.

Can anyone tell me when it was made and what it may be worth?

 

[rcmodel]

Don't know what to tell you.

All modern K-22's would have a K serial number prefix, or K in the number itself, starting in 1946 and ending in 1983. After that, they would have a three letter prefix.

The pre-war ones made in 1940 - 41 would have a much higher serial number then yours.

The first Model K-22 Outdoorsman, made from 1931 to 1940, used the same serial number block as the M&P 1905 4th. change. But they started at 632,124 and ended about 682,419.

Are you sure you have listed the serial number off the butt, or are you looking at an assembly number inside the frame cut?

rc

 

[zgate]

You are correct RC, I went by the numbers under the crane like the rest of my S&W revolvers. Good call. Is this a K-22 thing or did they do it on other models too?

The number on the butt is K250xxx. I am guessing that puts it in the late 50’s somewhere?

I took it out and shot it yesterday. It makes one ragged hole at 10 yards and holds around an inch at 25 yards with the cheap ammo I had hanging around. I’m sure the gun could do better but unfortunately I don’t think the shooter can anymore.

Thanks.

 

[Oro]

S&W S/N's appeared on the grip frame bottom, cyl. face and under the barrel flats most of the 20th Century. The original grips had the s/n inside them, too, until the late 70s or so. Sometime in the 50s the barrel and cylinder stampings went away. In the late 60s or 70s, they started showing up on the frame inside the yoke cut. So no, it's not a K-22 thing. The only consistent place to get a S&W revolver S/N from is the bottom of the grip frame.

That numbers puts that gun in the middle of 1955. Should also have diamond-centered wooden grips with the S/N stamped inside the right grip panel, too.

I have been trying to encourage a nice K-22 to follow me home, also. What technique did you use?

 

[zgate]

Where can I get a book with all this information? I was always a 1911 type until last year when I was bitten by the S&W revolver bug (it’s a horrible, account depleting disease) after finding a deal on a 4” 29-1. It was all down hill from there, another 29, 19, 60, 686, K-38, and K-22.

Any recommendations on a good S&W book? I have a feeling this could happen again.

BTW – The best way to get them to follow you home is to use the “green” technique.

 

[Oro]

The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson by Supica and Nahaas. Currently on the 3rd Edition (late 2006 publishing date).

Great book, well written, great color illustrations of all models. Very reasonably priced (but cheaply bound!). Available on Amazon and other gun sites.

A 4" 29-1. Nice. On my "want" list (or a 29 no dash or pre-29 in that length). Nice...