K22 Information?

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mustang_steve

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I have some questions on my K22. From the above, I think It's a 1957 pistol, but I'd like to know more about it if possible.

Here's the details.

It's a 6" K22

pinned frame/barrel (one pin at barrel, one near rear sight)

target hammer

5-screw

adjustable sights

original style cylinder stop

SN is K 297992 (however the K is on one side of the butt and the number is on the other.

original Diamond service grips have the matching SN without the K and in the odd format:
297
99
___2 (underscores to prevent omission of spaces)

There is a V stamped into the right side where the grip scale goes.

on the frame behind the swingarm I see something like this:
ko
8 2352
___2 (underscores to keep the forum software from omitting spaces)

The swing arm has "8 235 2" stamped into it.

Barrel has "SMITH & WESSON" on one side and "22 LONG RIFLE CTG" on the other

It has the four line made in the usa blurb on the right side of the frame, the only place anything patent shows up is underneath the s&w logo, but mentions no patents in particular (something pat off, forgot to log it before putting my target grips back on)

The muzzle end of the barrel has three equidistant radial marks from the bore out to about the apex of the convex barrel end....one mark is at 6:00.
 
I moved your post into a thread of it's own. You will get more information, quicker, that way than you would if you posted your questions in a stickied thread.

Sounds like a nice K22. What would you like to know?
 
Hi Steve - My favorite pistol! Clearly made in 1957 according to the "Catalog." 1957 serial numbers were from K288989 - K317822. These numbers covered models 14, 15, 16. 17, 18, 19, 48, 53, 66, 67 and 68. Your revolver is a "Model 18, K-22 Combat Masterpiece." This is a square butt K frame. The 6" barrell was not among the first produced but came along later. The first barrells were 4". If it's tight on a full lock down and has a barrell that's not worn out you'll have a lot of fun with this. Plus it's cheap to shoot. Of all the SWs I've got I like my K22 and a couple of old wore out model 19s the best. A Merry Christmas to you and yours. - Bob
 
Thanks Bob. I was mostly curious about the year and model, as this is a family heirloom passed on from the grandfather, to my dad and to me. I hope to pass it on to a future son (or daughter, whatever date gives me I suppose :p ).

To me it was "the K22". And yep, the action is about as tight as it can be despite signs of significant use (my grandfather did use it for small game hunting, varmint removal and target practice). I've fired 400 rounds through it and it's definately a tack driver.
 
I have a little trouble with Bob's model designation.
A 6" is a .22 Masterpiece, assigned model no 17 when they got around to it later that year, but known to all and sundry as a K22. The 4" barrel is what makes its counterpart a Combat Masterpiece, Model 18.
 
I agree with Jim, seems like a Combat Masterpiece with the 4" barrel. the front sight The K22 is produced with a post partridge type sight. A Combat Masterpiece had the ramped front sight.
 
Well, part of the problem is that both the 17 and 18 were in production in 1957. That said I sure thought that the 17 was also available with a 4" barrell. That might be when the 18 was dropped from production some years later???? Magnumite is right though about the sights. Unless you don't have the original barrell, highly unlikely, if you have the Partirdge sight it's a model 17 "K22 Masterpiece" and if you have the ramped "quick draw" type front sight it's a model 18, "K22 Combat Materpiece." Damn, y'all have embarrassed me on this. I usually don't mind being wrong but I hate it when it's about something I thought I knew a lot about! In any event I know for sure that mine is a model 17-3 with a 6" barrell and I enjoy shooting it as much as any pistol I've got.

While we're on the subject can you guys tell me what th purpose is for the rear pin under the sight?

Thanks,

Bob
 
Well, I have seen pictures of 4" Model 14s and Model 17s as indicated by the short ramp and post sight; and model markings on the post '57 guns, but they are darned scarce.
Smart money is on a 4" being an 18 and a 6" being a 17.

The pin under the rear sight is the retainer for the frame mounted firing pin, then seen only on .22s and the hammerless Centennials. They all have frame firing pins now, but I think the retaining pin is internal.
 
It has the partridge sight...so I assume it's a 17 then.

So far it seems decent with Federal .22LR bulk, but I have some Winchester that will be used at the next outing to compare results.

I really need to start taking photos of my targets to compare against.
 
Try standard velocity ammunition. It should make all the difference in the world.

gd
 
It has the partridge sight...

Let's be clear what we're talking about. There is no "partridge" sight. The sight in question here was invented by the great E. E. Patridge, and it bears his name.

See this piece by Skeeter Skelton, wherein he says:

"Before the turn of this century, a thoughtful gent named E.E. Patridge devised a type of handgun sight that, fortunately for serious shooters, has become the standard in this country. Miscalled the “Partridge” type by some, this arrangement replaced the older thin-blade-and-U-notch sights of earlier cartridge revolvers and found quick acceptance by the target buffs of the day.

"The Patridge sight is superior to older styles because the sight picture it offers tends to warn immediately of any misalignment. The front blade choose a blade of 1/10” or even less width parallel vertical sides and a flat top. This flat top can easily be lined up with the equally flat upper plane of the rear sight to give perfect elevation control.

"Windage errors are corrected by centering the sides of the front blade in the rectangular rear notch, the walls of which are also parallel to each other and to those of the blade. When the strips of light visible at either side of the blade are of equal size, and the blade’s top is on the same level as the top of the rear shoulders, you have a perfect sight picture, and one that can be duplicated with no guesswork. This duplication leads to hitting the same spot, every time.

"While they have an application in snapshooting at fixed ranges, bead front sights, along with the semicircular rear notches that usually accompany them, lack the versatility of the Patridge. Ordinarily of some eye-catching, colored material such as ivory, gold or red plastic, the convex surface of the bead sometimes fools the eye when sunlight hits it from the side. The light reflecting from the bead gives the side it hits the illusion of more width, and the shooter tries to move this seemingly wider bead into the center of the notch, thus shooting away from the source of the light, and making a wide hit."

http://www.darkcanyon.net/long_range_handgunning.htm
 
Well, now we know the origin of the term. And its correct spelling. I've seen it spelled the incorrect way as we now know.

For several years the type of sight on the K22 has been referred to as a partridge in some circles, now we know it should be Patridge, or post sight. It has been used to describe a type of sight where the front blade's sighting surface is vertical (or very close to it) and perpendicular to the barrel bore for dark highly defined front sight definition. It may also be undercut to ensure that very dark blade definition when the light is striking it from severely low angles from the rear and sides of the blade.
 
Last edited:
Patridge sight vs. ramp sight--what's the difference?

"What is the difference in terms of shooting a gun between a ramped front sight and a Patridge sight. I know what each one looks like. I believe the principle of a Patridge sight is that a little light leaks through on either side of the front post so you can see where the front post is relative to the rear notch. That seems to apply to a ramped front sight as well. So what is the difference or advantage of one over the other?"

See the following thread in THR's archives:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=246178
 
Patridge sight.
Some folks get all kinds of pissy on terminology!

Does your revolver look like this?
standard.gif
 
Some folks get all kinds of pissy on terminology!


Pissy? Not at all. This particular issue isn't a matter of terminology--like "clip" vs. "magazine," for instance. It's a matter of respect.

Everyone here can agree, I think, that there is genuine value in giving well deserved recognition to the man who, over 100 years ago, was responsible for inventing a sight that many thousands of revolver shooters still use and appreciate today.

E. E. Patridge did us all a great service. We owe him our respect and gratitude. Respect and gratitude are delivered by handgun owners who refer to the sight by its correct name--and denied by those who don't give a damn what the sight is called.
 
Bellevance, using that logic, I'd be royally PO'd at everyone that ever misspelled my last name. But I am bigger than that.

Those who learn will use the correct spelling and call it a Patridge sight. Those who don't, well....

My last post on the spelling issue. Back to OP's subject...
 
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