S&W K-22

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ugaarguy

ugaarguy

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Yes, I bought one. Earlier in the week I had been thinking that I should next get a 45 LC or 44 Mag. Then my senses got a hold of me and told me that I needed a handgun in 22 LR. I went to the gun shop and a K-22, S/N K *46xxx followed me home. I ran 150 rounds thru it in the dusk and it pretty well killed the side of an empty beer box with an 8" shoot'n'see slapped on it. I really like this revolver :D So here are a few pics;

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Thank you for the compliment Gordon. I guess this is my birthday present to myself; I'll 24 in a couple weeks. I think I'm one the few guys my age who appreciates the old S&Ws. Most of my peers question why anyone would spend over $400 on a 22 handgun and feeding it with $20 or so per brick semi-match grade ammo confuses them further. However, I must give credit where its due - Old Fuff, Xavier Breath, and many others here have educated me on the great old S&W wheelguns.
 
ugaarguy,
You got a beauty there! I'll wager that it will never go down in price either!
Your's is a 4 screw, meaning it was produced after 1955. It also sports transitional magnas, that, if original to the gun further indicate a date of around 1955-56.

However, your serial number is odd. I'm betting it has a serial of K46XXXX (an extra digit). That would make it a 1962 revolver, which is odd, because the trigger guard (4th) screw was deleted in 1961. I guess that just goes to show you can't trust the linear progression of S&W serial numbers! Double check that serial!

Beautiful gun, you got a deal, i don't care what you paid1 you're lucky I wasn't there first! ;)
 
Xavier,

It doesn't look it in the pics but she is indeed a five screw model. One of the NCOs in the shop, whom I called to make sure $425 was a good price and not just me getting excited, looked at it tonight. We noted that my SN is approx 11k lower than his K 57xxx which he was told was made in 1946. My SN is indeed K *(actually a five pointed star)46xxx - 5 digits not counting the star.
I need to get this posted over on the S&W forum as well and see what they say. Hopefully now that you know its a five screw the SN makes more sense. Phil, the NCO above, also noted that the star in the SN was unusual. :scrutiny:

Edit to add: I carefully pulled the grips and the serial number is stamped into right hand grip. Serial number on the grip lacks the star but otherwise matches.
 
Not all wheelgun lovers are old fogeys ;)

Great purchase, sounds like something I'd do, heh... for my 22nd birthday last year I got myself a 1958 Smith Model 15. Best gun I've ever shot, the single action trigger breaks like glass and you can juuuuust baaarely see it move while it breaks. DA is great too, even and crisp, and the gun just points so well. What can I say, now instead of branching out maybe my budding gun collection (I have a 10/22 also) will be wheelgun-heavy.

Anyway, enjoy the pistol, wish I had the funds to get a .22 S&W... I can see it now, nice 6" barrel, Kolibri caps in the backyard, mmm oh yeah...
 
You have yourself a very nice 5 screw K22, I am green with envy. I have been looking for a mate for my K38 for some time.
 
I stand corrected! Looking now, I can see that 5th screw. I should know better than to try to analyze on the computer with a case of sinusitus.

The K*46XXX serial places it as a 1948 gun according to SCS&W. The star usually indicates factory work at some point. It could have been a tune-up or a refinish or both. It's hard to tell without a close inspection, but from the photos, I do not believe your revolver has been refinished. It is just too darned consistent. The grips and the finish just look right. If I had to make a wager, I would guess it was a timing issue or something like that. This is certainly a revolver that merits a Jinks letter. If you get the letter, mention the star, and Roy may be able to look up the rework as well.

At $425 you got a very good deal. It is not unusual to see such a revolver sell for $500+ in the first hour of a gunshow in Louisiana, and S&W prices are low here! I would have been out the door with that gun before you could say scat had I seen it first. You bought a great gun that will bring you many years of enjoyment. The best part is you get to shoot it!

I'm sure the experts at the S&W forum can give you some better info, but I feel like I'm on target now.......
 
Darn....:cuss:

X.B. got here first...:D

I suspect that it might have been returned to S&W for some custom work - perhaps on the action or trigger pull. In any case it's a fine gun, and well worth the price. That kind of craftsmanship is no longer available in a production product.
 
Not all wheelgun lovers are old fogeys ;)
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I know, but I'm sure you've seen where most guys our age that are casual shooters don't appreciate them. Doesn't mean we're the only guys under 40 who like 'em, it just feels that way at times. Let me also say that just being over 40 does not an 'Old Fogey' make. Now Old Fuff might be an old fogey, his user name kinda says it :p
 
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