Single Six or K-22?

[wanderinwalker]

I confess, I didn't read your whole first post. I got to "$400..4" K-22..90%" and I thought, "WHY ARE YOU ASKING?? WHERE WAS YOUR WALLET??"

In all honesty, I have had a Single-Six for a couple of years, and a S&W M-18 (model version of the gun you're looking) for a couple of months. No question, I'd keep the S&W. It wouldn't even be a hard decision. Single-Sixes of various vintages, barrel lengths, etc, are a dime a dozen. K-22s don't turn up every day.

Besides, in 3-5 years, the S&W will be worth more than you paid, and still be nicer than a Ruger.

 

[LTR shooter]

found a very nice 4" K-22 (adjustable sights) for ~$400. I would give it a solid 90%, maybe even a little better.

I found a Ruger Single Six, 6.5" barrel, that's probably 85%-90%, .22 Magnum cylinder only, for $150.

Unless you had an incredible stockpile of 22 mag ammo I would take the K-22 over the 22 mag ONLY Single Six any day of the week. And that is coming from a Single Six owner. You can pick up a brand new Single Six ANYTIME with both cylinders. The K-22 at that price is what I consider to be a rare bargain on a hard to find classic Smith.

 

[ShowMe2]

Get the Smith

ArmedBear has made some excellent points...

Ruger probably made a bunch of Single Sixes today. How many of the K-22's you looked at did Smith make today?

I've owned both of these revolvers and to me there is no comparison. If I could have only one handgun, it would be a K-22.

Single action revolvers are fun, but reloading them is a drag. Listen to AB and get the Smith.

 

[wickerbill]

Quoheleth
Here is how I look at your problem. The only way I can anser your question, is how I would do it. If i had $400 and a choise between a double action 22lr for $400 or a single action 22mag. for $150, well $250 will buy a lot of 22mags.
Bill

 

[Gunfighter123]

Not even close -- get the Smith !!!

 

[deputy tom]

I voted K-22.More expensive to purchase but ammo costs alone the .22 LR will save enough in the first year to more than make up the initial difference in costs.YMMV.tom.

 

[Confederate]

All I can say is that I really enjoy shooting, and even cleaning, a single action revolver. I don't get the same joy out of a DA revolver for some reason -- maybe it's because shooting a centerfire revolver is more fun, or even memorable.

When I was at school, I had a $62 RG .22LR. I also had a $92 Ruger Standard Auto. Although I enjoyed both, I found that often I'd head up in the mountains with just the RG and a few boxes of ammo. When I sold it, I went through withdrawal. Yes, it was cheap, junky, light, and I had to keep tighening the screws that kept the brown plastic grips on, but I could just about hit anything with it.

So now I have a Ruger Single-Six, a Ruger Mark II (both stainless) and a couple of Rossi .22LR DA revolvers. I like shooting all of them, but I still have a special place for the single action. At the time I got rid of the RG, I paid the difference and bought my first Ruger Security-Six. Stainless S&Ws were impossible to get and the Rugers sold for $169.





A photo of my RG 22 nickel plated revolver.




There's just something about single-actions that
makes me enjoy shooting them.