Hello Gun 4 Fun
Welcome to the S&W K-22 Club. They are addictive I will warn you of that. I have had dozens over the years, and still have several but the Three in my collection that are my Favorites show revolvers from very different time frames with some very neat different features. Below are pictures of them along with what makes them special to me, I hope you enjoy Viewing them, and that it triggers your Buring Lust & Desire to have Many more K-22's like it did me... Hammer It
Here is a First issue K-22 Known as the "Outdoorsman". This is the one that started it all with K-22's. It was made from 1931-1939 and this one is a 1936.It is wearing it's original serial numbered grips, and has not been carried, nor show any carry or useage wear. I swapped Two for one to get this piece and do not regret it one bit, as These do not come along often. They are all hand made along with the Internal action parts like all Pre-War S&W revolvers they are Considered to be the Rolex of S&W's in this time frame...
Here is an Early Post-War K-22. It shipped in early 1947 and has a Four digit serial number. It is considered a transition piece due to it's large Mushroom style Extractor head which required Notching out the under side of the barrel to allow clearence for it to close the cylinder. It is wearing it's original serial numbered Magna Grips. The barrel is Odd on this K-22 as it shows a series of small Donut looking shapes down the entire length of it.
The seller could not explain it, and after a close inspection of it's shiny clean bore I decided it had to be a factory flaw, not effecting the function of the gun. I Paid $500.00 for this one and was very glad to get such a neat Transition piece as they are not seen often like this. S&W was not one to just throw away parts so that is why these Transition pieces do pop up from time to time, but their availability is limited and considered Scarse.
I spoke with Roy Jinks at last years S&WCA meeting about the barrel issue of this gun, and he remarked he had only seen one other like it, in all his years at S&W and he felt the reason for it was because revolver's were in such High demand right after the War, it took S&W a couple of years to catch up to the Hungry buying public, and it was then that Higher quality control measures were followed strickly. To some it is a Factory Freak, to me it is a sign of a very high Consumer demand that caused this Odd Factory Blemish...
Here is a 17-2 that shipped in May 1964. I swapped a Post-War M&P revolver for it that I had $300.00 in. This one is Odd in that fact that it was ordered with a special Single action feature and Red Post King Patridge front Target sight. It is shown with it's original Rosewood Factory Target grips.
During the swap the previous owner of it, stated it had an internal action issue as it only fired by cocking the hammer, and that something had to be wrong with it's double action. It did not put off our swap as I had heard of these Single action S&W revolver's in the past, but mainly in the K-38 Series not the K-22's.
After I had it researched the Factory history letter stated it was ordered with special single action mode wide Target trigger,Target hammer King Front Red Post sight blade and Highly figured Rosewood checkerd stocks....
By the Way, if you are wondering I do shoot & enjoy all of these revolver's, I have no Safe Queen K-22's in my collection...Hammer It
