First, I didn't see any mention of tip-ups, but considering they are 150 years old and so many are still in shooting condition they scream quality. I would love to be able to predict how the twentieth century guns will compare when they are 150 years old, but the craftsmanship and durability of the old S&W tip-ups makes them a true candidate for S&Ws best years.

Now you asked a tough question about acquiring a high quality K22, but the simple answer is that you can have one by tomorrow if you have enough money to throw at it. These guns still come up for auction from time to time. I think they made almost 20,000 of this model, but I suspect that a large percentage of the high quality guns are stashed away in collectors gun safes. There are almost always some on gunbroker and the major gun auction sites often have high quality K22a for sale. I would, however, think there are very few K22s in the condition of Hammerdown's apparently unfired beauties.