I wanted to show off a few pics of my latest find. I found this 5 screw pre-model 17 today. It comes to me from a friend of a friend whose son passed away after a battle with cancer. His son had a very nice collection, which his dad wanted to sell, and this Smith was part of it. It is a 5 screw pre-model 17, serial # K115xxx, dating it to 1951 according to SCSW. It just so happens it was a 6", which I needed to complete my set of K22s. The finish was pristine, but it was wearing a set of aftermarket thumbrest grips. Sadly, it had no box. Interestingly, it had the narrow serrated trigger, but it also has the wide .500" target hammer. It appears to be factory, as my 1954 edition of Elmer Keith's Sixguns shows a K22 so equipped. So I know the wide hammer spur must have been available that early. We agreed on a price that we both thought was fair to buyer and seller. And with the cost of a set of period correct grips I figure I will have about $380 into it. I put on a set of later factory targets from the wood pile for now. Here's some pics:


Here's a pic of the completed family, from bottom:
model 18-3 4"
pre-model 17 5 screw 6"
model 17-3 8 3/8"

Congratulations on the score. Great gun, great trio.

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David Wilson

That's the trifecta, my favorites.

$380 with a set of grips? Wish I could run across someone willing to sell a K-22 like that for that price!

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Misty