I have a K22 6" barrel with adjustable rear sight ("target sights"??) that I learned to shoot on 40 years ago with my dad. I always assumed it was not too much older than me, since it did not look very old, but it doesn't look any older now (shot a few times a year in the 60s and 70s, rarely since the early 1980s), so maybe that is way off!

The serial number is 809xx and above the serial number on the frame is stamped KO (stamped rather sloppily, so the bottoms of the letters are shallow) and next to that is a 7 which is sideways so it reads right-side up when viewed from the muzzle. Any ideas when this gun was produced and what these other stamps mean?

Unfortunately, the original small grips may be lost. I'll have to look for them when I'm at my parents house in a few days. I saw them long ago in a box of gun stuff, but took no interest since I much prefer the larger wooden grips we've always used. The mounted grips have a similar checkering pattern to the K22 pictured in the link below, but lack the S&W emblem.

The bluing is about 95% intact, or better. Mostly a little thin around the muzzle and on the ejector rod. The bore is in excellent condition. It is in what I believe is the original box: navy blue cardboard, metal reinforced corners, no labels, with an inner wrapper of oiled(?) paper. What would this gun likely be worth? It's a good shooter and has sentimental value to me, so I don't want to sell it, but I'd like to be aware of its market value.

The trigger has a shoe attached with two allen set screws. I've never removed it, but I assume the set screws have marked the side of the trigger at least a little.

Welcome. Please give us the number and any letter,from the bottom of the grip(You will have to remove the grips,which is easy to do).I believe that you're only giving us factory assembly numbers visible when the cylinder is opened,and they mean nothing at this point.
A later K22 model would not look very different from the linked photo,and would be the one that came in a blue box.

ps My Kreskin powers are saying that it is a 1956 K22,wearing Sile aftermarket target grips!

The frame at the butt is stamped K 2567xx

Good news if this is not too valuable. It's my favorite shooter. I don't want to have to upgrade my gun safe!

That makes more sense...it's a 1955 K22, or pre-17.
Regarding the K and O, and the 7, are those stamps on the inside of the frame when you open up the cylinder?

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Geoff. Since 1960.

A 1955 era K-22 in the condition you describe would probably sell for $600+ these days, quite a bit more if accompanied by the original box, papers, and tools. You've got a great revolver there, and with family history to boot! Doesn't get much better than that...

Yes, that's right.

What do the tools look like? There is a little bag in the gun vault that has an aluminum handled screwdriver and a small cleaning rod with a ring-shaped handle, with a fuzzy bore swab. Not sure if the swab fits .22s. Probably won't have time to look further at this stuff until next week...

Sounds like the tools. Now for the box!

Regards,

Tam 3

I have the box. See post #1. I don't think I have any paperwork, but I'll have a chance to look in my dad's files this week. He was pretty organized, so it's not impossible they're still around! I'm not betting much, however, nor is my willingness to pick through old file cabinets one page at a time very high.

OK, that's not so much that I'll be worrying TOO much about someone picking it up and walking off while I'm changing a target at the range. I'd hardly ever thought about it before, but if someone had asked, I supposed I'd have guessed it was worth a couple hundred.

$600 is for the gun. The little screw driver-its actually a sight adjustment tool and not meant for the side plate screws-will add at least another $100 if it is the correct one, on a good day maybe another $200, especially with the rest of the tools included.
Then you have the box? That too, increases the value. Condition is everything, so I won't go there without seeing a photo or 2 of the box, and whole package together.

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Geoff. Since 1960.

OK, here are a couple of shots of the stuff that might have been part of the same purchase. However, looking it over again, I see that the swab and bore brush are probably from a .38. The .22 brush and swab don't fit that little cleaning rod. I forgot to root around in the newer .22 rifle cleaning rod package to verify that there weren't any other .22 brushes that match. My dad also had a S&W .38 Special, so the bag of tools may have come from that.

Caring for the gun I don't mind, but maintaining a BOX? I'm almost sorry I asked.

Nice gun. Tools appear to be for a later revolver than 1955. Grips are aftermarket targets,not factory. The box appears to be a generic factory box like the ones used to return guns which had been sent to the factory for repairs. They were also used to ship guns which came with a wooden presentation case.
f.t.

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South Carolina-God's country

That may explain why the box appears relatively new. My dad had 2 S&W .357s, one stainless, one blued. The stainless had the action freeze up in the 80s, so maybe he sent it in and received it back in this box. He probably put the K22 in the box when he sold the .357s 10 years ago. Now that I think about it, if they are newer, the tools probably came with that gun, since the barrel length and caliber would be appropriate.

Good news. That means I can stop worrying about preserving the box!

Buck
That sight adjustment tool I think is newer than the one that originally came with the revolver. Take a look at this thread:

K-22 screwdriver value.

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Geoff. Since 1960.

Yes, it look like that bag of tools probably came with one of his .357s, which I think was bought in the late 70s.