EDITED 4/6/2012 to add info from letters received yesterday.

The K-22 was shipped April 11, 1940 to Weed & Co., Rochester, NY.

The .22/32 was shipped September 18, 1940 to Weed & Co., Buffalo, NY.

Yes, same business but two different locations. Weed & Co. was a hardware firm that had outlets in both cities. I am not aware of other Weed & Co. stores, but they may have existed.


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Today I was able to take delivery of two more prewar revolvers that have been on my "must" list for a long time. Both are .22s. Both were shipped in 1940. In my uncontrollable enthusiasm for these revolvers, I hastily took a bunch of photographs so that I could present them here.

The one I have yearned for longest is this one: a K-22 Second Model, or K-22/40 as the factory referred to it -- the 1940 Model of the K-22, which had been introduced as the K-22 Outoorsman nine years earlier. I confess that I am one of those unfortunates who are hopelessly addicted to five-screw K-frame .22s.

Please meet 684698. It has the original box and sight adjustment tool, as well as some related literature that will be scanned and posted later. (In my unedited original post I mistakenly said this was a proper SAT, but not original to the gun; I was corrected by the former owner.) I believe I am the third owner. The forum member from whom I just acquired this wonderful specimen reports he bought it from the original owner over 30 years ago. The prior owner was the original buyer.






The most obvious feature of the K-22/40 is the large micro-click adjustable rear sight. If only all Smiths had been equipped with this design from the earliest hand ejectors! The other innovative feature of the K-22/40 is the short-throw action toward which S&W design engineers were moving in the late 1930s. WWII interrupted commercial model development, and after the postwar transitional period, all models were produced with the new short action whose original concept had been implemented in the 1067 produced units of the K-22 Second Model.




This particular gun is in excellent condition, but it was shot regularly in a prior phase of its life and well-maintained throughout its years. The frame interior is spotless, though you can see a hammer rotation scuff where the gun "smoothed itself out" in operation.




The internals are unstained and look the way they must have 71 years ago.




I plan to shoot this one at least a few times. I will post range reports when I do, but it may be some time before I get around to it.


THE OTHER GRAIL GUN.

Actually, this is more like another specimen of a Grail Model rather than a single grail gun. For about three years I have been completely obsessed by the Prewar .22/32 Kit Gun; when I can't collect specimens of the model, I search out serial numbers and descriptions in auction sites and availability lists in order to add the guns to a data base. I have been able to post a few of these fine revolvers here over the last several months, but I have rarely had the pleasure of posting a package that makes my smile as wide as this one does.

This is 534507, apparently one of the last 100 kit guns manufactured before commercial production was suspended so the company could turn to wartime contracts. It too comes with an appropriate box and a sight adjustment tool, though they were not the ones originally associated with this gun. Condition is easily 99%. The gun may never have been fired or, if fired, was cleaned and cared for with amazing attention.





I imagine I will just let this gun rest on its laurels. I have a shooter grade Kit Gun that lets me have the experience of shooting these small prewar I-frame target .22s.

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I want to tip my hat to forum member Model39 for trusting me to care for these two guns he has looked after for many years. This deal, like a lot of deals, came about in an unexpected way. We were in off-list conversation about some gun topic when it emerged that he had a couple of prewar .22s he was thinking about selling. I said I might be interested in what he described, and within a day or two we had a deal. Then there was a comedy of errors about finding a local FFL in his state who was willing to ship to an FFL in California, a process made more complicated by his preferred FFL's computer problems and malfunctioning fax machine. But after nearly a month everything came together and the guns were successfully shipped.

Anyone can enter a deal with Model39 in complete confidence.

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David Wilson

A couple of Beauties David. I know how proud and happy you
must be. Congrats and have fun with them.


Chuck

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They hold no Quarter

Wow! You lucky devil! Congrats. I'm green.

David,

Congratulations. It is always a great feeling to fill those few holes in a collection. The only problem is that, when you think you have filled all the holes, you discover one more that you didn't know existed. Enjoy.

Bob

Congratulations on these two fine revolvers! And a big thanks for the exceptional photography and information presented. You are to be commended.

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Regards, Ty

Wow, those are two beauties for sure. Never met a K-22 I didn't like. That Kit Gun has great proportions also. The front sight really adds to the overall eye appeal. Congrats. (nice photos too)

The K22 and Kit gun are stunning. I recently got into collecting Kit Guns and the one you just acquired will keep me up at night! Very nice....

Life in your safe will keep some morron from damaging them. The collector community will be greatly benefited

Outstanding acquisitions, David.
Congratulations!

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Pace

Mr. Wilson,
I've not been a member of this forum long but I always look to your posts to learn something. I'm just starting a small collection. I have 9 S&W's now and am mostly intrested in shooters. Thanks for the pictures and the info. Someday I'll post pictures of mine. I'm afraid that they will not be anywhere near as spectacular as most I've seen.

Wow David, you're the man. What a great way to start my day. Love the pics. Do the grips number to the gun on the K22/40? I have one with magnas but my grips have no number at all. It letters with magnas but I'm not sure if mine are original to the gun.

Roger

The stuff dreams are made of. Two pieces of art, thanks for sharing David.

Leo

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Living a dream - S&WCA #2364

WOW! WOW! And double WOW!
f.t.

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South Carolina-God's country

very nice guns David. and kudos for mating them up with their original equipment which was no doubt a very hard task i'm sure. Those boxes aren't seen everyday. I recently acquired a red box to go with my mint 1954 22/32 Kit gun that was my great grandfathers. (note, the receipt was in the box and not from MY gun....David, do you have any knowledge on this gun shop?)

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Kris
OGCA, NRA LM

I imagine I will just let this gun rest on its laurels. I have a shooter grade Kit Gun that lets me have the experience of shooting these small prewar I-frame target .22s.


Your a strong man

I'd have to shoot it at least once

Congratulations, those are beauties! I especially like the Second Model, well used for it's intended purpose but obviously well cared for. I'm kind of a "shooter collector", so I really appreciate guns like that.

Dang it, David! There goes another keyboard lost to drool.

You've raised my levels of lust and envy to a whole new level. I guess it just proves once again that you never fail to impress. When Kalifornia splits off and falls into the Pacific from the weight of all those great guns you continue to amass, I hope at least some will be saved, and I plan to be there with my SCUBA gear and a big bag to salvage all I can.

Best regards,
Froggie

OH! W.O.W. Not just one, but two once in a decade available guns. You're a lucky man.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Congrats DAvid on your two new beautiful guns! They are hard to find and especially in that condition.
Bill

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38-44heavyduty.com

Two "heavy hitter" handguns!

Great post and pics, I love the fact that the first thing you do is take 'em apart!

A K-22/40 is on my list too.

GF

Wow, Another one hit out of the park with those two! Thanks for shareing.

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Stay safe people!

beautiful…….simply beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

My thanks to everyone for the kind comments about these two revolvers. I am still floating about house nearly a foot off the floor this morning. It's not just the espresso.

Roger, like the ones on your gun, these K-22 stocks are unnumbered. I suspect that magnas installed on some K-22/40s were simply not marked. These stocks have the patent-stamped stainless dished rounds on the inside. This gun's history make me think these stocks are original to the gun; I would bet the unnumbered stocks you have came on your gun, too.

410bore, that's a very nice Model of 1953 kit gun. I'm afraid I don't know the Carl Haynes Gun Shop. It was probably one of the smaller establishments that could be found in many parts of Southern California cities in the 1950s. Also, the hard work of putting together proper packages for the two guns I posted was done by Model39, from whom I acquired them. He gets the credit for that effort.

GF, you mean there are people who don't take their guns apart? I'm shocked, shocked to learn that disassembling has not been going on in some establishments.

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David Wilson

I really like the K22. I'd never have the nerve to take mine apart. I only take mine out of their boxes for oiling. I have K22s to shoot, but my two 2nd models aren't in the mix.

Sorry to hear you'll be driving the old car around for a few more years. 2nd models generally cost as much as a new one! OK, with your old one in trade! And it makes me suspect we here in the S&W forum own most of the production from that year. I have no idea how so many of them survived this last 72 years in such good shape. Today's kids think a gun must be made from stainless steel to not rust out in a couple of years.

Even if this forum is draining the last drop of blood from poor Lee, its really starting to shine.

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Dick Burg

removed PC

I bow to you......nice revolvers.............

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Go big or stay home

Yeah, what FT said. I gotta find me a .22 Target I Frame now.

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

Congrats Dave . A pair of hard to find beauties . Glad for you .
Andy

...and just when l was starting to back off my K-22 addiction! Thanks for sharing the photos and information. Those two .22s are indeed a pair to draw to! Guess l'd better start searching for one of those l frames... gotta love that configuration.

Blessings,
Hog

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Isaiah 55:8-9
Phil. 4:13

David, fantastic guns and photos. Thanks Bill

Absolutely astounding. Thank you Sir for showing them to us.

Very nice! Thanks for sharing the good stuff!!

Not one but TWO amazing Smiths! Very nice David, congrats.

David, a couple of beautiful revolvers and I'm sure that you will be a great custodian of them. I love it that these great old S&W's are coming back into CA instead of heading the opposite direction.

David that is an exceptional looking K22-40. It has the magnas that appear to be in fine condition. I believe the K22-40's shipped with a larger percentage of magnas. Of course I may be the only one that believes that.
Have you found the ship date yet?
Also, what is the stamping on the top of your rear sight assembly?
I have a couple of the '684XXX' guns, but alas, not any consecutive to yours.

Since the ship dates for that one year were all over the map it's hard to tell what month it shipped without the letter from Roy. The sequence of serial numbers were random, at best, for shipping.
Very, very nice acquisition.

bdGreen

Bruce,

Given the Fairly Early Serial Number, I believe it's the "Pat.Pending" Stamping seen on the Earliest K22/40 Sights!! This Stamping was later changed to the "Pat.Number Info" later in production!!

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Masterpiece

I will definitely letter this revolver to get an exact date, but the preliminary report from the S&W historian is that it shipped in April 1940. I know from the previous owner that the original purchaser bought it in Rochester, NY.

I guess I have been a poor observer of other K-22/40 threads on this forum, but I had it in mind just from the late production dates that these guns would have been shipped with magnas as standard stocks. It just didn't occur to me that an innovative new model would be preferentially shipped with an old style grip design. I remember being surprised when I saw the brochure (which I still plan to scan and post) with an illustration of the gun wearing service stocks and with a small logo on the left side of the frame. That suggested to me that the model had been in design for at least a couple of years because the logo moved to the sideplate in 1938 (if I am recalling this correctly).

Yes, the stamp on the rear sight says "Patent Pending."

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David Wilson

Dave,

The Magna's are seen all over the spread of the Serial No. Range for these K22/40's!! If you're "Lucky" Roy will letter it as such, but don't be surprised if it comes back as just Checkered Walnut Stocks!! Depends on how much info's in the Shipping Records!! I've observed many that have "Numbered" Magna's that don't "Letter" as being shipped with them!! Cross your fingers!! By the way,"Nice Revolver"!!

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Masterpiece

I have some with and some without the service stocks. One of them actually has the service stocks with the grip adapter. And, yes, it letters with the grip adapter.

The magnas look good on that model. But, a righteous gun looks great with the service stocks also.

bdGreen

That is just way too cool. I have a very few guns that came to me with original grip adapters on them, but I have yet to letter a gun that actually shipped that way.

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David Wilson

David,

Those are great looking guns. I particularly like the 22/40. What a find!

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Dick

David, as usual, you have done it again. Showing me something that makes me very envious. I love the K22/40. One of these is not on my "list" only because I don't think I could actual find one. But, if I do, I would be a happy camper too. Thanks for sharing your pictures and knowledge.

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

Glad to see those 2 guns end up in your care, David. Thanks for the great pics and continuing lessens.

Jerry

Beautiful guns, David.
Good for you.

Be sure and tell Roy it has un-numbered magnas on it.
I do believe that most K-22/40's shipped with magnas even though many are known with service grips.
I also believe a lot of late shipped guns have original magnas that were not numbered.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

David:

Congrats on two real beauties! I love both of them, but I am particularly envious of that kit gun, as I already have a couple of pre-war Masterpieces (684735 and 687594).

I have two sets of pre-war K-frame magnas on pre-war K-22's (one set of which is on 684735). Neither set is numbered.

As always, thanks for sharing,

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Thank you, but but our envies are probably in balance on this one. You still have that unbelievably nice early K-22 Outdoorsman with the King Super Target rib. I know it is your gun, but I still have dreams about it (or maybe I'm dreaming about its twin).

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David Wilson

Both of those are just beautiful, I have a hard enough time just FINDING an older K-22 someone wants to sell.

Letters received yesterday contained new shipment info. Please see edit to original post for details.

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David Wilson

Thanks for posting.

Those are darn fine Grail Guns.

Emory

David:

Did the letter indicate if the 22/40 shipped with the magnas? BTW - I forgot how beautiful these two guns were. Thank you for pushing this thread back to the top!

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan