One of my local shops called this afternoon to let me know they had a K-22, 6" Adjustable sights with a serial number from 1948. It has a bulged
barrel. They said they had $200 in it and would make me a deal if I wanted it.

I have checked the standard sources and do not find any K-22 used barrels for sale and I don't remember ever seeing one for sale on the on-line auction sites.

I believe the barrels from that time had a serial number under the barrel lug so even if I were to find a used barrel and had it replaced there would be little value in it other than as a shooter which I don't really need.

Should I pass or take a chance?

There are those of us who want a shooter. IF you pass let us know. Thanks.

B U Y I T ! ! !

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Don Mundell

Where is the bulge? Is it obvious? Very often a bulge has very little effect on grouping capability, so as a shooter, it could be OK. I once had a .22 rifle with a bulge near the muzzle (fired with mud in the barrel) that shot better with the bulge than it did before. Another option would be to shorten the barrel and move the front sight backward if the bulge is near the muzzle. That shouldn't cost too much. No matter what you do, it will remain a shooter, but if you can get it for somewhere near $200, I'd take it. I think most would.

If I were you I'd pass since you mentioned that you didn't want just a shooter (which is what that one would be). But if I were me I'd go for it in that price range since I like non collectible shooters. Usually the bulge doesn't hurt the accuracy as far as shooting goes. And that K-22 is otherwise a classic.

Roger

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Eph 2:8-9

Buy it, but if you don't I for one would like to know where it is.

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Tom
NRA Pistol Inst

I would buy it if they have shot it, or they will allow you to put a few rounds through it. It likely shoots fine but you can never be sure until you do.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Buy it! But, if you don't please PM me with the location. I have a barrel for it. No, I don't want to sell the barrel. .............. :-)

$200 + barrel (I have no idea but maybe $150?) + installation ($150-$200 in my experience asking around). Means you'll have around $550 in a mismatched shooter. Good deal? If so then buy it and start hoping you can find a barrel. I'd rather spend $200 more for a gun that requires no time or effort to shoot.

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No life story has happy end.

If bore needs fixing to be a shooter, my simple fix would be to put in a rifled sleeve. I sleeved another .22 revolver using a piece of .22 rifle barrel I turned down to 3/8". A test with it in a vise & another same with my K-22, it grouped as tight as the K-22.

I'd pass it along to someone that wants, or needs one. I've still got several K22's, one of which has a marked barrel; an early K22 Outdoorsman which is in otherwise fine condition. I find that I seldom shoot that one and it just sits, collecting dust in my safe. Probably just a "head thing" because I can't shoot it any worse than the others. Just my $0.02. -S2

I'm also going to recommend what rhmc24 did, sleeve the barrel. .22 barrel sleeves are readily available from Brownells,and many other sources. Match grade are available. Any "competent" gunsmith should be able to drill out and insert a sleeve and re-crown the barrel. I have a .22/32 HFT that had a bulged barrel and it was sleeved by David Chicoine, and shoots just fine.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I'd take a look at it. Check the vintage,,it may even be a pre-war,,who knows??

Beyond that,,see where the bbl damage is. It may be far enough forward to allow the bbl to be simply cut at 4" or 5",,even a 3 1/2" ( or whatever else suits you) and move the front sight back on the rib. That makes a fine shooter, w/an original bbl/bore.

A reline job will still leave a badly bulged bbl that has a visable swell on the outside with that cosmetic flaw. That bothers some,,others not.
It can be taken down of course but requires extra work and matching in the polish and then a reblue of the bbl.

Lot's of ways to go

You could put a Combat Masterpiece bbl on it too I imagine(?)

"If bore needs fixing to be a shooter, my simple fix would be to put in a rifled sleeve. I sleeved another .22 revolver using a piece of .22 rifle barrel I turned down to 3/8". A test with it in a vise & another same with my K-22, it grouped as tight as the K-22."


I had a Hi-Standard .22 semiauto barrel lined using a Lothar Walther match grade liner, cost me $175. I would imagine the same job on a revolver might run more due to the greater labor involved in removing and replacing the barrel. My barrel is a separate unit, and comes right off. But I wouldn't do it if the bulged barrel shoots OK. And the bulge would remain visible.

If,as you say, you don't need a shooter,then you've answered your own question.Pass.Take a chance at what?
This gun is either a shooter grade,or a gun project,where you still end up with a shooter grade.
Some here are fine with running an adoption agency for the unloved,but I try to have a little discipline in what I acquire.It makes later disposition easier and less necessary.

I could not get to the shop until 11:30 am. The guy that called me was not there so I asked if they still had the K-22. They had just sold it and the man who purchased it was still standing there. I got to look at it and the bulge was very light on both sides where the lug ends. There really was not much of a problem with it and it looked to be in 80% or better condition and nice grips. The new owner paid $375 and was happy with that.

Thanks for the replies, there were some excellent ideas offered.

Nice that the temptation was removed. I might have gone $300, but not $375, recognizing it had only shooter value.

Buy it, you can get a liner for it from Brownells and pull the barrel and use a 5/16 drill and run through the 22 bore and epoxy the liner in and the recut the forcing cone. If you think this wont work click on my handle and look at the post about a High Standard pistol pak with3 barrels that I did this way, the epoxy held through the hot bluing bath and have have held since 1983. Jeff

Didn't read all the replies did ya Jeff? The gun was bought - buy someone else....

Mark

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S&W Forum Member #721

$375 was too much. For less, I would have been tempted to turn it into something unique. Maybe fit a new 10-shot cylinder to it (which I have) and a pre-war style non-ribbed barrel (which I have). I like putting head scratchers together from otherwise ruined guns.

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Chris
SWCA #2243 SWHF #292

Back to the liner - you really need a special piloted drill bit to do it right, and they are somewhat expensive. Most of those who do such work use the strongest level of Loctite instead of epoxy. They also usually add a few setscrews for insurance against future movement of the liner.

"The new owner paid $375 and was happy with that."

IMO a fool and his money.

I bought a gun with a bulged barrel. A M&P Model. Dealer asked me what I would offer and I mumbled something about $60. "SOLD!" He was glad to be rid of it. I found a barrel on ebay for $5 and swapped it myself. Figured I was only risking $65 if I buggered it up. Went fairly well and wound up with a good shooter for $65 and a couple hours of labor. I bet I could get $250 for it any day of the week.

Start out at $375? One born every minute.

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No life story has happy end.

I don't think you missed out on anything at $375.

At $200 or perhaps a few dollars more,,I'd buy it and make something of it.
But I'm one of those that can't stand to see the abused and unloved sleeping on the homeless shelter cot of a gunshop shelf.

They can be saved,,but you do have to be careful about the investment, especially if you are hiring out the work.

I have a 22 Outdoorsman w/a similar problem that I have to do something with sometime.
I'm contemplating either a cut and move the sight back operation.
Or perhaps making a 2" by using a 38sp 2" bbl as a sleeve over the orig bbl. A new f/s blade then fitted & pinned into the base on the snub bbl.

Worth the time?,,maybe not,,but at this point it's just fun to do.