K-22 Outdoorsman help

tbergmayr · #1 01-01-2016, 02:09 PM

Hello All,
I am hoping I can get a little help/opinions from those more knowledgeable than myself. Truth be told I am more of a shotgun guy, so my knowledge of pistols is limited.

That being said I picked up a K-22 Outdoorsman recently. I was hoping that someone can help with year of production and approximate value. The serial # 6389XX. Overall condition is very good, only a very slight spot of bluing wear at the muzzle. All numbers match (including grips). No box or papers...

glowe · #2 01-01-2016, 02:29 PM

Welcome to the Forum. You certainly have made a grand entrance with that beautiful K22 Outdoorsman. A couple of your pictures were way dark, so I enhanced them to show off that flawless bluing and walnut stocks. The gun is one of the best examples of this model I have seen, but pictures never tell the whole story. If in the condition I think I see, you have a gun worth over $1000, maybe way over.

The ship date for that revolver is 1932, which is the second year of production.

tbergmayr · #3 01-01-2016, 02:41 PM

Thank You for your reply Gary. Once again I am far from a handgun expert but everything appears correct. The bore is pristine, no cylinder wobble... From everything I know it was a great acquisition and if even the $1000 is the correct value in am in the gun in a very good position. It is a good way to start off the new year... Thanks again.

19leben · #4 01-01-2016, 02:54 PM

Hey nice acquisition! Looks like new gun to me. I don't understand why I am never lucky enough to run across old beauties like that.
Welcome to THE forum!

tbergmayr · #5 01-01-2016, 03:11 PM

I actually owe this one to my wife. It was posted on the bulletin board at her work... Who would have thought???

RKmesa · #6 01-01-2016, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbergmayr

That being said I picked up a K-22 Outdoorsman recently. I was hoping that someone can help with year of production and approximate value. The serial # 6389XX. Overall condition is very good, only a very slight spot of bluing wear at the muzzle. All numbers match (including grips). No box or papers...

K-22 Outdoorsman help-sw4-jpg

First of all - welcome to the forum. In your photo, I cannot tell if the bead in the front sight is gold or silver - your gun has the one screw rear sight and is around the SN range when S&W went to the Call Brilliant (stainless silver) bead from the gold one.

Here's a link to a thread that is filled with information related to the K-22 Outdoorsman (one of my favorite revolvers of all time).

K-22 Outdoorsman Appreciation and Photo Thread

THEMULE · #7 01-01-2016, 04:11 PM

As glowe said, what an entrance!
I have been looking for a few months for a nice example if this revolver. I have found a few but became distracted and bought a couple "more rare" revolvers in the process.
What about serial #'s? It should be located in 6 places. When assessing value this is very important, at least to me it is.
1- inside of right grip panel
2- bottom of the grip frame
3- back of cylinder
4- bottom of the barrel
The following 2 locations are bit difficult.
5- back of extractor star
6- inside of the crane, this can be found by looking through the chambers in the cylinder while shining a flash light in between the crane/yoke and cylinder.
You have a very desirable revolver that many of us are chasing.
Be careful with these old S&W's, they are addictive.
Congrates!
Bob

Model52guy · #8 01-01-2016, 04:14 PM

Very nice entrance!, that is a beauty. I have a couple of 1931's but neither is as nice as yours.
George

tbergmayr · #9 01-01-2016, 04:23 PM

Richard - Thank You. The front sight appears to be gold.

tbergmayr · #10 01-01-2016, 04:37 PM

Bob - I have 5 matching #s for sure... You are not kidding that sixth one is tough.. I think I can make out two digits which match the last two of the serial #, but I would not swear to it...

George - Thank you.

RKmesa · #11 01-01-2016, 08:05 PM

And here's a link to a fun discussion on K-Frame 22s, of which the Outdoorsman that you have is the grandfather.

What Makes a "Good" K22 Collection?

tbergmayr · #12 01-01-2016, 10:47 PM

Figured it was worth getting the good camera out to take a couple of pictures that due this gun justice...

lowhog · #13 01-01-2016, 11:47 PM

In the condition your revolver is in they have been selling for 1,500.00 and up.

fat tom · #14 01-03-2016, 11:11 AM

Beautiful example of the K-22 OD. Congrats! Did you get "the story" from the seller?
f.t.

tbergmayr · #15 01-03-2016, 06:38 PM

Tom - No story... Some non-gun types inherited grandpa's guns... I give them credit, in that they actually did a little homework before selling blindly.