Hey guys, so my K22 frame number is 2812. Today I got around to pulling the grips for the first time and on the inside of one grip panel is stamped what looks like 2811. I'm assuming it came from the factory with these grips, as the odds of it loosing a set of grips and then getting a replacement set that happen to be numbered one number lower than the gun itself is zero. I thought It was interesting/ funny.

Hello Bookit, did you view 2812 on the frame butt, with the grips off? Just curious. Thanks

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Yes it's a 1947 K22 with the original style high shoulder walnut diamond grips, matching serial number on the butt, cyl, under the barrel, and written on the bottom of the original box as well.

Book, what is the number on the bottom of the grip frame?

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Not unheard of. I've owned a couple like that. Probably the grips get switched on a fitting table somewhere along the line.

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John 3:16 .

2812 would be the number

Is it K 2812? or just 2812? It has adj, rear sights correct?

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

K 2812 with the adjustable rear sights.

Welcome to the forum.

If you are absolutely sure that the stock serial number ends in a 1 then I would say assembly error. Chances are that the assembler had a group of guns to assemble within a given serial number block and merely mismatched two sets of stocks.

The second possibility could be that a distributor ordered a quantity of this model and when received the stocks got switched.

The third possibility was that someone ordered two consecutive serialized guns and they inadvertently switched the stocks around while cleaning.

Whatever the real reason, and we will probably never know for sure, most collectors will see those stocks as close enough to be acceptable without deducting any value.

Many times with military or LE guns that were serviced by armorers, stocks are switched and numbers can be way off. This is usually more serious to the purist collector.

One digit means that they came off of this guns twin brother and is slightly less detrimental.

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James Redfield
LM #497

I suspect factory error, as I have an original sales reciept for this gun where the owner ordered it in 1946 from stoeger in NY and received this gun in 1947, one gun purchase listed on the reciept.

I'm not doubting your story, I have no reason to.

But in my life of reading, I've heard many times about how hard it was to get a K22 back then. Obviously, some lucky guys did. But using Skeeter as a reference, the guns were beautiful, and you couldn't get one. For love or money. So I've kept that in mind over the years. I've bought 3 digit serial K22s and even an early 1948 engraved one. Clearly, somebody was lucky or skilled at buying. Or God forbid, Ole Skeeter was unskilled or unlucky. I don't feel bad, one of his flaws was selling off really good guns and then seeking another.

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Dick Burg

I believe the originality of those grips to that gun could be proven by the fit of the wood to metal. On original grips it is perfect, as if the wood grew there. On replacements it is always just slightly off with some edges proud or recessed just a bit.

You have a "keeper". Cherish it.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065