I bought in an auction a while back, and FINALLY received today a K-22 Masterpiece from 1949. S/N K 74208 It is in really nice condition. Mechanically perfect. Obviously not shot much. Nice case colors on the hammer and trigger. The pictures below show (due to flash) some flaws that are barely noticeable. Slight turn ring...slight muzzle wear...and an added bonus of someone's driver's license number electro-pencilled into the side plate!

I bought this for $390. (I knew it when I bought it) I don't know it there's any way to buff this out...or find a replacement side plate...or just live with it, but figured a nice, shooter K22 for under $400 is not a bad deal. (It's just a shame)





ARGHHHH!!!

I like it. Serves it's purpose as well as if it was NIB. Now you can
enjoy and not worry if you scratch it or bang it up. Just enjoy.
My kind of gun.

For $390 just grin and shoot a great classic. I would have sprang on it in a minute. Great buy. Best.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

I have to agree with 357Magster, the D/L number adds a bit of character. Honestly, if you were looking to get a bit of history on it, you could as a LEO friend (if you have one) to run the number, and if the person is still alive, get a first hand history of the revolver from a previous (if not original) owner.

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Judge control not gun control!

You did great. Just shot, clean, enjoy and repeat often.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

Sweet! I have a K22 in the K72000 range, they are sweet shooters!

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Life NRA, Life TSRA, C&R FFL

That gloss finish, from GA 1911, was not correct for a 1949 gun and your matte finish is 100% correct. The finish was changed to gloss on a later vintage K22s. Your Magna stocks look just right as well. My comment is the only reason you got that one for the price was because of the DL number. Many buyers steer clear of vibratory markings on a gun, but it does not affect function or accuracy at the range. Maybe your state will allow you to change your DL number to match, but I am afraid that number is from California.

The sideplates have a matching assembly number on them that is the same as inside the yoke on the frame and cylinder assembly, so a different one would not match. Besides, the reason why these assembly numbers are placed on these parts is that they were hand fit at the factory before going off for final finishing, so every one is slightly different You might get lucky with the fit, but the finish would probably not match. Get out the cold bluing and darken that number and maybe it will not be as noticeable.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Here is a question I would have. Is it possible for someone like Doug Turnbull to polish off the marking in the side plate and then refinish it to match the rest of the gun?

I would be happy with it as is...I would just consider that someone else other than myself was the first one to scratch it...it doesn't hurt so much that way.

From a slipped screwdriver to a wire staple hidden in a polishing cloth, I've been the culprit before.

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Do or do not. There is no try.

If you were to go the Turnbull route you would be in for a purchase + refinish which would would equal or exceed the cost of a similar piece in original good condition , but it would be refinished.

My math says you got upwards of a $400 dollar discount for the electro DL etching. That's one heck of a good price for one of the best (if not the best) .22 revolvers in the field.

Does the seller have another one like that?

I like it the way it is. I have an unfired 10-5 in the box and a K-22 with not much blue left on it. I enjoy my K-22 and just finished giving it a Ren wax/ cleaning. Shoot it. I like both but the 22 has character and the 10-5 probably lived in a drawer all it's life.

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Mike, AmVets Member, Navy Vet

It kind of depends on how deep the etching is. Being very close to the address lines and the S&W logo, it does not leave much room to work without lightening one of both those stampings. In order to do a proper job, you need to do your sanding and buffing with the sideplate attached, so as not to get dishing around the edges. That means the frame finish will also be affected, so you are probably be looking at a complete refinish. If it bothers you, call Doug Turnball or Ford's and see what they say. Make sure they know the type of matte finish that was standard in that era.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Maybe find another sideplate of similar blue, and hopefully fit?

Short of a total reblue, I don't think there is much you can do.

If the purpose of putting the DL number is in case of theft the side plate is not an ideal location.Any other reason to do it?

Does the side plate assembly number match to the others on the gun?

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NEVER GIVE UP YOUR GUN

I think that it is a great find and you need to just enjoy the K22 and not worry about dragging it out to the range.

Wow, somebody's worry wart grandpa figured out a way to deter theft... Screw up your nice gun so nobody wants to steal it. Sorry, it just ticks me off when I see something so senseless. Wonder if they took as much time to actually log their serial number in case of theft.

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Join the NRA today

I hate it when people do that as well. But you could look at it another way. When you look at the number, be thankful to the idiot. That's the only way you got it at such a good price.

Just as a brief follow up - I went over the engraving with bronze wool to knock the little high points off...then used a tiny bit of cold blue. It's not quite as noticeable as before. At least there's some bluing in the scratching and it won't rust.

I hear California mandates engraving the owner's driver's license number onto the sideplate of all collectible S & W revolvers, at least 1/4" tall and freehand with a Dremel tool.

Enjoy that K-22!

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

actually, that advice, stenciling your DL number, was fairly common in the 70s

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

I would have bought that one in a minute at that price even though I already have a nice one to shoot.

I guess the serial number wasn't enough to identify this gun?

I will never understand someone doing this.

Wingmaster

I have a side plate for sale on the forum.

Congrats on a great find! I have one from 1952 that unfortunately someone put goodyears on it. Sitting in the case it looked fairly rough but when I got it home and cleaned it it looks like brand new! I had a set of later target grips to put on it so it actually looks pretty good now. I paid $400 for mine so I think you did real well for the price you paid! I would post pics but I'm pretty computer illiterate and haven't figured out how that works her yet!

No one has suggested this yet, so I feel I must: some well-designed and tastefully-done pawn shop-style engraving could hide the number and maybe improve the appearance of the gun. Perhaps an even higher level of laser or other type of engraving that is less costly than hand-engraving would work, also.

Someone had to say it!

It sure was. Police dept's, "community groups", insurance companies, actually loaned electric pencils out. You could buy them at 7-11 for a few bucks. Sort of like the CB radio craze (about the same time IIRC) it came and went quickly.

Well, guns weren't the only thing we were encouraged to stencil. And sure, things like guns, and even CB radio's had serial numbers, but not many people recorded them back then. Gun's maybe, but not radio's, TV's, etc. Engraving your own number seemed like a good idea.

I'm always on the lookout for a Model 19 that I engraved my own ID number on. That would have been my first handgun, and collector value was the last thing on my mind. Collector value? What collector value? You could go down the gun store and buy one just like it.

I did have the good sense to engrave my number under the grips where it didn't hurt the looks of the gun. I couldn't imagine doing it where it was visible.

I'll keep pulling grips. Maybe one day....

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John 3:16 .