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S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 All 5-Screw & Vintage 4-Screw SWING-OUT Cylinder REVOLVERS, and the 35 Autos and 32 Autos


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Old 05-08-2017, 09:50 AM
MAC1950 MAC1950 is offline
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Default K22 Masterpiece and box

I have a K22, s/n K666xx with gold box. Original stocks are on gun. It appears that inner and outer box were cut to accommodate larger stocks. I am trying to sort out what paperwork and tools were included with this vintage. Are period correct box contents available, approximate cost? Is year estimate of 1948 correct? I haven't had an opportunity to shoot it yet.
Thanks in advance.
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Old 05-08-2017, 10:33 AM
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Yes - 1948 manufacture.

Contents should have been a cleaning rod and brush, small screwdriver (Sight Adjustment Tool), vapor paper and Helpful Hints brochure. They can sometimes be found on the Internet, often on eBay.

I've never seen a gold box abused like that one before. Since it says K-22 Masterpiece it should fit the 6" barrel revolver just fine. The 4" Combat Masterpiece was not yet being made, nor were the target stocks. I can't see why the box sides needed to be cut like that.
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Old 05-08-2017, 10:56 AM
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Here is a 1947 K-22 with its box and some of the tools. The SAT is gone.



The wood handle rod is not original but my Dad must have purchased it about the same time. It has been with the gun as long as I can remember. The plastic cleaning attachments are also not original. The MOP grips not original but have been with the gun since the early 50's if not before.

Revolver shipped in Nov 1947.

S&W did make a K22 4" barrel before the Combat Masterpiece came out. The one I saw had a patridge front site and was made in 1947. Certainly not a reason to cut up the box.
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Old 05-08-2017, 12:55 PM
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These accessories (minus the muzzle brake) date to January 1950. I believe your estimate of 1948 is correct.

Bill


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Old 05-08-2017, 01:21 PM
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My s&w k22 1948 masterpiece target 6" barrel came with the orginal gold box, screwdriver, cleaning rod, brush.

I noticed the prices are all over the place on these. Its condition, condition, condition, mine was $595. But advertised as minor freckling. The freckling was dried orange colored oil. The condition after cleaning it is 99.99%. I don't call used guns 100%. But she is very close not a mark on her. My online dealer has had the k22's and colt 22 revolvers as high as $1,700 to $750 depending on condition and use.

The only negative thing is the box is way too small for the s&w target grips.

I purchased three k series revolvers from the same guy all had minor freckling which cleaned up to 99.99% condition. A k38 masterpiece target 6"/38 special, a k38 combat masterpiece 4"/38 special. I got lucky.

I never purchased any s&w product. I never cared for them. I bought the new grandson a s&w k22 and found out how nice the actions and quality was.

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Old 05-08-2017, 02:59 PM
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I did take another look at the box, it has the same s/n on it as the gun does. I will try putting a 6 1/2 barrel revolver in box to see if that could be a reason for cutting box.
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Old 05-08-2017, 03:20 PM
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This is a 6 1/2 inch in K22 box, maybe I answered my own question.
Thanks again.
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Old 05-08-2017, 04:48 PM
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Like to know what that guy was thinking. Beautiful K22.
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Old 05-16-2017, 09:31 AM
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The larger grips on it don't fit in the box? So he cut the box. Those aren't the orginal stocks they don't fit in the box.

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Old 05-16-2017, 11:02 AM
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The gold Masterpiece boxes were never made to fit the target stocked Masterpiece revolvers, but rather were made to fit a Masterpiece with the Magna stocks you show in your top images. It is documented that there were some target stocked revolvers sent in N frame boxes, so the target stocks would fit both by length and width. Target stocks are wider that the gold box is high, so needed a 5 tab metal cornered box to fit them if coming from the factory. I believe that target stocks and the Masterpiece with Magnas would fit in the same box, or they could have been sent separately. Most were probably bought in the same hardware store as the gun, or bought later and put on the revolver.

By my notes, the large non-relieved target stocks were available in 1948, so it was possible that a 1948 gun could be ordered with that style stocks.
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Old 05-16-2017, 02:49 PM
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Gary, thanks for insight. I don't know if my picture shows it well enough but the metal reinforcements on the corners are four hole. Are the target stocks on your k22 period correct? I suppose they are pretty rare. The gold box may have been cut to accommodate target stocks.
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Old 05-16-2017, 04:34 PM
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None of my target stocks have a serial number and I don't recall if there was ever one documented on this Forum or not, but almost all I have seen are un-numbered. I have a pair of 1948s, one shipped in October and one in December, in 22 and 38, and a Heavy Barrel 38 Masterpiece from 1951. All would have had the unrelieved target style stocks. I believe the first relieved (ejector star cut-out) targets appeared around 1954-1955.
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Old 05-17-2017, 11:32 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by glowe View Post
None of my target stocks have a serial number and I don't recall if there was ever one documented on this Forum or not....
The only numbered K frame target stocks I've ever seen in person or ever heard of were shipped on the earliest Combat Magnums (pre-19's) in the low K 260000 serial range.

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Old 05-19-2017, 05:30 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MAC1950 View Post
I have a K22, s/n K666xx with gold box. Original stocks are on gun. It appears that inner and outer box were cut to accommodate larger stocks. I am trying to sort out what paperwork and tools were included with this vintage. Are period correct box contents available, approximate cost? Is year estimate of 1948 correct? I haven't had an opportunity to shoot it yet.
Thanks in advance.
What a beautiful revolver. I have one as well. It was my Mom's gun. It's in mint condition. It's my favorite gun out of all the ones I have. Good find!
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Old 05-19-2017, 06:55 PM
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Fascinating thread. Of course to whomever cut the box, it was just a box. In the late 40s could anyone even imagine the box would someday have serious value?

Even so, if it were me, I would have found a larger box to put the revolver in.

Very nice gun. The only gun on my bucket list would be an S&W in .22 cal, 6-shot, preferably with a 4-inch barrel.
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Old 05-19-2017, 07:23 PM
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If your K-22 was indeed shipped in 1948 it would have been packaged with one of these two SATs:

1940-1948: Nickel plated steel knurled handle with (9) bands of knurling, blued shaft and long tapered blade.

1947-1958: Blued steel knurled handle with (8) or (9) bands or knurling, black oxide shaft and long tapered blade.

You may want to seek out the '47-'58 blued steel knurled one as the nickel plated '40-'48 would cost you $400+
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