I'm keeping an eye out for a 1955 to 1957 or so K22 Masterpiece.
How much value is given to original matching grips? Is one with a target hammer more valuable or it is a wash? My wife's K38 has a target hammer and we both like it. I suppose if I find one without a target hammer I suppose another hammer could be purchased.

Welcome to the forum.

Yeah definitely a slight premium with original target hammer and # matching stocks; maybe $100-200.
Also more market desirability.

And yes you can add the target hammer and also a target trigger.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Would $600 to $800 be a reasonable price for a K22 with possibly non original grips and standard trigger and hammer? Finish in pretty good condition.

Wife's K38 from 1957.

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I would think $600.00 would get you what you describe.

Would one with a target hammer and matching grips be fair around $800?

I have never lettered a Masterpiece revolver, so wonder if it would detail what type of hammer and/or trigger the gun originally had installed? If so, we know that Magna stocks were numbered, but without a factory letter who is to say whether a target hammer and/or trigger is original? I would not pay a premium for either the hammer or trigger because there would be no way to know if the gun came from the factory that way without the letter.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Thoughts appreciated. True enough without paperwork knowing what is original on parts like hammer and trigger are next to impossible. Matching serial numbers with matching grips is about as much can be expected without more proof. I'm a bit puzzled over prices I'm seeing on some of the internet. More than a few asking $900 to $1200 for K22 of the period I'm looking for. I'm tempted at a few in the $800 to $950 range, but I hesitate at the price especially if it lacks a feature I'd like. I get the sense that time should be my friend and I should keep looking. I must say I'm not too fond of the reserve price idea on some. Bidding started at $500 and buy it price $950. So far I've noticed the reserve is above $800. It is perhaps much.

I bought a 1951 K22 recently with correct target grips and 95+% finish. It lettered correct as shipped, and I got it for about $750. Hope this helps.

yes it would be.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

If you start a thread in the "Wanted" section of the classifieds there's a good chance someone here has what your looking for.

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Get off my lawn!

Welcome to the FORUM! I myself, was K-22 challenged! Picked this up recently. Granted it is a 1964 gun, not your year range. It is however a very nice looking, fantastic shooter. It was purchased at buy it now for $550. (I am still working on the right stocks for it) Keep looking, and with patience, you should be able to find a deal that makes you happy. Bob

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Pre-model Masterpiece revolvers will sell for more than model numbered guns from the 1960s and later. Add that to the fact that your 1964 K22 did not have original stocks and the value drops further.

sikacz - as for those guns you are finding online with asking priced hovering around $1000, they most likely have been up for sale a long time. Remember asking prices are not sold prices and many are looking for that one buyer who will do an impulse buy (most likely to regret it later). Check out gun auction companies that are selling Masterpiece revolvers and not GB to find true valuations. Best way to use GB for valuation is to log and search completed auctions only to find sold items. That method will give you a better perspective on values.

Are there K-22s out there worth $1200? The answer is yes, but such an example would have to be near flawless with no wear. Personally, I love to shoot my Masterpiece revolvers, so have no interest in a 100% gun. $600 to $800 will buy you a great gun.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

I think $800 or under for a good condition K22 would be a good deal. The pictured K22 was bought new by my late Father in 1948ish I believe. I'd be hard pressed to put a price on it. Original magna's in background.

Thanks y'all! I'll keep the $600 to $800 range in mind. It helps to have some upper limit in mind when bidding. Of course diverting from it a bit won't hurt. EricR, beautiful gun! I doubt I'd ever part with one like it. To be be honest once I buy a gun it has a forever home. Figure it'll be my nieces problem to figure out what to do with my little gathering of odds and ends.

A couple of more days to go on bid. I may have over bid a bit. I won't be unhappy if I get it, but I probably placed one too many bids. It was at around $650 for many days and I had set my upper limit at around $810. Yesterday, it went beyond it and I raised my limit by a little so I'm still in the running. We'll see what happens. It's supposed to be in 99% finish....so it says anyway.

I'm at my limit on how high I want to go. I'd like to know what y'all think about the gun. It's still bidding, but I could post a link if it doesn't break any etiquette rules.

Good luck with the bidding!
Gets exciting, doesn't it?!

It's easy to get carried away. LOL.

Out of curiosity, in the mid to late 50's about 1957 S&W K-22 Masterpiece had 3 screw plates versus 4 screws earlier (4 screw versus 5), which is more desirable and why?

Mine was $550, found locally in Chico.

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Nice. I have an opportunity for a local one that would probably be in the neighborhood of my online bid with FFL fees and misc included. It would be a wash after running the numbers. So if I get out bid, I could actually have one the next day.

Let me once again make a mental health suggestion. It goes like this: Who cares how much you have to pay for what you want? Buy it.

When tomorrow comes, you're going to get some more money---same goes for the day after that---and the day after that---and----and---and.

Are you going to have what you want tomorrow-----or just the money you didn't spend today----to go along with the money you're going to get tomorrow----and the day after that---and---and---and?

Bottom Line---this time and every time: If it feels good, do it!

Ralph Tremaine

I have 3 K Masterpieces. I have a 4 screw K38, and I believe a 14-4 (K38) and 17-4 (K22) [I could be wrong on the -#]. I believe that if I lettered the Model 14 & 17, they would letter as having the 3Ts, since the box labels are so marked at the factory.

Granted, I am cheap, and my 14 and 17 were purchased new 35 to 40 years ago, but I never paid more than $400 for them. In the late '90s, when I bought my 4 screw K38, I paid about $350. I realize that prices do go up over time, and the introduction of the infernal lock helped boost values, but in my mind, values have inordinately sky rocketed.

It comes down to how badly do you want such and such K22? If you can afford it, and the available K22s are not a bumper crop, buy it, I doubt that you will regret it. If I were looking for a "shooter", I would not gravitate towards a high 90% model, but maybe 80-95%, since wear continues as you shoot it.

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Judge control not gun control!

Online is a bit more difficult for me to judge. My wife's 1957 K-38 we bought at a gun show. It was like $630 out the door. It turned out to be a very nice shooting gun. It makes me look good. I like them to look nice, but not perfect since every gun we have is meant for shooting as well. This one will go to the range, to me it's what a gun is for. We have enough to rotate the guns we shoot so it might get some rest. How does Federal Automatch fare in these K22:s? I only ask because it's what I have the most of.

"How does Federal Automatch fare------?"

It is my experience each individual gun, be it a S&W/Colt/Ruger/you name it, has it's own unique preference when it comes to what it likes to eat---same as you and I.

More to the point of what gun likes what ammo, a SOUND decision can be made ONLY with a machine rest. Such a device will require an investment of $4-500. You will soon learn that $4-500 is the best gun money you ever spent. You will, as they say, come to wonder how you ever got along without one. The answer, of course, is you didn't get along---you only thought you did. The mind is a wonderful thing---except when it's deprived of necessary input.

Ralph Tremaine

True, true.

I did mention those things. There are other options out there. Bob

Thanks for that Bob. I'm a bit over $800 and no plan to bid further. If someone wants it for more than my bid fine. I'll expand my search. I already have one in mind, perhaps not as nice but that's okay. I love to collect different guns, but above all I love to shoot them!

And I've found a few more sites and even local stores to checkout!

If your going to pay on the high side for what you think a guns worth, do it on a gun in hand not risking a online gun.
Now if its a rare or uncommon gun thats a different animal.

Consider buying a gun on the forum. Much greater odds of satisfaction and most sellers will discuss a return policy.

Better odds and a more resonable chance to return it if

You must have missed the one I won about a week and a half ago on GB. Only two bids on it, the original bidder and mine. Should be here tomorrow evening.


http://www.gunbroker.com/item/669677334

Yes, missed it then. But, saw it later after it sold. You got a great deal, congrats!

True. I much prefer touching and seeing it first. On the occasions I have used auction sites I've been satisfied. My though is I'm buying an old gun and it won't be perfect. Good warning and advice. I'll have to look at the buy and sell options here. Being new here I was not familiar with the forum. I'll admit to being a bit enthusiastic in my bid, but chances are good I won't be outbid. If I am, I'll get another chance to bid wiser. I appreciate y'alls advice. Thanks.

I totally agree about having 1 in hand before you buy! FORTUNATELY, almost every online purchase of used Smiths that came to me, exceeded my expectations! No clinkers yet. Bob

Well the one I was bidding on just went over my limit. Congrats to whoever outbid me. For me I'll keep looking. Might pop by one of my local stores.

Plan B. Not perfect, available, local and for range use. Some wear near muzzle, timing and movement tight, crown great, bore not perfect, and general appearance fine. I'll have to take it to the range to see how it shoots.

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Few more pictures.

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That's a good looking revolver and you should get a lot of enjoyment out of it!

I bought it to shoot. It's not perfect. I'll see if it shoots nicely then I'll be 100 percent satisfied. I'm sure it will okay. Looks like there has been an obstruction down the barrel. Nothing I could feel or see on the outside, but a light inside shows some damage. It's over an inch from the crown. The lands and grooves look good except for that one spot. The trigger break and everything else about it is just perfect. It's going to be range gun.

I couldn't tell what it was but something looked amiss in the photo. Usually I write it off as bad photo, lighting or weak eyes. But since you pointed it out I thought I'd comment.

Don't get in a hurry to buy today what you may find better tomorrow. If the barrel has an issue then wait especially at the price you've alluded to.

I wasn't looking for a K22 and had recently sold the one I had but in June this one from Jan, 1952 found me for less than what your willing to pay. What I'm saying is there is one out there that when you see it you'll know that's the one you're supposed to have.

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Dan
Ps 96 SWCA 2930 SWHF 524

Sent you a private message but I see you already bought a gun.

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Forum consigliere

It wasn't as high a price as mentioned earlier a bit over $700. All in all I want to shoot it and it shouldn't change the accuracy by my understanding. I'll get another one later most likely at a gun show. I'm not planning on selling this one though. I can't feel anything on the outside or even see it. It's not really an issue I'm too concerned about. I just thought I'd mention it. Even though I'm extremely careful I won't be too unhappy if a round gets stuck and I have to take a brass dowel to it. Like I said looks fine and for range shooting perfectly okay. I'll let y'all know how it shoots later. Perhaps this weekend if I have time.

I inspected my purchase yesterday and was torn. But, my judgement said to take it back; the store has a three day return policy. The store is huge and had four or five more, way more premium priced Pre 17 model K-22s. They re inspected my purchase and agreed with my suspicion. I was offered my money back, but I chose to exchange it for another one which they reduced the price down from their original. So a discount and instant gratification won out over continued search. It's a bit older than the previous, but inline with what I was looking for. Perhaps a bit older 40's. So perhaps I'll drop by a range tomorrow.

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So is this a 1947? K 13xxx number.

Nice score! SN confirming 1947 DOB. Also confirmed by the single line factory frame nomenclature visible in your photo. Might want to check for all the serial numbers a match. The only tilt I observe is a later vintage hammer. These early postwar Masterpieces my favorite vintage of an altogether great series! My own earliest SN K106xx and a bit too nice to shoot, Have a few later ones for that!
Congrats and...
My take

Addendum: For a pix of the correct hammer for your gun, check the post below: "K-22 purchase?" By "retnavyshooter".

Now that looks better. I hope you enjoy it!

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Dan
Ps 96 SWCA 2930 SWHF 524

I have been looking for a good K22 shooter for about 6 months, most are over priced. Found one in about 65% with the wrong year target grips. Very tight and mechanically fine. paid $500. A bit much perhaps with the wrong grips serial dates it to 1948. In CA things are about $100 more than they should be. In looking for a K22 bought a 1961 Model 53 8 1/4" with the 22LR cylinder box and inserts, also a 22/32 Bekhart style from 1916 these things get addictive..

Let me make a suggestion about bidding strategy: Don't bid anything until it's time to buy the item.

An auction is a competition---ergo there are competitors---and most competitors are competitive. Makes sense, right? So---if/when you raise a bid on something (before it's time to buy), you just jumped ahead of all your competitors. Competitors react to being out of the lead by trying to get back into the lead. Multiply what you just read by how many ever competitors there are. What has been accomplished by all this competitive furor (also known as "much ado about nothing")? That's right---nothing---other than to drive the price up. It pretty much figures you didn't want to drive the price up---so why'd you do it? I know---it seemed like a good idea at the time.

The time to buy the gun is the time to buy the gun.

By the way, this applies to any/all auctions---and especially to Gun Broker (with their "15 Minute Rule"----which allows you to do whatever you want to do---including save yourself).

The moral of this story is: Given the option, always strike from ambush. Never let them see you coming.

Ralph Tremaine

Precisely and well said!

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Live and learn, lol.

My 1947 K22 #K43XX is almost flawless.. l don't think any of the screws

have been turned since it left Springfield... Everything looks almost UNFIRED..

Just one BIG flaw.. lt has considerable wear on one side of the cylinder,

grip, and muzzle... Gun twas found UNDER a drawer in an old dresser..

0ld dressers had a thin wooden shelf between drawers... 0bviously mine

laid under a drawer for many years.. The one sided wear coming from the

movement of drawer being pulled out, then pushed back in.. l really prefer

the almost matte blue finish of these older 40s revolvers. Finish closely

matches the later Highway Patrolman. l also have an almost new Model 14-1.

A 4 screw gun dating from app 1964...Bright shiny bluing on it. l prefer the older matte