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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 06-13-2018, 08:36 PM
MrG5122 MrG5122 is offline
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Default K22 Bright blue

LGS got one in today. Just a hint of muzzle wear. Correct but not original magnas. No box. How uncommon is the bright blue finish? No signs of a refinish. K 250*** serial. Book says 1955.
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Old 06-13-2018, 09:31 PM
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Uncommon on the K22 in the satin era to about 1955. So it's right on the cusp.

Could be factory Bright blue finish special ordered. If so it will have an extra large B following the serial # under the barrel. And an historical letter will confirm.

If no large B it was made after the bright blue finish became standard again.

Both of those contingent upon it still having its factory finish as you posted.
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Old 06-13-2018, 10:17 PM
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Like Jim said its in the transition area ,
IMO if its a narrow rib K22 in bright blue its fairly uncommon (am guessing it is a narrow rib with K250 xxx serial)
While the new weight matched wider rib version appears in the 1950 AMC IIRC those dont seem to ship until mid to late 1955 (my earliest bright blue wide rib is K259xx shipped June 1956).

Last edited by Engine49guy; 06-13-2018 at 10:19 PM.
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Old 06-13-2018, 10:48 PM
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Based upon my personal experience at the time, the Bright Blue was six months uncommon. My first ever brand new in the box store bought S&W is K-22 #K253444, shipped January 10, 1956---and it was "satin" blue---as was every one in the store--and they had them stacked to the ceiling. The fact I wanted Bright Blue was no problem---they'd be glad to take my order, and I could pick it up in six months.

Plan B was put into effect: I took the gun home, packed it up, and shipped it back to Springfield. I had it back in 2-3 weeks----bright and shiny.

Ralph Tremaine

Oh, and it's a wide rib.
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Old 06-13-2018, 10:58 PM
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Ralph your post is interesting since although
"Rule # 1 with S&W is that there are no rules with S&W"
I have never seen a five screw wider rib K22 in satin blue...ever.
Not saying it doesn't exist just saying none have ever surfaced as far as I know.

How sure are you that your gun isnt actually a narrow rib K22 ?
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Old 06-14-2018, 10:07 AM
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How sure am I that my gun isn't actually a narrow rib K-22? An entirely reasonable question.

The answer goes like this: For openers, I have seven K-22's within my collection of S&W target guns---and most of them are different from one another. I have two 1st Models because one of them has a King cockeyed hammer---seemed like ample justification to have two of the same gun. Then there's one 2nd Model. That's followed by two 3rd Models. The justification there is one's a "one liner", and the other's a "four liner"---again, seemed like ample justification. Then there's the 4th Model----the gun in question (which used to be "satin" blue until I had it fixed). Now under normal circumstances, that would be the end of my K-22's because the "5 screw" revolvers is where I choose to stop with my revolvers. In this case, however, I have a "Model 17" K-22 because this fellow owed me some money; and asked if I'd "take it out in trade". Under normal circumstances I wouldn't, but this gun's like new; and I figured I could make an exception because it's at least not one of the "3 screw" abominations that make my teeth hurt. So, anyhow, I'm pretty sure my 4th Model's rib is wider than those on my two 3rd Models----but I can measure it if you'd like. I can measure it in "tenths" if need be (That's four decimal places.), because I have a drawer full of nit-picky measuring stuff left over from when I was a "weekend warrior" playing hero race car driver with a bunch of funny little foreign cars---all of which were "well prepared within the given parameters of the rules"---which is to say to perfection.

Next question?

Ralph Tremaine

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Old 06-14-2018, 11:19 AM
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Just to add some illustration into the thread, some K22 ribs:

Top is sn K11739 from 1948. Third from top, sn K244452 from 1954 (I think); bottom is K533966, a 17-2 from ~1963. Notice the transformation of the ribs prior to the wide rib 17-2.

The third from the top is the closest to the OP's gun and is bright blue with a narrow rib (but not the most narrow). -S2
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Old 06-14-2018, 12:10 PM
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Without being so maladroit as to ask for (precise) measurements of the narrow ribs illustrated above, let me just say my wide rib K-22 (that isn't supposed to be a wide rib) is configured as is the "wide rib 17-2" shown---which is to say it too has borders on either side of the grooved portion. So much for that!!

Now---same church, somewhat different pew-----------I once had a pre-war 357 that was "too small" (Which is to say some parts of it, most notably the barrel were visibly smaller than normal---whatever "normal" is.). It was enough different that I measured it---and some of it's "normal" brethren. Then I called Jinks. His response: "You can't tell anything by that!!" Now--before he said that, he scoffed---and after he said that, he laughed---just to put me in my place.

Ralph Tremaine
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Old 06-15-2018, 11:16 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Speedo2 View Post
Just to add some illustration into the thread, some K22 ribs:

Top is sn K11739 from 1948. Third from top, sn K244452 from 1954 (I think); bottom is K533966, a 17-2 from ~1963. Notice the transformation of the ribs prior to the wide rib 17-2.

The third from the top is the closest to the OP's gun and is bright blue with a narrow rib (but not the most narrow). -S2
Thanks for the replies! The K22 in question has a rib like the bottom one in your photo. It is also a 5-screw.

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Old 06-15-2018, 02:44 PM
Tired Gunsmith Tired Gunsmith is offline
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Bright Blue was an extra cost option ( same price as nickel) and wasn't always marked or cataloged.
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Old 06-15-2018, 04:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tired Gunsmith View Post
Bright Blue was an extra cost option ( same price as nickel) and wasn't always marked or cataloged.
True, as always with S&W one shouldn't say "never" or "always" but the protocol at the time was as follows:

LARGER B FOR BRIGHT BLUE will only appear on guns that had a Satin finish normally, but could be ordered in the optional Bright Blue. It is usually only seen on the various models in the 5 Screw era. It is a larger B than the one used to simply indicate a blued part, and it is a different font- more deluxe with serifs. It is also after the serial number on a barrel or in the barrel shroud, whereas the smaller B that simply meant "Blue" is seen preceding the number.

It appears from early into the post-war era till Bright Blue became standard in the mid 1950s. The example I have is from a Bright Blue K-22 Masterpiece from 1948.
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Old 06-17-2018, 10:52 PM
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Besides measuring the barrel rib a quick and easy way to tell a post war narrow rib K-22 from the wider rib (weight matched) version that supplanted it is by looking at the top strap where the frame meets the barrel,

Narrow rib frames are notched at the front of the topstrap to mate with the narrow rib barrel (center in pic ),

The frame on the wider rib gun has no notch cuts so it will mate to the wider rib barrel ( Right ) Notice the top strap is also bead blasted to reduce glare.

The one at far left is a pre war K-22 with no barrel rib.



Ralph once upon a time I was head over heels collecting K-22 variations although the one that managed to evade me was a post war narrow rib in "Bright Blue",
Sounds like you may have had a very very rare anomoly there with a wide rib five screw K-22 in "Satin blue" as I do not recall ever seeing another like it.

BTW IIRC the 5 screw wide rib K-22 may have had one of the shortest runs for post war 5 screw K-22's not including anomalies like nickel or LERK.

PS looks like Photobucket pics work again ?

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Old 06-17-2018, 11:13 PM
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Well, I wouldn't have messed with it had I known; but what can you expect from a dumb kid?!!

Ralph Tremaine
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