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04-03-2010, 08:43 AM
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Shortening K-22 Barrel
I aquired a 70's vintage K-22 with an 8 3/8" barrel. Can this be economically shortened to 6" with the sight moved back? This gun was under water during Hurricane Katrina and most of the finish is gone. No rust or pitting just NO finish at all.
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04-03-2010, 09:03 AM
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I would think you would be better off just buying a six inch model. The 8 3/8 is somewhat scarce. Having said that, fitting a six inch barrel to your revolver would be a ton cheaper than having a gunsmith shorten that tube.
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04-03-2010, 09:34 AM
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You'll have to do some shopping around to see what the prices are for bbl shortening work. It also must include properly moving the original front site back and any refinishing work you desire.
Prices are all over the map for custom work as are the quality of the finished products.
For example, Hamilton Bowen charges $325/$395 to shorten a factory S&W barrel as a separate chore from one of his package custom jobs.
Thats probably at the top of the rate chart for that work but it gives you some idea of where it can lead.
The upside is that, assuming the barrel/cylinder gap is good on the original,,no extra work need be done there. Not always the case with a replacement barrel of unknown history. A replacement may even require a setback operation,,more $$.
Replacement 6" K22 bbls are around & they usually don't come cheap. But once in a while a decent one can be had for a real fair price,,especially if you're not looking for a collectors finish on it.
Your old 8 3/8" tube would be worth something to sell of course.
There'll probably be others by here with gunsmith recommendations that can do the work along with some prices and contact info.
If it was mine and I was going to shorten it,,I'd go for a 5" barrel. Something a little different and one of the handiest bbl lengths around on a S&W.
Sometimes you just end up with more into these projects than you could buy a decent unmolested one for.
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04-03-2010, 10:26 AM
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Not an 8 3/8 barrel fancier myself
I would vote for shortening your existing barrel-any replacement would be more expensive and the finish wouldn't match. I agree with the previous posters five inch length suggestion.I would talk to a few local gunsmiths for an estimate.
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04-03-2010, 10:30 AM
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I would send it to Smith and ask them to put a 6" barrel on it and also refinnish it at the same time.
Then you would have a nice gun.
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04-03-2010, 10:40 AM
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In my first post I forgot to add that the topstrap has been drilled and tapped for a Burris pistol scope mount. I see this as a shooter only. I have a Mod. 63 stainless with a five inch barrel and you are right it is handy. Maybe I'll go with that.
I'm open to any gunsmith recommendations.
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04-03-2010, 10:52 AM
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I like the 5" idea. Let us know. I finaly found a 6" 22 Masterpiece a few weeks ago. I was riding that horse hard. It did seem to me the 8 3/8" guns for the most part were up to $200.00 cheaper than a K-22 in 6". You might be the trend setter with 5" and Nickel......
Last edited by model70hunter; 04-03-2010 at 12:24 PM.
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04-03-2010, 11:17 AM
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The gun is a shooter anyway and the above suggestions are all good. I would probably send it to S&W and have them do the work and a finish of my choice as they do great work. They will also check the gun for any damage and change things like springs if it needs them.
The 8 3/8 barrels are rarer then the 6 inch but on the ones I've bought the pricing was very close to the same if in like condition for the model 17's. This of course may be different on K22's that are in excellent condition because then we are talking collector guns. My model 17-4 with 6 inch barrel and my model 17-4 with 8 3/8 inch barrel both ran me $550 out the door and they were in excellent condition.
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04-03-2010, 02:10 PM
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I generally advise AGAINST modifying or refinishing a gun but in this case I would seriously consider it.
I would cut it to 5" if it were me. The 5" is way high on the cool factor, nobody has one, and would look great.
I would have it nickel plated but again that's me. A nice reblue would also work.
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04-03-2010, 05:12 PM
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As long as we're building this thing,,throw on a set of ivorys..
I like the nickel plate idea. Plus it would completely hide any holes filled in the top strap if the prep was done right.
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04-04-2010, 08:13 AM
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Since we're all contributing such great ideas here, howz-about hard chroming or Metalife-ing that unique, soon-to-be 5" K22? You could make it even more indestructible than it already is and in a few years we can all pontificate on that newly found, rarely seen, and yet mysteriouly mis-marked "stainless" prototype. If you could wrangle some kind of a Douglas MacAurther provenance with it, and get Iggy to be your negotiator, you could conceivably live off of the book rights.
Seriously, great ideas here and good luck resurrecting it. -S2
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04-04-2010, 09:08 AM
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Damn... now I'm thinking how cool that 17-3 I have been trying to sell would look with a 5" tube.
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04-04-2010, 07:38 PM
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Have a GOOD revolversmith cut the barrel to 5 inches. Do not remount the front sight and base yet. Then, have it refinished in nickel. Then, have the front sight base and front sight blade, refinished in blue, put back on.
THAT would be cool!
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04-04-2010, 07:43 PM
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I'm with BUFF on this one.
WILDPIG
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05-04-2010, 09:59 AM
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Update on the project: The K-22 is in the hands of a gunsmith with plans for the following work, cut barrel to 5", repair holes in topstrap by welding up and machining back to original configuration. I think i want this to be a walkabout gun so I plan to have Birdsong give it a Black-T finish. The gunsmith is trying to talk me into round butting it but I haven't made up my mind on that. He has a few months backlog so I've got time to decide. What do you think? Have you seen a K-frame round butt?
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05-04-2010, 10:03 AM
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Sell the gun you have and buy the gun you want. Always faster, cheaper and easier.
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05-04-2010, 10:19 AM
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since you are gettin' all this great advice on spending your money... I'll try and help ??? I don't care for the round butt unless 2 - 3" barrel. longer lengths need square butt. round butt is for shooting lower than eye level, square butt requires sighting... of course, you can do as you wish... this is your dream not mine... I have a 6" but am wondering if I can find a "fixer-uper"... the 5" in nickel sounds too good... do you know you started something???
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05-04-2010, 10:31 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SaxonPig
Sell the gun you have and buy the gun you want. Always faster, cheaper and easier.
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I agree with Pig 100%. Don
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05-04-2010, 12:44 PM
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5",parkerized, and combat grips.
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05-04-2010, 03:02 PM
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As long as he's welding, another concept would be to elliminate the target feature and build an M&P 22rf.
Remove the target rear sight and weld up the frame cut, re-profile to M&P style. Remove the barrel rib, leave enough at the muzzle to form a sight base and pin in a nice partidge gold bead blade,, properly sighted for the new frame fixed rear sight of course.
Might be able to reuse the original with some rework.
We like spending your money!
How 'bout a Pinto finish.....
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Tags
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bowen, gunsmith, k-22, k-frame, k22, masterpiece, model 17, parkerized, pinto, round butt, scope |
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