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S&W Revolvers: 1961 to 1980 3-Screw PINNED Barrel SWING-OUT Cylinder Hand Ejectors WITH Model Numbers


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Old 07-23-2017, 09:08 PM
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Default K-22 variation question

I was looking over my S&W K-22 this evening and noticed that it is marked "17-2" on the inside of the crane and I'd always believed it to be a 17-3 as per Standard Catalog of S&W and a Jenna letter which states that my 17-3 was shipped from the factory on June 26, 1968. Anyone else have a revolver with odd characteristics like that? Standard Catalog states that the 17-3 began in 1967 so I find it strange that my revolver is marked 17-2 a year after they made the transition. Any input/info is appreciated.
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Old 07-23-2017, 09:27 PM
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Perfectly normal. Sometimes a frame was made, assembled late or stuck in the back of a shelf in the vault and not pulled out of inventory for sale until later produced guns were sold.

"Jinks" must have auto-corrected to "Jenna", unless he changed his name .
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Old 07-23-2017, 09:40 PM
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Thanks for the reply and it makes sense.

Damn auto-correct.
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Old 07-23-2017, 09:46 PM
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The dates of engineering revisions mentioned in the SCSW refer to when a firearm is manufactured, not when it was shipped

You may be confusing the date the firearm shipped (what is on your letter) with the date the firearm was actually manufactured.

While in modern times these two dates are usually close together, in the olden days it could have been weeks, months, years or more between these two events.

As murphydog states, a serialized frame might have been assembled late, or possibly the firearm was fully manufactured but that model was not in demand at the time and it sat on the shelves or various other reasons.

I have a revolver that lettered as shipped from the factory approximately 20 years after it was manufactured.
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Old 07-23-2017, 11:46 PM
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The difference between a late production 17-2 and an early production 17-3 is the location of the front mounting screw on the rear site leaf and IIRC there was some overlap in production .
Since the 17-2 and 17-3 rear site leaf would not interchange it prompted a revision change to designate different parts used between the two.

On a side note IIRC moving the front mounting screw was for the Model 19 and not really necessary for the K-22, K-32 or K-38.

When the K frame (pre 19) was adapted to fire the .357 Magnum cartridge for the new Combat Magnum in 1955 it necessitated lengthening the K frame .357 cylinder and shortening the barrel forcing cone protrusion into the frame.

Unfortunately this placed the site leaf screw directly under the cylinder / barrel gap .

In order to fix this situation the factory relocated the mounting screw hole and in doing so made it so the rear site leafs used on the 19-2, 18-2, 16-2, 14-2 etc and their dash 3 counterparts would not interchange .

Last edited by Engine49guy; 07-24-2017 at 12:04 AM.
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Old 07-24-2017, 12:50 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Engine49guy View Post
The difference between a late production 17-2 and an early production 17-3 is the location of the front mounting screw on the rear site leaf and IIRC there was some overlap in production.

Since the 17-2 and 17-3 rear site leaf would not interchange it prompted a revision change to designate different parts used between the two.
This is all true.

Quote:
On a side note IIRC moving the front mounting screw was for the Model 19 and not really necessary for the K-22, K-32 or K-38.
I don't think this part is accurate, Engine49guy. In comparing a Model 14-2 and a 14-3 in my collection, the sight leaf screw on the -2 is directly above the barrel/cylinder gap. Exactly where it should not be. On the -3 it is moved away from that location, and is no longer in any danger of being affected by flame cutting. So it seems the problem was not solely with the Model 19.
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Old 07-24-2017, 02:04 PM
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I have a model 48, that by serial number should be a -3 but is marked in the crane as a no dash. I suspect the same thing happened to mine as yours. An older frame was used and no one updated the dash stamp. Guess what it shoots great. I am sure yours does too.
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Old 07-24-2017, 02:15 PM
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Glenn- yes, my K-22 shoots much better than I do.
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