For your favorite, most frequently used K-22 shooter (Masterpiece or Outdoorsman, Model 17 or pre-17... but not your safe queens), what grips do you have on that gun right now.

++++++++++

EDIT: For other grips not listed, please specify below. Thanks!

Pre-17. Hogue rubber mono-grips.

__________________
BT
EGO VOLUNTAS HAUD OBEDIO

The K22 that I have was inherited by me from my father. He purchased it new in the 50's, I still have the original receipt. It is still wearing the original grips it was shipped from S&W with. It has been fired a gazillion times over the last 60 or so years and is still one of my favorite shooters. I honestly don't what style of grips it actually has on it.

If you will allow a model 18, it wears the wood targets. If, or maybe I should say, when I acquire a K22 it will wear wood targets, too.

My k22 Masterpieces wear Executioner's full bark stag grips with "old new stock" Pachmayr t-grips...........

Same for my "to nice to shoot" Model 18.

My K22 Combat Masterpiece (57) wears a set of customized factory grips ........ factory targets w/ football cut out .....grips have been shortened by 3/8" and given a PC rounded butt. I like the proportions of grip to gun!

TTSH I'm kinda; outside the box.........................

My 617 no dash is my most often fired K frame .22 or K-22. It has not been in a holster in along time. Despite the embarrassment I'll be honest and admit that it is wearing a wood Hogue Monogrip checkered Big Butt with no finger grooves. I should whittle off the big butt but the locals have gotten used to seeing it and I can not bring myself to whittle on Hogue's most expensive grip. One of these days I'll buy one with the checkering and no finger grooves without the big butt.

The majority of my K-22s are wearing factory Targets. While they are pretty good with low recoil revolvers they open my smaller fingers too much and do not have checkering where it is most needed--the back and front straps.

Edit to add: After reading the original post a second time I realized that a 617 is not on TTSH's list. I think all the K-22s I have that are on the list are wearing factory Targets. Regardless of their barrel length, type of steel or age I call all K frame .22s K-22s.

As much as I appreciate the broader participation and input on the other K-frames, for my own selfish research purposes (yes, there is a point to all this!), I'm most interested in the traditional, blued, 6" barrel (or longer) K-22 classics! And, as noted above, only what's on your most frequently used traditional K-22 shooter. I don't want to muddy up the waters with valuable "as-new-in-factory box" safe queens which are simply "as-delivered"... I want to know what you're actually shooting!

More later...

I've got my 1st K22, new in 1964. I have small hands and always
shoot two handed. So mine has S&W Targets. I have other K22s
all but 2 have S&W Tagets. One has original Magnas, and one
with Magnas & Tyler. Over the years have tried Pachs but always
go back to S&W Targets. I have the same on K38s.

Diamond magnas and they are far too small for me lol

1951 K-22. It has diamond targets of the correct vintage but not original to the gun. The original grips are in the box. Too small.

__________________
----
Tod Glenn

Since my present choice isn't in the survey list, I'll post here - my 5-screw K-22 presently has a set of buffalo horn magna-style grips on it, preserving the original diamond magnas in their excellent condition. My 4-screw model 48 has a set of late production S&W semi-targets on it, again to preserve the pristine diamond magnas.

My M17-4 has target grips and a target trigger I installed.
Shoots great!
post a picturecertificity.com

__________________
Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

I have target grips on both of mine as well.

__________________
I reckon so

My K22 wears a set of target grips. I also have targets on my Model 18ND and Model 67ND. The target grips fit my hand better than the magnas.

__________________
Wheel guns are real guns.

None of the above. My favorite girl wears stag.

__________________
Dave

The red ramp looks neat on that!

It looks like a taller rear sight blade would better match it to you.

1930s K22 with original service grips an a Tyler T Grip.

Two have Hogues.

At least one has the old Roger's or Safariland hard composition grip.

Two have S&W Target stocks.

The pre-WWII has it's original stocks.

I think that's all....

but admittedly, wood and rubber do have their uses.

__________________
Dave

Well, 53 votes so far and the pattern is probably set.

S&W target grips edged out Magna grips (including Magna's with Tyler-T) but not by a super-large percentage.

Aftermarket wood grips were the next most popular (but way behind in voting relative to S&W grips) followed by rubber grips. This doesn't include the custom non-wood grips, of course. I never set-up these polls 100% right.

And again, just as a reminder, I asked for your most popular shooter K-22 only... so I hope the data are good.

What was I trying to accomplish here? Two things.

In my endless search for the "right" K-22, I have gotten a lot of advice from sellers about grips. One very common suggestion: Unless it's a prized collectible for the safe, change those Magnas to target grips right away. I guess the poll results show that more members *do* apparently prefer target grips over Magnas on their K-22 shooters. The underlying point of these sellers has essentially been to ignore the condition (or mismatch) of the Magna's because you won't want to use them anyway. Okay.

The other point was about aftermarket grips. This gets a little squirrelly because they vary so much, but the idea was put forward more than once that aftermarket grips make more sense on a K-22 shooter than going with S&W target grips or Magna's... so I wanted to see how many members agreed with that idea. Some for sure, but clearly not a majority. And as you might have already figured out, those sellers with K-22's wearing aftermarket grips were big advocates for... (wait for it)... aftermarket grips.

Such is life. The endless search continues.

Herrett's Shooting stars checkered, for small hands I think they are preferable to other grips especially factory targerts.
JMHO/YMMV

My Mid 70's M17-4 came in the box with Magnas and std trigger and hammer.
I've upgraded to football Targets.

K-22 and it's K-38 partner.

__________________
Eccentric old coot

My Outdoorsman wears service style stags. The originals are safely stored.

Regards,

Tam 3

My vote reflects what is on my Md 17-3 and there you will find the OEM factory targets. However, they really are too big for my hand but I don't plan to change them as I love the look and I really don't shoot it all that much.

I shoot my Md 18 more than my 17 and mine is wearing the OEM diamond magnas without grip adapter. I actually prefer these stocks over the targets. And I'm sure they would fit me just a bit better if I installed a grip adapter but I'm not fond of the looks.

And for full disclosure, my most frequently shot .22 is my High Standard Victor.

__________________
I'm gonna grow fins.

All my K-22s Masterpieces and Combat Masterpieces have Magnas except the well worn 18-2 with Targets. When I reach for one it's the 18-2.

My 8 3/8 in model 48 wears original targets. Gun has rode a lot of miles in a Jeep. Always carried 3 hp's and 3 CCI snake shot.

I purchased a 17 and a 48 in the mid-70's both new. Each had magnas but shortly after I took a set of period targets off another K and put them on the 22. After I bought the 48, I purchased a complete cylinder with ejector from the Smith factory and had it fitted. Hence, two 22lr's with different grips. I shoot both, the 17 more, so it wears the targets.

I like the feel of magnas, however after an hour or so at the range, they begin to feel uncomfortable. Candidly, neither grip is ideal. Today's rubber, tapered grips that come with new SS 10 and 6 round chambers are far superior to the wood versions, but I can't get myself to modernize these classic shooters yet.

You know, I have never shot my 17 and 48 side by side for accuracy. It would be interesting to see if the 48 with fitted 22lr cylinder will shoot with my 17. Think I will do so and perhaps report the results if anyone is interested. Jim