Hi guys and gals I need a little help dating my new purchase of a S&W K22 ser#K265549, 6" barreled revolver(I think 1956-57?). Also wondering what type of target hammers were available for this model ? It came to me with a hump back type wide target hammer case colored as well a standard grooved trigger case colored.The gun is about 95% condition and unfortunately came with mismatched K Target football relieved square but grips that need to be replaced with appropriate magnas. The gun shoots like a dream and chambers are real tight which I guess makes it so accurate!I payed $400 Canadian wich is a steal up here, thanks for all who reply, cheers Dale in Canada

Sounds like a nice gun from late 1955. The available factory target hammer would have a .500" spur and was an option at that time, before the target trigger was available. The "humpback" style was seen first on pre-war N frames like the Registered Magnum, and looks very different than a K target, with a narrow spur and a convex (instead of concave) top contour.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Here is a picture of mine #K258XXX. It shipped in April 1956 according to S&W letter. The Target grips are the correct grips for mine and they are usually not numbered. Is yours a 5-screw or 4-screw?

Dale, congratulations! Everybody needs a classic Pre-Model 17, the world's best .22 revolver.

Can you post photos? Alan is correct that the hammer you mentioned would not be a true humpback hammer, but I'd be interested to see what actually came on your gun.

Don't be too quick to give up on the mismatched football target stocks. That pattern was available when your gun was shipped, and some of us think the target stocks both look and feel better on the Masterpiece revolvers than the standard magnas.

I don't have a postwar K-22 with a target hammer, but the hammer would look like the one on this 1950 K-38. The firing pin is in the frame on the .22, of course.

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David Wilson

DCWilson my hammer looks exactly yours on your K-38 and it also measures .500" wide! I got the gun from an estate with an FN mauser 30-06 with double set triggers$500 and a BRNO SXS 16ga from 1958 for $400 and all the guns are imaculate and all original, I was just unsure as the grips are not numbered to the gun, and it seemed unlikely that the fellow replaced the grips? The grips are marked KT.357 with LH 5950 below this? It is a 5 screw as I always like the guns with these features. Murphydog & Redmond I really appreciate the photo and info.The registration is the 4 line type,has the small type one line barrel markings, I guess I will have to letter this to go along with my 8.75" RM!! They look great together and show what S&W could put out, a real quality gun for a fair price! thanks again to everyone, cheers dale Z in Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada