I am looking at 5 screw pre model 18 and would like to know what year it was made. The revolver is in decent shape with minor rust on the trigger and a few nicks on the trigger guard from improper handling/storage. The bore and chambers are in great condition. The serial number is K115xxx. Thanks for any help.

XX78.. Most likely the gun you are looking at was shipped in 1951. At least that is what I can tell from the books I have. Sounds like a good ole vintage .22 in one of the most popular models S&W produced.
If you get it...please post some pics.

Roger

I have no idea it's year of man. but that is something I would love to own some day. A shooter would be perfect. Please give us a peak if you get it. Good luck.

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Cheers!

K115589 (in my safe) shipped September 1951. It would appear that a few K-plus-five-digit Pre-18s shipped in the second half of 1950. A few more came out the next year, but it may not have been until 1952 and later that production increased significantly.

You are looking at an early one, and I think the minor rust on the trigger can probably be addressed successfully. If I were you, I would try hard to make the deal.

And please show photos when you have successfully concluded negotiations.

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David Wilson

This is S/N K1987xx, I was lucky enough to get this from an old shop that is since closed. I had no sooner got it home when the owner called and asked if I'd be interested in selling it back, I've always believed he had put a low figure on it when he showed it to me and realized his screw up as I was walking out with it.
RD

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Got a Phd from Hard Knocks U

i have one in the safe k 2297xx,don't know the year.I picked it up in a pawn shop awhile back,400 otd,no box etc,it's 98 % ,kinda like the one just shown,real nice.does anyone have an idea the rarity and worth of these pre 18's?

made around 1954.
mine is #22977x, pm me and i will tell you how close we are. consecutive??

With access to company records and enough time, we could get a pretty accurate count of the number of Pre-18s that were produced. I once tried to estimate the proportion of Pre-18s to Pre-17s and couldn't get very far. The proportion is probably between 1:5 and 1:20. In any event, Pre-18s are far less commonly encountered than the six-inch barreled revolvers we know as pre-17s.

Let's say there were about 300000 non-model marked K-frames produced. About half of them, or 150,000 would have been .22s, and almost all the rest .38s. (The number of K-32 Masterpieces is so small we can discount them.)

If five percent of the K-22s were Pre-18s, that would mean there were about 7500 of them. If closer to 20 percent, there might have been 30,000.

Don't take this as a serious numerical study. I'm just putting out a crude estimate to show a range of possibilities.

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David Wilson

Well I bought the pre model 18 and have included a couple of not so good pictures. I also picked up a nice model 67 no dash with a stainless rear sight. And a Marlin model 1892 .22 LR made in 1905.
Now I have to figure out how to get the rust spots off of the trigger without removing the case color.

Forgot to thank everyone for the help with the year of manufacture.
Thank you.

XX78, that's a fine looking K-22 revolver. As you probably already know, one is not enough. These K-frame 22 revolvers are very addictive.

I have a pre-18 coming in the mail, due anyday now, sn 124xxx. Would anyone be able give an approx date. Here's a couple of photos I received from the seller.

Regards:
Rod

Try Flitz metal polish on that rusty trigger. Soft cloth, gentle pressure.

Rob

Thanks for the tip I will give it a try.

Rod, your gun may also be of 1951 manufacture based on the closeness of the serial number to xx78's piece, but it also might not have shipped until a year later. S&W had no policy of shipping in serial number order, but they always knew the date on which they shipped a particular S/N. You'd need to letter the gun to get that specific date, but in general you can say yours is likely to have shipped in the early 1950s.

xx78, I'm half afraid that dealing with the rust may compromise the case coloring. If that happens, there are shops that can retreat it for you after it is cleaned up. Possibly soaking the trigger in Kroil or Breakfree for a couple of days would get into the stain enough that you could clean it up with a burlap patch. I just don't know. Good luck.

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David Wilson

I'd recommend Corrosion X. Soak it for a day or two, then wipe down with a cleaning patch (no abrasive) and repeat as necessary. Good luck

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Here are three of mine--the center one wears a set of Keith Brown's superb Ropers and is a very low serial number, K-908XX, placing it at about 1950. Note the flush-polished front sight pins and the slightly flattened front sight--both believed to be original features of very early Combat Masterpiece .22s.

The upper gun sports a set of Kurac's remarkable Coke-styled French Walnut grips. The lower gun is equipped with a vintage pair of diamond targets.

All are good shooters. I like the early post-war subdued finish, too.




Tim

Thanks David