Greetings, I have recently fell in love with the older K22's and have purchased a pre-17 yet to be delivered hence no photos and a pre-18 likewise. In my pursuit of these revolvers I have also come across the Outdoorsman and have yet to understand what the true difference between the K22 and the Outdoorsman. I did go through the archives and now understand they were the first .22 L/R made by S&W and that the Outdoorsman can in a long and short action and that there is also some differences in the finish of the early to later Outdoorsman but I am wondering if that is it. Please feel free to let me know if I am mistaken or elaborate on what differences are known to those who have been into both of these models. My purpose for asking is to determine whether I want to buy yet another .22 L/R as I presently own 3 model 18's and the K22 in both 4" and 6". Thank You!

Well, the Outdoorsman is a K-22; just not a later model, the Masterpiece.

The older long action gun had the prewar style adjustable rear sight. The very late prewar K-22 (the first Masterpiece, aka the K-22/40) had the first version of the click adjustable or Micrometer rear sight. Somewhere between 1000-1200 (?) of these were built and these were (edited) ‘short’ action.

And to your question as to whether you need another K-22 or .22 CM - what do you think we will say? Enjoy the search.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

I tend to agree with Alan on most everything. But I think he is wrong about the action on the K-22/40. From what I have read, it is the first short throw action made by S&W. Anyway, there have been essentially 3 versions of the K-22. The first model was called the K-22 Outdoorsman's Revolver. It had a Patridge front sight and two screw adjustable for windage rear blade. It was a long-throw action. The 2nd Model K-22 (K-22/40) Masterpiece had a Patridge front sight and a microclick adjustable rear blade. It had a short-throw action. Neither had a serrated barrel rib. The 3rd model was the post-war K-22 Masterpiece which introduced the serrated barrel rib and the post-war version, with hammer block safety, "speed hammer" or short throw action. Of course there are other K frame .22 LR revolvers, but those probably shouldn't be called a K-22 because they are different models.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

K-22 Outdoorsman first model: Long action, pre-war style adjustable rear sight, no rib on the barrel.
K-22 Outdoorsman second model: Short cocking action, modern click adjustable rear sight, no barrel rib. Very scarce gun, only a few produced 1940'ish before the war stopped commercial production. K-22 pre-model 17 production resumed after WW2, same as the second model Outdoorsman but now called the Target Masterpiece and features a barrel rib. Pretty much stayed in this configuration for the next 50 years and going through the same 5- screw to 4-screw to 3-screw changes and change to model numbers as the rest of the revolver line. As for finish, the Outdoorsman and the rest of the the pre-war revolvers had a carbonia blue finish (as opposed to hot dip salt blue which came post war) and some of the finest metal polishing work to be found. I'm not certain when the change from carbonia blue to hot dip occured, someone here will though. Same change in process happened at Winchester, Colt and others. I think I have the basics correctly stated but someone more knowledgable than me will step in with more detail.
BTW there is an ad for k-22's currently in our Trading Post that includes first and second model outdoorsman samples as well as K-22's of different vintage if you want to see what they look like.

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Hand tighten only

Guy, I don’t have a K-22/40 - photos of them have the visible pin under the thumb piece so I thought they are long action. One of the owners of the 1000 may be along shortly.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

A few years ago, I passed on buying one at Atlanta Cabelas for $850. Been kicking myself ever since.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Good thing you aren’t double jointed!

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

A couple of clarifications:

All the K22 sights are adjustable for both windage and elevation:

those on the "K22 1st Model - Outdoorsman" (and only K22 Outdoorsman also known at the factory as the K22/38 for the .38 frame), with one, and after 1932, two elevation screws.

the "K22/40 (for 1940) 2nd Model-1st Model Masterpiece"*,

and the post war "K22 3rd Model - 2nd Model Masterpiece" with "speed lock".

* A unique 1st version of the Micro Click sight but without a grooved tang; fitted flush to the top strap like all other pre war sights.


There is no official target Masterpiece, only the Masterpiece (6") and the Combat Masterpiece (4").



The K22/40 does have the "Speed Lock", short action, hammer with notch on the backside (that is why it was not available with a Humpback Hammer per the S&W catalog), and also has the first trigger stop.



Of the three, only the post war 'K22 2nd Model Masterpiece" has the grooved (not serrated) original narrow barrel rib.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Pre war and post war K-22's are totally different guns.
IIRC the Earliest (1931) K22 Outdoorsmans revolvers all came with service stocks and have a smooth rear site with 1 front mounting screw and 1 elevation scew, these are usually found with a Gold bead fs, all had a small L side. TM.
At some point the fs insert changed to SS and the rear site unit had a small set screw added, these had the small L side TM until around 1937 ish when it changed to a large R side TM.
SW offered a few options like a grip adapter for use with service stocks, a taller full checkered (on top) "Humpback" hammer and later Magna stocks.
The K22-40 " Masterpiece" was basicly the same revolver as the OD but with 2 big changes, first was a totally new "Micro click" rear site unit ( still smooth on top) it also required a slightly taller fs blade to go with it, the other was a new "Short action" hammer with raised stop notch, IIRC they are otherwise the same, most are found with pre war style Magna stocks , all have the large R side TM.
Note, pre war guns had a bright blue high polish finish.

The post war K22 Masterpiece ( not target masterpiece) is very different than pre war guns, introduced in 1946 early examples began shipping in early 1947 with the new narrow raised rib barrel, short action "High Speed" hammer (aka Fishhook hammer", the rear site unit is grooved to match the barrel rib, post war Magna stocks have a new checkering pattern, earliest examples have the "barrel tip" ejector rod (LERK) and have a one line MADE IN USA frame stamp like the pre war guns, standard post war finish now changed to "Satin blue".

The consistent thing about the SW K22 series was change with small things changing every year or two, that's what makes them so much fun to collect.

There is not a second model Outdoorsman.

bdGreen

Tap on image to enlarge.

Well I learned something today, thank you. I've never heard of a K22/40. Makes sense. My S&W Standard Catalog just calls it Model K-22 Masterpiece Pre-War 2nd Model. That's a mouthful, I'll go with K-22/40.

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Hand tighten only

Also, the Outdoorsman was the first K-frame .22. The M-frame "Ladysmith" and the I-frame 22/32 were produced from early in the 20th century.

Grooved sounds good to me but...

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Below are two 1940 Catalogs opened to the same page.

One on left is earlier printing showing the long action OD.
One on the right New Masterpiece with the short throw.

Rich:

I love the grips on that beauty. I don’t recall seeing them before. Can we get a few more photos???

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

So the earlier edition of the 1940 catalog still has the Outdoorsman but they call just call it the Target? In the newer ad, what the heck is a "French 75"?

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Hand tighten only

I have a couple more but on a different K22
Took them off the OD as I like these grips on a short action gun. The trigger falls better on a short action.

Just checked my 1939 catalog and they refer the 38/44 as an OD but only a Target in 22. Not really sure why no K22OD title

Not seeing your french 75

I believe the French 75 was a cannon. The reference being the strength of the build of the new Masterpiece.

Just a little marketing bling...

bdGreen

Third line down on the right hand catalog, "Made with the rugged precision of a French 75". A cannon makes sense. Pretty obscure reference today.

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Hand tighten only

20210501_014713.jpg

20210501_014821.jpgWell
Here's an earlier take on the Masterpiece
namesake being applied to the one of S&W's
nicest Target models ever produced..
This is a take on the subject from April of 1932 American Rifleman Magazine just a few months after the 38/44
Outdoorsman was first introduced..
Here's some pictures with a prominent
writer describing the the New N Frame 38/44
Outdoorsman as S&W 's newest Masterpiece..
If some member could orient my pictures
correctly It would be appreciated😁
Best Randy...

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I guess I did ok not knowing what I was buying, a s&w 1948 k22 target masterpiece 6” blue with the orginal screwdriver, cleaning rod, gold box. She’s a looker and a keeper.

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Plant garlic in the fall

The most common current use of “French 75” is the name of a mixed drink. Somehow, the term doesn’t seem as appropriate to the youngsters as to those of us grey beards who have a knowledge of the World Wars.

I was going to correct the OP on his statement about the Outdoorsman being the “first” S&W in 22 LR, but somebody beat me to it. I’ll add that when the I frame 22 was added to the line it was eventually referred to as the “Heavy Frame Target” Model because it succeeded the petite Model M. The HFT next to a K frame still looks pretty delicate, though.

Froggie

Modele de Soixante-Quinze

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Allow me to simplify this situation, if I may------------

The K-22 (Outdoorsman) is the first (regular production) .22 Long Rifle target grade revolver made on the K frame. A subjective evaluation suggests it's the prettiest of all.

The K-22 (Masterpiece) is the second one. It's life was interrupted (cut short actually) by WWII, so there are comparatively few of them---and that "bdGreen" fellow up there owns most of them, and has forgotten more about them than the rest of us know. It has a different action, and different sights than the first one---never mind these two look pretty much alike (from a distance).

I forget what they call the third one (other than the third one), but it's the first one to come along after WWII. It's readily distinguishable by the fact it has a rib on top of the barrel----and it looks cheap compared to the second one----and really cheap compared to the first one.

The fourth one came after the third one, and it's readily distinguishable from the third one by the fact it has a wider rib on top of the barrel----and the reason for that is a loooooooooong story---and this is supposed to be simple.

That's pretty much the end of the simple part.

Ralph Tremaine

Thanks to all those who were kind enough to share their knowledge on this subject. Raylan