Another K-22 dating thread

[Crimson Caravan]

I plan on getting a factory letter for this gun later, but cannot at the moment. The K-22 was my grandpas and now it's mine. The serial number is "K 254524". I have been doing as much research as I can and as far as I can tell it's made before 1955 because it is a five screw gun, but without getting the factory letter I am having trouble dating it beyond that. I see people in other threads know serial number ranges, but I haven't been able to find out how they know what the serial number ranges are. Sorry, no photos at the moment. Thanks for anyone that can help! Look forward to getting the letter later.

 

[JP@AK]

Welcome to the S&W Forum.

Many of us have compiled data from confirmed ship dates for various models. That's how we are able to make reasonable estimates. But there is no real substitute for a letter from the S&W Historical Foundation for getting the exact date of shipment for a particular revolver.

K-22 Masterpiece, K254524, probably shipped in the Spring of 1956. The four screw frames start showing up in mid- to late-1956.

 

[T112-4]

Remember S&W used shipping date. Firearm may have been made earlier and sat at factory. Letter is the way to know for sure, 1955 K231256-K266164

 

[JP@AK]

Firearm may have been made earlier and sat at factory. Letter is the way to know for sure

A letter is the means of knowing for certain when a particular revolver shipped. It will not tell you when it was assembled.

With very few exceptions, we cannot find out when a particular unit was assembled. Those records simply are not available.

1955 K231256-K266164

That is the serial range slated for assembly that year. However, units were not assembled in serial order. It depended on market demand for particular models and serial number blocks were set aside for the various models. Hence, a particular serial numbered frame may not have actually come down the assembly line in the year that one anticipates. We just have to depend on the shipping records. Actual production/assembly date will remain a mystery and is therefore irrelevant.