Cabelas K22 with very strange features listed as a .22-32. What the heck is it???

cgt4570

cgt4570

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This was listed this week on Cabela's gun library. They aren't exactly known for their description accuracy when it comes to guns, especially Smiths. Anyway, this is listed as a .22-32. It's clearly a pre-war K22 first model outdoorsman.
(you can tell it's a K from the size of the grip rounds at the top and the sharper knuckle on the back of the frame)
The strange part is that it has a post-war small head ejector rod tip and barrel to match. It has the first model long action and non-micro rear sight, so it isn't a post-war 'Mexican' model. My best guess is that it's a pre-war gun that was sent back for a new barrel in the late '40s, but that's just a guess.
Here's a picture and a link. What is it?
Cabela's -- Gun Details
k22quest.jpg
 
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Hard to tell, but it doesn't look like the barrel and cylinder match the condition of the frame or stocks.
Muzzle looks like it might have been cold blued at one time.
Could they have be installed as a unit?
 
Hey hsguy, where are you! hsguy (John P.) is the only Cabela employee that knows S&Ws and has a pet peeve, as I do, with Cabelas policy of hiring minimum wage drop outs to identify their guns for sale! John's works at an Illinois Cabelas and not at the Minn. Cabelas that is posting this minidenfied K frame for sale, which has it priced at about twice what it's worth! As said above, that gun is definately a K frame and never was close to a .22/32 HE ! Ed.
 
Chris, I agree with your observations and suggestions, and Iggy is on target too. It would be interesting to know if there is a star after the serial number or a rework date under the stocks. And are the barrel and cylinder numbered to the frame?

Good First Models can be had for only a couple of hundred more, so I would think that price is high for a gun with some finish issues and a possible repair/major part replacement in its history. In its favor, this could be a great shooter. The stocks look to be in excellent condition.

And obviously this is not a ribbed barrel, so the replacement would involve a barrel from the parts room that had not yet been milled for a particular ejector rod. The large knobs had all bee used up by late 1947 anyway, so the work on this gun was probably in 1948 or later.
 
Wouldn't a post war barrel be ribbed? To my inexperienced eye,only the ejector knob calls out.
(DC Wilsons response hit first-I stand corrected on the possibility of an old stock barrel unmilled for a large knob)
 
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opoefc said:
Hey hsguy, where are you! hsguy (John P.) is the only Cabela employee that knows S&Ws and has a pet peeve, as I do, with Cabelas policy of hiring minimum wage drop outs to identify their guns for sale! John's works at an Illinois Cabelas and not at the Minn. Cabelas that is posting this minidenfied K frame for sale, which has it priced at about twice what it's worth! As said above, that gun is definately a K frame and never was close to a .22/32 HE ! Ed.
Click to expand...

Ed, I am keeping my head down in case they read this in MN. I agree with previous posters that the gun was probably rebarreled and a new ejector rod installed, can't think of any other reasonable explaination. Ed I do have to defend some of the other Cabela's employees although they missed the mark on this one. Some are very knowledgable about different guns and Smith's happen to be my favorite and I am sure you would agree that I have solicited your generous advice and counsel on many occasions much to my benefit. Perhaps knowing who to ask a question of is as important as having the answer yourself.
 
Just to stir-up a bit more discussion, the barrel and cylinder should be sn'd and I am curious if they match the frame. As mentioned above, the frame, grips, hammer and trigger all appear to be in excellent condition whereas the cylinder and barrel look like they've seen a lot of action and appear to be mismatched to the rest of it. I'm agreeing that it's most likely a repair job; but if done by S&W, I would think that they'd have access to some better condition parts, or at least render them so. Based on the apparent condition of the frame, I'd wonder why the barrel & cylinder would have had to have been replaced. This gun is talking, but I'm not picking up what it's laying down. Just another S&W mystery, I guess. -S2
 
The BBL and cylinder do not match the frames blue. If it was sent back to S&W wouldn't there be a S&W rebuild stamp on the grip frame? Perhaps it started life as a 38 or 32 and some one changed out the bbl and cylinder. It appears to be cold blue. Perhaps done during WW2 due to ammo shortages? I once asked one of my uncles, with the ammo shortages, how did he shoot and hunt during WW2, he was a farmer. He said farmers could get 22 LR ammo during the war.
 
the guy who runs the KC, Ks Cabelas is very knowledgeable

plus has the good sense to seek advice & check reference books before listing. Ain't saying he's perfect, but @ least he tries.He grades his stuff v v hard, have never seen him over grade a firearm, or fail to list a re-work.

On this old Smith, I'd say pass unless it is well documented to being owned by a well known person.

be safe, enjoy life, journey well

da gimp

OFC, Mo. Chapter
 
I sent a polite email to the Cabela's in MN that they had misidentifed to revolver, etc. they replied that I was correct and they had mistakenly relied on bad advice, however they were correcting the description to reflect the true data regardingthe gun. We will see what they post. I sometimes wish Cabela's would have an entrance exam, to test gun knowledge, for employees they put in their gun dep'ts around the country. On the other hand, maybe we are better off as it is, as I have picked up some killer guns from Cabelas that were incorrectly marked by staff and were priced at pennies of their dollar values. Ed.
 
I hit the local Cab stand about once per month, I have yet to see a bargan. I have offered several hundred cash under what the tag price was and they took it. My offer was fair market value, not a bargan. They have a couple of pre war Smith 22's at the St. Louis store in the 1200 range. I don't think condition warrants the asking price.
 
I have picked some winners off the racks at the Las Vegas, NV. Cabelas. Mostly long guns like Parkers, L.C.Smiths and Ithacas, cheap, as they were misidentified as to grade and model. Their S&Ws were the other way around, however. A Pre-27 tagged as a Registered Magnum, in a home made case, etc. but over priced even for an RM. Ed. #15
 
John. My error. it was Reno, NV., not Las Vegas. Sorry about that! Thanks for catching it. However, Bass Pro stores are even less dilligent than Cabelas in knowing what they have for sale in used guns, I've found. Ed.
 
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