I notice a difference in barrels between my two. The latter one has a much less tapered barrel.
Comparison of Masterpieces
- Thread starter greenwellg
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
Yes. The five-screw unit has the original tapered barrel with the narrow rib. The three-screw unit has the later standard straight side barrel with the wider rib, just as we would expect it to. Notice the difference in the hammer as well.
I think that the old High-Speed (fish hook) hammer is one of the best looking hammers S&W used.
My 1952 K-22 masterpiece has one as well.
My 1952 K-22 masterpiece has one as well.
USBP SW
Member
Going from memory, as usual, my early K-22's have the narrow rib and more noticeably tapered barrel. I have a 17-3?, with a somewhat wider rib and a straight tapered barrel but I also have a 17-5?, with a wider rib and no taper to the barrel, similar in appearance to a model 19. Subsequently, Smith went with the full underlug barrel, I had the opportunity to shoot a 617, with the full underlug, felt like a small child was hanging onto the barrel but I never had the opportunity to buy a 17 with the full underlug.
OP
Grips match on that one
K128691 very likely shipped in early 1952.
The post WWII Masterpiece series originally used that same tapered barrel contour for all three (.22, .32 & .38) calibers. A year or so later, they went to heavier barrels for the .32s and .38s so that all three calibers weighed the same. Then around the time the '5th' screw was eliminated, they changed the barrel profile of the K-22 to what you have on your newer gun.
Mark
larryofcc
Member
Looked for quite some time for a wide rib 5 screw. Then I got this 1956 vintage K22 with lettered Target stocks and target hammer. The wide rib 5 screws are harder to find than the thin rib variety. This gun is late enough to have the high polish blue. Big Larry
Attachments
They used the 3 profiles so that all three weighed the same loaded which was a big plus for the bullseye target shooters
Engine49guy
Member
Nice pairing,
If you compare your two closely you will see several other differences besides finish, hammer, stocks # of screws.
You can see the front sites and site ramps are different widths,
the 5 screw's frame is notched at the front where it meets the barrel and is polished on top where your 3 screw will be squared at the frame front and bead blasted on top.
The rear site unit "scallop" on the 5 screw will be small , the newer gun will be larger.
If you compare your two closely you will see several other differences besides finish, hammer, stocks # of screws.
You can see the front sites and site ramps are different widths,
the 5 screw's frame is notched at the front where it meets the barrel and is polished on top where your 3 screw will be squared at the frame front and bead blasted on top.
The rear site unit "scallop" on the 5 screw will be small , the newer gun will be larger.
