Houston Gun Show K22 Find/rescue

dnonac

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I've been looking for 2 specific guns lately; anything with a 29 or Pre 29 in it (Thanks 29-Aholic) and (my latest want) a birthday year 1949 Pre 17. I hit the Houston show this morning right after it opened and made a fairly rapid walk around. I find my antennae are getting much better now that I've had a few S&W's and I can usually spot them fairly fast. I did see a couple of interest but nothing on my immediate list.

On my 2nd walkthough of the show, I zoned in on an old K22 Outdoorsman with some add-on target stocks. Even though I knew it was older than I am, the gun had a price tag below $500 so.....I asked to take a closer look. As the guy unplugged the alarm and cut the plastic tie from the hammer, I started noticing a few things wrong. A minor nick on the barrel, hammer and trigger way too shiny, some normal looking wear and worst of all.....two scope mount looking drilled holes in the top strap. Ouch. But, I figured for a shooter maybe the guy would deal some on it.

I offered way below the tag price and pointed out the drillings and scratches and the non-original grips...in a nice way, but wanting to make sure he knew I knew. The guy dialed his phone (apparently the owner was at home) and explained my offer to the owner. They talked for quite a while and I figured the deal was rejected.....until he turned to me and stuck out his hand to shake.

So...here it is. A K22 Outdoorsman, serial # 674240 which should make it shipped in early 1939 or thereabouts based on numbers I see in the database. It's got the stainless site bead and I think it had a reblue at some time in it's life, although there are no frame markings to indicate a factory job. I haven't cleaned it or fired it yet but will this week. For the price I paid, I can easily live with the two holes on the top strap (I may put in a couple of screws just to fill the holes), the shiny trigger and hammer and I'm even liking the feel of the target grips as well. I don't know much about this model but I'll keep reading and getting great info from the experts here.
Craig...
S&WCA
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nice find, I have four of these, one is a shooter grade and the others safe queens, I like the pre-war guns over the post war k-22's,when you take it out to shoot it, I think you will be pleased about the accuracy of these guns
 
Leave it as is, put it in a good leather holster and take a kid out to learn to shoot a handgun.

You got a class shooter there. You won!:)

GF
 
Leave it as is, put it in a good leather holster and take a kid out to learn to shoot a handgun.

You got a class shooter there. You won!:)

GF

I agree. I'm a concealed handgun instructor and I had borrowed one similar to this to help a couple of my students that were new to revolvers. These make excellent training guns...before a student steps up to a larger caliber.
 
You didn't say what you paid for it, but I'd guess $350 to $400, which
would be a good price for this piece. It a reasonable-looking gun, for
a reblue. The sideplate catches my eye. It looks to be a different
color than the surrounding parts of the frame, particularly around the
trigger area. Maybe its nothing - maybe it was refinished at some
other time, or maybe its a replacement, although it looks to fit
about right.

Mike Priwer
 
You didn't say what you paid for it, but I'd guess $350 to $400, which
would be a good price for this piece. It a reasonable-looking gun, for
a reblue. The sideplate catches my eye. It looks to be a different
color than the surrounding parts of the frame, particularly around the
trigger area. Maybe its nothing - maybe it was refinished at some
other time, or maybe its a replacement, although it looks to fit
about right.

Mike Priwer

Mike, you are right about the coloration of the sideplate. It looks to be just slightly darker than the forward area and I can see what appears to be some tiny pitting beneath the blue. Miniscule but there. I had the sideplate off and it was fairly clean inside.
I'm anxious to shoot it.
Craig...
 
Craig, nice catch. That will make an excellent shooter.

And you got such a deal on it that you should still have money for the 1949 K-22 that you went looking for! A guy can't have too many K-22s.
 
Craig, nice catch. That will make an excellent shooter.

And you got such a deal on it that you should still have money for the 1949 K-22 that you went looking for! A guy can't have too many K-22s.

Yep.....the hunt continues. Actually, I've found at least 2 1949 pre 17's but I just think they're a bit more than what I want to pay. Maybe I'll find one next year.

Craig...
 
Nice gun. You sure didn't get hurt on that one.
 
Update on the stocks....

I just tried a set of walnut medallion stocks on it (that I took off my .38 Model of 1905, 3rd change) and they really feel nice.

I guess I'll be looking for a set of period stocks now. Considering the condition of the gun, some beat up dented stocks will work fine as long as they have the small silver medallion.

It never ends.

Craig...
 
Nice find. You buy the way I know I should and You are the kind of buyer I like to sell to. Be ready to buy or walk, The price tag is only an invitation to bid.
If I ever quit buying out of emotion, I will be a real contender for these good deals I read you all are getting.
Seems like Every Smith, Colt, Browning and Winchester I own was bought with me yelling "I'll take it" from about thirty feet away.
 
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