After months of researching the forum and searching GB and GA, this is what I got. The first day it was advertised on GA I bought it. I know that I didn't get a bargain at $975, but I got what I wanted. I believe it is somewhat different in that it has the heavy barrel (I think), target hammer and trigger. Please tell me if I'm wrong. Seller said that it had been shot 12 times and it really looked like it. If that was true, it has now been shot 712 times. Never had so much fun shooting. Really want to thank you all for guiding me in this direction. Especially DWFAN for advising me on spiffing up the stocks.
K-22 from 55-56 w/heavy barrel?
- Thread starter Dewy12
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DWalt
Member
Your SN indicates probable shipment of your K-22 in mid-1956. K-22's did not have a heavy barrel (K-38s did), but they did adopt a wider barrel rib about 1954. Target triggers and hammers (.500") were both available in 1956, the hammer as an option since 1949-50, the trigger since early 1955. Are you sure you have a .500" target trigger? Doesn't look like it. See: http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-ha...9-first-year-target-trigger-hammer-grips.html
Did it have the original box?
Did it have the original box?
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Engine49guy
Member
Very nice 5 screw wide rib K22 Masterpiece!
The new style wide rib barrel was changed when S&W weight matched the 3 different caliber 6" Masterpiece revolvers ,
Although the 1950 All Models Circular (AMC) just says K22 Masterpiece.
Prior to that all 3 caliber Masterpiece revolvers had the same profile barrel with same narrow rib .
The older narrow rib guns frames have a chamfer so they mate to that narrow rib barrel where your "Wide rib" gun has a sqaured frame top strap where it mates to the barrel.
The K38 Masterpiece barrel rib is even wider and does not taper adding some weight to compensate for the larger cylinder bores ,
While the early wide rib K38 was referred to as the K38 "Heavy Masterpiece" in the 1950 AMC to help differentiate it from the older narrow rib version as they were both being sold at the same time the K22 did not get a new name as the tapered version was discontinued when the new wider rib version replaced it in 1955.
You will notice below the .32 and .38 Heavy Masterpiece says " Matched for weight with K22" the older version says "Matched for size".
Your serial is fairly low for a wide rib K22 and IIRC they appear around 1955,
By then the high polish "Bright Blue" finish was standard so we do not see wide rib guns in satin blue ,
Another interesting factoid is the 5 screw wide rib K22 did not have a particularly long run as IIRC the 4 screw K22 Masterpiece appears right around 1957 near K278,000 (ish?) range.
The new style wide rib barrel was changed when S&W weight matched the 3 different caliber 6" Masterpiece revolvers ,
Although the 1950 All Models Circular (AMC) just says K22 Masterpiece.
Prior to that all 3 caliber Masterpiece revolvers had the same profile barrel with same narrow rib .
The older narrow rib guns frames have a chamfer so they mate to that narrow rib barrel where your "Wide rib" gun has a sqaured frame top strap where it mates to the barrel.
The K38 Masterpiece barrel rib is even wider and does not taper adding some weight to compensate for the larger cylinder bores ,
While the early wide rib K38 was referred to as the K38 "Heavy Masterpiece" in the 1950 AMC to help differentiate it from the older narrow rib version as they were both being sold at the same time the K22 did not get a new name as the tapered version was discontinued when the new wider rib version replaced it in 1955.
You will notice below the .32 and .38 Heavy Masterpiece says " Matched for weight with K22" the older version says "Matched for size".
Your serial is fairly low for a wide rib K22 and IIRC they appear around 1955,
By then the high polish "Bright Blue" finish was standard so we do not see wide rib guns in satin blue ,
Another interesting factoid is the 5 screw wide rib K22 did not have a particularly long run as IIRC the 4 screw K22 Masterpiece appears right around 1957 near K278,000 (ish?) range.
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DWalt
Member
I think standard K-frame triggers have been serrated (grooved) since the late 1920s. Yours appears to have the standard trigger. Target trigger is much wider. Many target shooters back in the day attached a separate wide trigger shoe to the standard trigger to get the same effect.
I agree you do have one of the few late 5-screw frames with the heavy barrel rib . . . and with the newly standardized high polish finish. Here are two previous threads which you may have already researched that provide some insights.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/219785-late-5-screw-k22-features.html
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/287285-k22-heavy-bbl.html
I still maintain that until about K250XXX the K22 Masterpiece had a narrow tapered serrated barrel rib and was the benchmark 38.5 oz weight to which the K32 and K38 were matched in early 1950. (There was a slight change in the taper when the factory standardized on the 1/8" sight width)
Nice acquisition . . . I agree the heavy barrel examples are a pleasure to shoot.
Russ
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