k22 48 or 49

[drgbike]

acquired an pre 17 with serial #k60866 catalogue says 48. But how accurate, could it have been shipped in 49. Seller thought 49, Iwould really like it to be, my birthday. It was a very well knowledgeable dealer. With out a letter any one have an idea. I have 3 1948s, 2 1950s , 2 1947s. And a few newer. Thanks

 

[steelslaver]

Shipping dates vary and are not always by serial number.

You can set the date with a letter or by joining the SWCA, a very worth organization f you collector have an interest in S&W products. Members can ask for shipping dates.

 

[bullmack]

I tracked K-22's in that range when I was looking for a birth year/month gun. To followup with Steelslaver's reply I have the following ship dates from my records;

K59802 shipped in 1948 (month unknown)
K60198 shipped Jan 1949
K60705 shipped Feb 1950
K61189 shipped Dec 1948

 

[glowe]

This is the easiest S&W model to date, since there is a detailed list of serial numbers and years manufactured. Your K22 was manufactured in 1948 for certain, but could have shipped in 1948, 1949, or 1950 and only a letter will confirm when it left the factory.

 

[DWalt]

Closest on my list to K60866 is K611xx which shipped in 10/48. Yours is also in the 1948 production range. In any event it COULD have shipped in 1948. If it is really that important to you, It will set you back $75 for a letter to find out for sure.

 

[Retired W4]

Or join SWHF and pay only $65, plus they will send a copy of the invoice. The Historical Foundation does important work for us.

 

[drgbike]

Thanks for the info . new it was built 48. Not a pressing its just 49 is Bday. 47-48-50 must have some real good sales years. I have several of each. Also have seen nib maroon and gold boxes, for 48s, a transition year?

 

[JP@AK]

Also have seen nib maroon and gold boxes, for 48s, a transition year?

The gold boxes showed up at least as early as the summer of 1946 (the earliest confirmed shipment I've found was in August), and both gold and maroon were used concurrently for at least two years, apparently until the supply of the maroon examples dried up.

BTW that August, 1946, box was for an M&P. I suspect gold boxes for K target guns came into use around the same time.

 

[mtu164]

I have one , serial number 42807 . I was told when I purchased it that it was made in 1948. From what I'm reading here this must not be the case. Could it have been sitting at S&W for several years before being shipped out ?

 

[glowe]

I have one , serial number 42807 . I was told when I purchased it that it was made in 1948. From what I'm reading here this must not be the case. Could it have been sitting at S&W for several years before being shipped out ?

Yes it was made in 1948. That year, the production of K frame Masterpiece revolvers was about 54,400. It would have most likely shipped in 1948 or 1949.

The chart below shows the yearly production numbers for Pre-Model Masterpiece revolvers. One must remember that the same serial number range was shared with the K22, K32, and K38 Masterpiece line, plus the 22 and 38 Combat Masterpiece revolvers as well. The 1958 numbers show total produced and that wass the transition year for Model numbered Masterpiece revolvers. The latest Pre-Model guns in the SWCA database are around sn 340,000.

What is of particular interest is it appears that the factory over-estimated the demand for these guns in 1948, as evidenced by the big decline in the 1949 manufacturing numbers. This is most likely why the ship dates cannot be accurately estimated in the early years of the Masterpiece line. Lots of inventory for 1948 guns, could have kept the bins full well into 1949 and 1950. If one takes out the small production of 1946 guns, the factory produced an average of about 30,000 guns per year for those 12 years of pre-model guns.

 

[DWalt]

K42807 is in the 1948 production SN range. From other K-series revolvers having nearby SNs, yours would likely have shipped during the late Summer or Autumn of 1948. For example, K434xx shipped in 9/48.

During the postwar period, there was pent-up demand for all sorts of products and S&W was producing at capacity to meet that demand. While it is possible that a few guns could have stayed on the factory shelf for quite a long time before shipment, more than two or three months would have been unusual for 1948. Unlike the Depression period of the 1930s, when it could easily have been two or three years.