K22 Combat Masterpiece *Better pics*

szuppo

szuppo

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Here are some better pictures of that Combat Masterpiece with the questionable front sight.

Having a hard time with the lighting & camera today
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It's been suggested it may actually be a King or even a Lyman sight that was special ordered and installed at the Factory. Hoping it letters as such.
 
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Here are some better pictures of that Combat Masterpiece with the questionable front sight.

Having a hard time with the lighting & camera today
icon_frown.gif


IMG_3681.jpg


IMG_3687.jpg


IMG_3691.jpg


IMG_3689.jpg


IMG_3693.jpg


IMG_3694.jpg


It's been suggested it may actually be a King or even a Lyman sight that was special ordered and installed at the Factory. Hoping it letters as such.
 
Pre-18's are usually found with the ramp pinned to the barrel with two very prominent pins.

My guess is that your ramp is not factory....

Still, it's a beautiful, tasteful revolver that any of us would be proud to own....

Thanks for the snapshots!

Drew
 
bdgreen- I thought that too at first but upon inspecting my Target Masterpieces from the same period the "O" in "LONG" is centered over the pin. Not the case on this one. It is well centered too.
Letter will at least tell that much.

The pins are flush and intact like those on some of my other Post War guns from the same period.

Also, another Forum Member also has the same sight on his early Combat Masterpiece. He said he got it off a friend whose father bought it new and it came that way.
 
Sir.
Beautiful. It looks like an early one from when S&W had not yet decided which type of front sight to use. I have a couple of early number K22's with both Baughman and Patridge style front sights. Barrel length and marking very similar to yours. Anything out of the normal Baughman type is occasionaly accused of being a cut off barrel. Could be. The breach end of your barrel still shows good taper as it enters the frame, that end doesn't show sign of being cut off. The taper would be lost. The lettering is still well centered on the four inch barrel, mid way betweeen the muzzle and frame. Makes me think the front end was not cut off. I wonder where they think it was cut??
I think some of the folks here are just guessing and wishing they had one just as unique.
SEMPER FI! Marine
Bill
 
Hey Dude! So your the one whole stole my table!!!

I'm gonna get you sucka!

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LoL!

Nice pics Steve. The light bends good and bad for all of us; it's always a horse race. You have inspired me to break out the gear this weekend and see what I can see.

Michael
 
Szuppo--

That is one exceptionally beautiful K-22, cut or not. And your photos are first-rate!

Thanks.
 
This one is from 53 and has the rounded exposed pins, the sight blade is 11/16 in length and the barrel dia.at the front edge is.598. I have another from 74 and the sight blade on it is also 11/16 in length, the bbl.dia on it is .600. Just pictures to compare, the letter will probably tell the story. Anyway you look at it that's a nice looking S&W.
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Keith
 
szuppo, those pictures are unbelievable! I know nothing of the weapon, other than it's a beauty to the eye, but your photo skills are simply magnificent!
 
Szuppo, Beautiful pics! And I would love to have seen that one on a table first. I'll look forward to what Roy has to say about it if you letter it - or if his answer will even be conclusive. Congratulations! Jerry
 
K123000 & K155000 1951 and 1952 respectively.

Neither looks like yours. I have never seen a S&W with a blade quite like that. I am leaning towards an old rework from a 6" that was very well done but anything is possible and what the Hell do I know?

standard.jpg
 
szuppo...If you have Roy's book on the history of S&W, take a look at the ".357" Magnum illustrated on page 215. I think you will find the front sight blade on this revolver to be very similar to the one on your K-22 Combat Masterpiece. Looks like a few guns from the early 50s were fitted with these
icon_smile.gif
.

Bill
 
The pins attaching the ramp and blade are the type that were polished flush, then blued. I don't see how it could be a cut barrel unless it was re-blued after installing the pins. I'm assuming there are no rework marks on the frame and the barrel number matches.

If S&W changed a blade, or shortened a barrel and set back the ramp, didn't they use the radius attaching pins?
 
Doc- Thanks, Don't have a copy but will get one.

s&wchad- All matching, no re-work markings.
 
Well, it is possible that more than one gun was modified by the same smith, but with a third gun (albeit a different model) turning up with the same sight, it seems likely it is actually a short-lived variation. If the letter says 4" then I am sure it's the original sight.
 
Originally posted by Doc44:
szuppo...If you have Roy's book on the history of S&W, take a look at the ".357" Magnum illustrated on page 215. I think you will find the front sight blade on this revolver to be very similar to the one on your K-22 Combat Masterpiece. Looks like a few guns from the early 50s were fitted with these
icon_smile.gif
.

Bill
Click to expand...

I find this thread to be very fascinating. And it would only make sense that my friend Szuppo would end up with that gun in his hands.
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I think it would be cool if he might share the story behind him finding it; it's a classic scenario.

Last night, I scanned in the page that Bill is referring to. To my eye, the sight pictured in the book looks very similar to the one on Steve's K22 Masterpiece, except for the protruding pin that retains the sight blade. It also appears that the sight base is set back just a bit. In addition, it appears that the gun on page 215 has an RM barrel.

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These are the sorts of things that bring me back to collecting, S&W, and especially this forum. These sorts of details are really neat!

Michael
 
Michael,

I too find the discovery, investigation, opinions and discussion the very things that keep my collecting interest going.

This is what it's all about.
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Thanks for posting the scan and sending it to me. Very much appreciated.

The story behind this one is linked in this thread. Another Forum member helped me out.
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Best Regards,
Steve
 
I have an early .22 Combat Masterpiece, K-908XX, that has the flat-topped Baughman sight and flush-polished pins--original finish.

Weird!

Tim
 
I have a 6" pre-17 K22 from 1955 and it's sight looks like yours, szuppo. I thought something didn't look right when I got it because I didn't see any pins. I need to look closer to see if any are present. The book page posted earlier shows a slight ledge on the muzzle side of the sight. Mine has the wide rib and the lines go all the way to the muzzle and it too has a slight ledge. The barrel on this one is straight. The "book" said this is correct for the year.

I have a 6" pre-17 from 1948 and the pins are clearly visable. The barrel has a slight taper and a slender rib.

When I looked at them side by side I thought the sight was changed. However, with these posts I'm thinking both my guns are correct.
 
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