K22 en route to me... date of manufacture?

[desmobob]

Jeff,

The post has been my pleasure... lots of great information from the folks with tons of experience and knowledge.

I promise I will post photos when I get my three new-to-me Smith & Wesson revolvers.

I went to the range with a good shooting buddy today. (He has his dad's old K22 Masterpiece.) I brought my Model 66-2 and an assortment of .38 +P and .357 Mag ammo. Imagine my surprise when he told me he had never fired a .357!

He can't say that any longer...

 

[jeffrefrig]

I do track these, so thanks.

K-22 Masterpiece revolvers numbered K91713 and K92334 also left the factory in October, 1950.

This part of the letter may have contained a couple of them. Out of thousands shipped way back when who knows?

 

[cmansguns]

No need for other Forums...this one does it all!

Congrats on getting some Smiths through that New York paperwork! Do the NY State permits still look like my old 1971 paper one? There was room on the back for 2 at the most handguns to be written in with serial numbers, and the rest of your handguns had to be on a separate piece of paper, notarized and carried in your wallet with the permit. A real hassle but at least in far southwestern New York it was the only way to carry concealed, or open. Supposedly in 1971 when my permit was issued it was for "lifetime" per the Federal judge and the rules in effect then. I left NY in 1974 and somewhere in the late 1980's I called the NY State Police to see if my permit allowed me to carry when travelling through the far west of the State and I was told NO!....the permit should have been turned in when I left years earlier.

Anyway......like my title.........there is no need for you to look for a Colt or Browning Forum as you will find many lovers of both brands, handguns and long guns, right here and they are the exact same helpful folks as you know from your S & W's.

So PLEASE....bring on pictures and post your questions or just post those pics so we can drool on our keyboards too.

 

[desmobob]

Charlie,

In "the old days," my permit was paper like yours and to add a new handgun I would visit the pistol permit clerk and she'd type the info on to my paper license while I waited. I could return to the shop immediately and pick up the new firearm.

Today, I have a modern plastic card (actually two to list my stuff) that's credit card size. To add a new handgun, you supply the Sheriff's office with the paperwork from the dealer/FFL, in triplicate, and they submit it to the county judge for his signature, then print you up a new permit card. You go back to the Sheriff, turn in your old card, pick up the new one ($5 fee), and then you can pick up your handgun(s) from the FFL.

It's not as bad as it sounds, other than the fact it's a 25-mile drive for me to get to the county sheriff's office. The first part of the process can be done by mail and save me a trip but would add a few days to the process.

 

[desmobob]

Other items on the way from the same departed friend:

S&W Model 650 ..22WMR - sn ACC0659 (presentation gun, possibly custom 2" bbl length)
S&W Model 19 .357 Mag. - sn 890041
Colt 1908 Vest Pocket .25ACP - sn 307540
Colt Cobra .38 - sn A64053
Browning Hi-Power 9mm - sn 245PZ82505

 

[desmobob]

I got my pistol permit amendment and I couldn't pick up the firearms today because my FFL was closed due to a medical issue... they expect to be open tomorrow morning. I'll probably be there waiting for them to unlock the front door.

One more thing... that 5-screw K22 has a four inch barrel. Yahoo! Photos to follow as soon as I get them home.

 

[JP@AK]

that 5-screw K22 has a four inch barrel.

Which makes it a .22 Combat Masterpiece, not a K-22 Masterpiece.

All three that I mentioned in Post #7 above were also .22 Combat Masterpiece units.

 

[desmobob]

Thanks for the information, Jack.

I also found out both the K22 and Model 19 have wooden Jordan grips. The man who left me the handguns had huge hands. Mine are XL, but his were larger. I remember talking to him about Bill Jordan grips many years ago. I told him I remember seeing ads for them in the gun mags back in the day and I think he said something about sending in a tracing of your hand when ordering them. I hope they fit me! I should know tomorrow.

And another question... is the Combat Masterpiece the revolver that was later named the Model 18? Did it retain the reputation for accuracy that its Model 17 brother had?

 

[JP@AK]

is the Combat Masterpiece the revolver that was later named the Model 18? Did it retain the reputation for accuracy that its Model 17 brother had?

Yes and yes.
When model numbers were assigned in June, 1957, and when guns started shipping with them the following year, the .22 and .38 CM became the models 18 and 15. But they retained the name; numbers did not replace names, they supplemented them.

As far as accuracy, there is no difference. Skill might need to be adjusted a bit because of the barrel length, but inherent accuracy was the same. I personally can shoot both as well. Or at least I used to be able to when I was younger.

I think he said something about sending in a tracing of your hand when ordering them.

When Steve Herrett was still alive, he did the same thing for his customers. I don't know if his son continued the practice. I've had no contact with the company since Steve passed away years ago.

 

[desmobob]

As promised...

5-screw .22 Combat Masterpiece

 

[desmobob]

The other two S&W revolvers; Model 19 and Model 650. Both are presentation guns (engraving on other side) and I believe the Model 19 has had a trigger/action job... it's incredible!

 

[desmobob]

The non-S&W firearms:

Colt Cobra .38, Browning Hi-Power, Colt 1908 Vest Pocket .25ACP...

 

[desmobob]

The man who left me the firearms passed away at 98 years of age. I spent most of the morning cleaning gummed up sticky lubricant from most of the guns. I think only the .22 Combat Masterpiece had been used in the last 25 or 30 years. He used it to shoot in a casual pistol league at his winter residence in a retirement community in Florida.

He has two great-grandsons, both currently under four years of age. The agreement is that I will pass his guns along to them when I go (I'm 63 and have no children).

 

[boykinlp]

Sounds like a great gentleman and good friend. He was very kind to leave those to you to keep, and ultimately gift to his great grandsons! Thanks for sharing the story.
Larry