K22 Outdoorman in Nickel

[dmccorki]

Local private estate sale says they are selling a K22 Outdoorman in Nickel with original box and factory letter.
My Standard Catalog book says the K22 could be obtained in Nickel on special order, but all the postings I can find on this forum and elsewhere seem to say that is not true and no one has ever seen an original nickel plated early K22.
"If" this is real(I only have one hour of pre auction time to look it over), any thoughts on value?

 

[wheelgun610]

In that short of an insection period - and if I wasn't dead sure of what to look for, the first thing I'd want to see would be a "factory letter" stating that the gun did indeed leave S&W with the nickel finish. If it left the factory that way, it could, would and should be very easily be documented.

Mark

 

[dmccorki]

Mark
It says it comes with a factory letter.

 

[mikepriwer]

Read the factory letter.

Mike Priwer

 

[dmccorki]

Mike
Intend to do so but will not see the letter till I examine the K22. I own a number of K22s but I am not a collector of unique early models so I am just trying to get a sense of value, assuming all is as described.
Thanks
Doug

 

[Club Gun Fan]

Yes, there were a few original in nickel. The box would also be so marked. What is the serial number.
Don Mundell
Assistant Historian
Smith & Wesson Historical Foundation

 

[dmccorki]

Don
This is a very low key auction with no serious info up front. I will not know the serial number until I see the gun. I have asked for lots of info but it appears to be a one man show handling the estate so he cannot provide any info.
Doug

 

[murphydog]

With the rarity of the gun, and depending on the condition and the letter verifying it was originally a nickel finish I could easily see it sell in the mid-high four figures at least. Original, documented factory nickel model 17s from the 1970s have sold in the $12000 range, so this may be a major underestimate. I doubt there have been recent comparable sales. Good luck in your decision.

 

[crsides]

And a renickel outdoorsman could bring as high as $600. I've done very well taking chances on something like this, but this one would scare me past $800-900. So if you got the bucks to gamble several hundred dollars for a big potential pay off, go for it. If a couple hundred is going to leave you with a serious pain in the gut, I would pass. Your are nickel = (none ever seen), to blue that could have been changed to nickel, (19,500).

Charlie

 

[Club Gun Fan]

Doug
I'll PM you with my cell number.
If it's an original nickel, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and any other Holiday you can think of.
Don

 

[mikepriwer]

If it is original nickel, it will be like my post-WW2 original-nickel K-32, which also happens to be the first post-WW2 K-32 shipped.

Regards, Mike Priwer

 

[RKmesa]

Great advise above... As a collector of the Outdoorsmans, I have never seen a nickel one that was Factory. If the front or rear sights are nickel - 99.9% sure it was not done at the factory. Also, most of the pre-war nickel guns will still have an "N" stamped on them somewhere (e.g. by the SN on the barrel flat, under the left grip on the front corner of the frame, under the ejector star...).

Even if it was not done at the factory BUT it is well done with no dishing around the screw holes, correct stocks, a box, clean roll marks and edges, to me it would still be worth somewhere $800 to $1,300 range.

 

[jsfricks]

I found this factory refinished 5 screw back in 2015 at a lgs and they wanted $1000 and no less. It sat there about 1.5 years and finally sold. Most advice from here on the forum was that $1000 was too much. It was date marked and refinished marked on the grip frame.

Helped needed- 5 Screw Nickel Pre 17

 

[rct269]

HOW ABOUT THAT?!!

Doug
I'll PM you with my cell number.
If it's an original nickel, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and any other Holiday you can think of.
Don

How's THAT for snappy service?!! It doesn't get any better than that!!

Ralph Tremaine

 

[dmccorki]

Thanks all. Appreciate all the helpful advice. Will know more when I see it tomorrow morning, but have just learned that there will be some knowledgeable S&W collectors at the private auction so may be above my pay grade.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

We are all nervously standing by for the results.

 

[OldK22]

I posted pictures of this K22 several years ago. It was in a local auction and was listed as a nickel model 35. Not factory nickel (B in front of the serial number on the barrel flat) but done better than most. They left the hammer and trigger color case hardened, left the front sight blue, left the rear sight blade blue. The ejector star is nickel. Came to me with a set of MOP stocks. Have a better set of period correct stocks for it but I shoot it sometimes so have a more worn set of period correct stocks on it for daily use. Probably as close to owning a factory nickel as I will ever get.

 

[DWalt]

Thanks all. Appreciate all the helpful advice. Will know more when I see it tomorrow morning, but have just learned that there will be some knowledgeable S&W collectors at the private auction so may be above my pay grade.

But at this point, you may be more knowledgeable than they are about this specific gun.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

I have seen a lot of things -
But haven't seen the Marfa Lights or a factory plated K-22!
I need to move out!

 

[Doc44]

There is at least one pre-war K-22 Masterpiece (648831) that was shipped with a factory nickel finish. That would be a find for a collector. I saw the revolver a number of years ago and wrote down the serial number.

Bill