K22 project

[steelslaver]

I bought this 18-4 many years ago and have shot the snot out of it. In my 30s I would haul it out to oil field camp jobs in the Dakotas, Wyoming and Montana and spend hours just plinking at everything. In those days you needed a permit in the Dakotas so, when I came and went, it went in my work clothes in the trunk. The blue was funky, I round butted it at some point and have enjoyed shooting many thousands of rounds through it.

I now have several other K22s, a 4" 5 screw a 6" 5 screw and a 4 screw as well as a 17-3. I thought it was time for a face lift for my old buddy.

First off, I had a 4" model 53 barrel in my parts stash. As model 53s have a longer cylinder, I started by turning enough off the back shoulder of the barrel do it would turn in a couple more turns and close up the B/C gap and get it to line up right. Then, I had to take a bit off the tip of the ejector rod to get it to clear barrel lug which of course moves back when you make the barrel turn in more.

Then, I had rounded up another K22 cylinder from a member here, which I first fit to a k frame yoke. The 2nd yoke profile stuck out just a bit from the frame in front, so I carefully used my big belt grinders and polishers to make it match. Then, I had to adjust the length of the yoke barrel a bit to get it to fit it and cylinder to the 18-4 frame with no end shake and of course had to trim its ejector rod to fit on it also. Then, out came a 22 mag reamer and I converted that cylinder to 22 mag.

Both cylinders have .006 clearance which is fine for 22LR as some of it is pretty dirty.

A set of Mustang K frame round butt stocks which I could sand on to make them just what I wanted to fit my big paws went on next.

Measurements show that the model 53 front sight seems to be just a bit higher than the 18 was. Butt, between the sightly heavier barrel and using the 22 mag cylinder who knows. I may have to lower it a little bit. Going to try to get it so I can adjust sights to zero both rounds. After I check how it shoots it will all get a a blue salt bath.

 

[Bald1]

Seems to me, with your knowledge and workshop you could make some money just fabricating parts for frankenguns. You should try your hand at making a T grip. Guys would line up to buy them.

 

[Imissedagain]

It may have been accomplished by a gripologist already, but why not make the stocks to have the Tyler T and OEM shapes merge together.
Whale tail/fish lip or traditional round top.
Way down on our list of chores, but I made a cardboard template when the '71 DS was purchased.
Tried Pachs and the target stocks, from our Diamondback, but the ones in the picture work well enough for now.

In white of course.

 

[Engine49guy]

Very nice work ...but...I Always feel guilty reading your conversion posts as usually you create something I'm dreaming of making but lack the tools, skills and motivation to build.

Years ago I sourced a 4" Model 53 barrel and an early one liner post war K22 with the idea of creating a .22 caliber 4" Reg Mag look alike.

Was debating using a 17-6 frame so the ejector rod lug would mate better to the frame but then it would be unpinned and a 4 liner.

 

[steelslaver]

Making the same thing time after time is not what I am about. I like making a gun just what I want it to be. Making a bunch of identical parts would be a JOB.

Speaking of pins. You would think making an un pinned frame into a pinned one would not be that hard. lol. The thought of trying it gives me night mares. You could put the frame in a solid jig and use a finger pressure chuck which I have.

But when that little #50 bit hits the curve of the area where barrel threads in, it isn't going to like it at all and even if it don't break then, your chances of starting straight and continuing out the other side are about 1 in a million. You could of course thread in a barrel or even a piece of round stock with the right threads and you would probably be ok, but drilling 3/4" or so with a #50 drill and coming out exactly right on the other side is iffy. Plus, once you drill it unthreading the barrel or blank, where the bit went through isn't going to be all that great on the frame threads for a couple turns or so. I wish I knew just how the factory used to do it. Drilling the pin hole then the barrel hole would be best. You would have to have your feed and speed just right. I tried to do through a barrel rib to pin a ramp on a barrel once. First hole went fine, but the second one came out high and messed up the top of barrel. It will be a while before I am brave enough to try it on a frame. LOL

 

[6string]

I always enjoy seeing your work.
But, I especially value your text descriptions of everything step by step. You have a knack for describing the little details that really make each step of the job work with all the others.

 

[Green Frog]

Those who can, do… the rest of us watch in awe. A 22 combo in 4" should be ideal for woods loafing and shooting targets of opportunity. I'm not all that experienced with the 22 Mag in a revolver, but that outfit sort of makes me wonder whether I should reconsider.
Froggie

 

[steelslaver]

A 22 combo in 4" should be ideal for woods loafing and shooting targets of opportunity. I'm not all that experienced with the 22 Mag in a revolver, but that outfit sort of makes me wonder whether I should reconsider.
Froggie

This is my very first 22 mag. Never even owned a rifle that shot the round. I have always figured if a 22lr wasn't enough why not step up to a a center fire. I have a 22 Jet and a Harvey Kay Chuck in revolvers and several 223 rifles. But, with the rising cost of reloading components the savings isn't that great. Plus, having guns that fire common ammo is always a good thing. I got the cylinder along with some other stuff from a member for $100, I had bought the reamer earlier off Ebay for $50, and I can always use it some more. I have a stash of yokes and the Jet barrel came in a deal a couple years ago, so why not put everything together. But, mostly it was because I thought having a 22 with a shrouded ejector rod would be neat.

In other news I was also able to pick up a couple boxes of 7 1/2 shot, 3" 410 shells to try in my modified 3" barreled Taurus. 410 shells have been impossible to find since I bought the "Thing"

 

[steelslaver]

Just a thought,

I have a 3D printer, they are no longer expensive, you can get all kinds of plastics and colors for them. Why not just print grip inserts.

Of to the range to check out how this thing shoots and to burn up the last 10 45-70 rounds I have loaded up with 500 gr slugs before I start using 405gr

 

[raljr1]

The ones i have pulled apart had a slot cut in the threads for the pin.

Sent from my SM-A136U using Tapatalk

 

[2152hq]

To make a pinned bbl on an unpinned frame,,do a faux pin.
A short blind pin,,one on each side of the frame.
Drill the hole deep enough to accept a pin but not so deep that it enters the threads.
Make the pins the proper length and with a rounded end and a press fit into the frame. Maybe a dot of Loctite if the length is shallow.

The pin doesn't do much in it's orig form anyway and it's just for looks in this application. So about the same for both.
But you sidestep the deep hole drilling issue with the small dia drill bit.

 

[steelslaver]

The ones i have pulled apart had a slot cut in the threads for the pin.

Sent from my SM-A136U using Tapatalk

The barrel isn't a problem, You can file a slot in the right spot of a barrel from an un pinned gun. In fact when you set a barrel back you have to modify the slot for the pin.

The problem would be making a un pinned frame into a pinned frame without ending up with a broken bit stuck in the frame or having the hole come out the other side in the wrong
spot.

 

[IWK2HT]

If it were I I would thread I piece to thread into the frame then drill through the frame and the threaded plug to keep the bit from breaking.
I've used this method on farm equipment I've worked on its not fool proof but it works
Ted

 

[steelslaver]

Any way here is a 20 yd group with the 22 mag cylinder

Here is one with the 22 lr cylinder with same sight setting

and here is one from the same 18-4 with its original barrel

except for the one flier the 22lr cylinder and 53 barrel did pretty well
The 22 mag barrel isn't great or bad. Now I need to go out plinking with it and really get used to it