K22 Ser # K283193

[rolandj]

Need some help Ser. # is shown on the butt and bottom of barrel, pics. attached. From what I can find out searching it was made in 1956 or some where close to that.

My question concerns the letter and numbers on the yoke "M 65443 3", pic. attached.

Other info you may need: 6" barrel, target sights, 4 screw model. It is no safe queen, but it is in very nice condition for 63 yrs. old.

 

[kscharlie]

Welcome to the forum. The numbers/letters you ask about are assembly numbers and fitters marks. They were used during assembly of the gun in the factory to keep all the parts together for that particular gun. Once the gun was assembled and shipped out the door, those markings became meaningless.

 

[Targets Guy]

Welcome to the forum.

I'd put your K22 as a 1957 ship date. K2868xx shipped 4/57.

 

[rolandj]

Would this be a model 17 3?

 

[kscharlie]

Would this be a model 17 3?

No. It would be a K-22 Masterpiece. S&W revolvers were assigned model #s in 1957. Yours would have been toward the tail end of non-model marked K-22s. If your gun was a Model 17, it would have MOD 17 stamped on the yoke. The 17-3 did not begin production until 1967.

 

[rolandj]

K-22 Masterpiece!!!, that name deserves a couple of pictures:

Thanks to all that helped me.

 

[DWalt]

Yes, model numbering seems to have started in the low K3xxxxx SN range based on those SNs which I have listed. I also show several SNs fairly close to yours which shipped in late 1956, so yours probably shipped sometime during the late 1956 to early 1957 period. You would need to get a historical letter ($75) to find an exact shipping date if knowing it is important to you.

 

[boatbum101]

My 4 screw pre 17 S/N K2685XX shipped 6/1956 .