My new Outdoorsman

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Frieda's Boss

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Got my recently purchased K22 Outdoorsman cleaned up & took a few good enough to share pics, so thought I'd show it off a bit. The only old S&W I had before this was my late great-uncle's rusty old .38 Single Action, 2nd Model(1889), which is what led me to this forum, years of me drooling over the beautiful revolvers regularly posted here, and finally my first 20th century Smith just last week!

I decided on a K22 Outdoorsman for alot of reasons, but I needed a 22 revolver anyway and wanted an example of a pre-war Smith, mostly just because I find them among the most beautiful guns ever made. Sho needs more reason than that? I found this one online and decided it looked original...really hope I am correct, there...and was a fair price from a reputable seller. So I bought it. The finish is not 100%, and has some blemishes & a scratch or two, but that is fine. I want to shoot this gun, so probably best that it isn't NIB. It is nice enough that I can appreciate the beautiful finish of the time, but worn enough that I'll have zero problems shooting it often. As far as possible refinish, I think it is original because of all the sharp stampings, the sideplate seam, proud pins, etc...my only hesitation is the cylinder seems a bit plum in color when looked at in bright light. No marks from S&W under stocks to indicate they ever worked on it.

Speaking of stocks, these are clearly not correct. From the pics I couldn't tell, they almost looked silver. In any case, no worries...An excuse for me to find some new ones. I'd love some Keith Brown grips, but not sure if he is taking orders anymore. I'll either get some customs from him, or some period correct magnas from wherever I can find them. Anywan, enough of my babbling, enjoy a few pics.
 

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That's a beauty, you done good! That' what I call "high shooter grade", you can shoot to your hearts content and after every 6 rounds you can admire how good it looks. Nothing wrong with those stocks, the magnas are more comfortable for shooting than the older service grips, at least for my hands. Magnas were available for the K-22 Outdoorsman, first as an option later as standard. From your comment I'm assuming the grips don't number to the gun. I would not fret over that at all, they look great on the gun. What is the serial number if you don't mind sharing? My eyes are not sharp enough to read the number on the cylinder in your pic.
 
Very nice! If you decide to put originals on it, they would look like these. The grip adapter is an original S&W.



wiregrassguy-albums-k22-outdoorsman-picture24269-k22gripadapter.jpg
 
Fullmetaljacket said:
That's a beauty, you done good! That' what I call "high shooter grade", you can shoot to your hearts content and after every 6 rounds you can admire how good it looks. Nothing wrong with those stocks, the magnas are more comfortable for shooting than the older service grips, at least for my hands. Magnas were available for the K-22 Outdoorsman, first as an option later as standard. From your comment I'm assuming the grips don't number to the gun. I would not fret over that at all, they look great on the gun. What is the serial number if you don't mind sharing? My eyes are not sharp enough to read the number on the cylinder in your pic.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that's exactly how I feel about it. The stocks do not number to the gun. They also have a gold medallion. I thought the K22 Outdoorsman magnas had a silver madallion, but I may be wrong. The magnas, numbered to the gun and correct or not, do feel better in my hand than the service stocks. Oh, and serial number is 656543.
 
gmborkovic said:
Mr. Boss, you got a beauty. On #2 pic, right side, upper portion, where the small pin is located, is that an oil smudge in the pic?
Click to expand...

Assume so, but not sure where you mean. You were pretty specific, but maybe you can be moreso? I might just not be seeing what you're talking about on my small phone screen.
 
Wiregrassguy said:
Pre-war K frame magnas had larger silver medallions and the checkering gutter corners were sharp, not rounded. The checkering looks like that on the service stocks I posted. If you can find a pair, be prepared for sticker shock.
Click to expand...

I know how expensive they are.😱 That, and the fact that the magnas are still a bit small in my hands are why I was thinking I might just go ahead and get some custom targets made. I have reached out to Keith Brown. If he isn't taking orders, I will get some from John Culina, as recommended above and in many other threads on this site. Either way, I'll definitely share pics down the road when I get those.
 
Given you're going to shoot it, this is about your sights (which APPEAR to be of the "two screw" variety)---as in "two screws" at the rear and never mind the one at the front. All that does is hold the sight assembly on the gun. Given that's the case, it is the first from S&W which will not shoot loose (not that there's much chance of that with a .22). That said, this sight is the same as fitted to the .357 Magnum of the time.

BOTH of the two screws at the rear are used to adjust AND lock the elevation adjustment. (There is no need to do anything special about the windage adjustment as that's achieved by loosening one side and tightening the other--as in "jam screws".)

The elevation adjustment procedure: Make the initial adjustment with the aft screw. (Get close!) Make the final adjustment with the screw immediately in front of the aft screw. Now turn the aft screw counterclockwise as far as it will go. You're done. The sight is set AND locked. (Locked in that the screw immediately in front of the aft screw is bearing against the frame, and the aft screw is pulling against the frame (via a flange nut riding in a slot milled in the frame).

In the event you have a set of "Jewlers Screwdrivers", at least one of which will fit these sight screws, and NONE of which will have handles big enough to hold onto with your hands (rather than with your fingers), get yourself off to Lowes, and leave with their KOBALT Precision Screwdriver Set (#0525844) which DO have handles big enough to hold onto with your hands. The price you will pay for this set (of 10 tools) suggests they're junk, not so. I've been using the two that fit any/all pre-war sight screws for a looooooooooong time.

This sight is deemed to be the very best S&W ever made, in that it is infinitely adjustable AND will not shoot loose. (The succeeding so-called Micrometer sight also will not shoot loose, but is not infinitely adjustable---moving the point of impact a fixed amount with each "click".)

As an aside, one full turn of the screws on this sight moves the point of impact one full inch for each ten yards of range.

Ralph Tremaine
 
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rct269 said:
Given you're going to shoot it, this is about your sights (which APPEAR to be of the "two screw" variety)---as in "two screws" at the rear and never mind the one at the front. All that does is hold the sight assembly on the gun. Given that's the case, it is the first from S&W which will not shoot loose (not that there's much chance of that with a .22). That said, this sight is the same as fitted to the .357 Magnum of the time.

BOTH of the two screws at the rear are used to adjust AND lock the elevation adjustment. (There is no need to do anything special about the windage adjustment as that's achieved by loosening one side and tightening the other--as in "jam screws".)

The elevation adjustment procedure: Make the initial adjustment with the aft screw. (Get close!) Make the final adjustment with the screw immediately in front of the aft screw. Now turn the aft screw counterclockwise as far as it will go. You're done. The sight is set AND locked. (Locked in that the screw immediately in front of the aft screw is bearing against the frame, and the aft screw is pulling against the frame (via a flange nut riding in a slot milled in the frame).

In the event you have a set of "Jewlers Screwdrivers", at least one of which will fit these sight screws, and NONE of which will have handles big enough to hold onto with your hands (rather than with your fingers), get yourself off to Lowes, and leave with their KOBALT Precision Screwdriver Set (#0525844) which DO have handles big enough to hold onto with your hands. The price you will pay for this set (of 10 tools) suggests they're junk, not so. I've been using the two that fit any/all pre-war sight screws for a looooooooooong time.

This sight is deemed to be the very best S&W ever made, in that it is infinitely adjustable AND will not shoot loose. (The succeeding so-called Micrometer sight also will not shoot loose, but is not infinitely adjustable---moving the point of impact a fixed amount with each "click".)

As an aside, one full turn of the screws on this sight moves the point of impact one full inch for each ten yards of range.

Ralph Tremaine
Click to expand...


Thanks for the info! I remember reading a post, probably made by you, awhile back about that, but I sure couldn't remember the details. Hopefully I won't need to make any adjustment.🤞🏽
 
Congrats FB - what a wonderfully beautiful example of a pre-war K-22!!! A set of KB magnas would look great on that beauty. Several of my favorite K-22 O/Ds wear KB stocks. I love the work of KB on a pre-war O/D. Here are a few examples:

KB "standard" stocks on a Phil Quigley engraved K-22 (SN 657768 - Sept 1936):





KB Kearsarge-style stocks on SN 647954 (Shipped December 1934):









... and SN 657844 (shipped Sept 1936) came to me with a set of factory pre-war magnas that needed just a touch of KB love to make them perfect... (sorry about the poor pics, but they were taken long ago before I learned how to use my camera):





Good luck in your grip pursuit and THANK YOU for sharing that beauty with the rest of us.
 
Wow, that's a gem! Just beautiful. Maybe one of S&Ws best revolvers.
Signed, Jealous in Oregon. 😎
 
Frieda's Boss said:
Thanks for the info! I remember reading a post, probably made by you, awhile back about that, but I sure couldn't remember the details. Hopefully I won't need to make any adjustment.🤞🏽
Click to expand...

Well, I'm thinking you're not going to be having a whole lot of fun if you don't make adjustments. My definition of fun is seeing what you and your gun can do. I started off in Bullseye way back when---25 and 50 yards. The adjustment there was a known quantity, and no big deal---and no fun to speak of---just a necessity.

So that was my life, 25 and 50 yards. It didn't get boring by any means, because you're there to win---or at least to beat your buddies---but it was more like work than stepping up to a challenge, and having fun.

You can make your own challenge if need be. In my case, I started off wondering what my guns and I could do at 75 yards---then at 100 yards. I even tried the routine of the old time "Long Shooters" more than a few times. Those wackadoos competed out to 300 yards---with handguns!

Ralph Tremaine
 
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rct269 said:
Well, I'm thinking you're not going to be having a whole lot of fun if you don't make adjustments. My definition of fun is seeing what you and your gun can do. I started off in Bullseye way back when---25 and 50 yards. The adjustment there was a known quantity, and no big deal---and no fun to speak of---just a necessity.

So that was my life, 25 and 50 yards. It didn't get boring by any means, because you're there to win---or at least to beat your buddies---but it was more like work than stepping up to a challenge, and having fun.

You can make your own challenge if need be. In my case, I started off wondering what my guns and I could do at 75 yards---then at 100 yards. I even tried the routine of the old time "Long Shooters" more than a few times. Those wackadoos competed out to 300 yards---with handguns!

Ralph Tremaine
Click to expand...

You make some good points. My typical range day is plinking steel with my 2 best shooting buddies at 30 or so yards. We always have a great time, but now that I think about it we so need to stretch it out a bit. Might have to shoot further, and maybe on paper for the best group. The Outdoorsman would shine at that.

Do you have recommendations for a good screwdriver, or a set that would fit those tiny sight adjustment screws? I probably have one that is close, but don't want to mess up the screw for all the obvious reasons, with one that is just close.
 
Frieda's Boss said:
You make some good points. My typical range day is plinking steel with my 2 best shooting buddies at 30 or so yards. We always have a great time, but now that I think about it we so need to stretch it out a bit. Might have to shoot further, and maybe on paper for the best group. The Outdoorsman would shine at that.

Do you have recommendations for a good screwdriver, or a set that would fit those tiny sight adjustment screws? I probably have one that is close, but don't want to mess up the screw for all the obvious reasons, with one that is just close.
Click to expand...

You blew right by my screwdriver recommendation in Post 17------PAY ATTENTION!!

OR---you can do what I did---just once!

Brownells has their SUPERB Magna-Tip screwdrivers/tips---a set of which will fit any screw ever made---or not. In the case of "or not", they also have (or at least had way back when) two handy little grinding wheels with spindles you can chuck up in your drill press, and proceed to make a good thing better----"or not" again--by customizing their tips to make them your tips.

So that's what I did---to make a little bitty tip even littler. What I made was a blade tip that twisted about 90 degrees the first time I tried to use it. It seems excessive heat messes with steel that's already been messed with to make it stronger----and makes it weaker----weaker than it ever was to begin with. The way you fix that is to get another little bitty tip from Brownells---and leave it the hell alone---or learn just how long you can grind on it without messing it up----which isn't very long. I know these things----now.

Get the Lowes set----be happy.

Ralph Tremaine

And if anybody needs a set of grinding wheels, so they too can mess up perfectly good screwdriver bits, I have them----if I can find them. If/when I find them, I'll be happy to send them off to you----free for nothing!

And yet again, a nagging memory----and sure enough! Brownells now has---or used to have a couple of bits (maybe even whole screwdrivers) that'll fit these sight screws. They didn't have them way, way back when I loaded up on tools the first time around, but here they are now---sitting right in front of me---never been used. The numbers are 120-1 & 120-2, and comparing them to the Lowes tools, they'll fit both of the little-bitty sight screws on pre-war S&W's. SO----if you absolutely, positively have to go first class, forget about Lowes, and get these. Note these are bits, you'll need a handle to go along with them-----and Brownells has a bunch of different handles-----may even have whole screwdrivers in these sizes---with handles big enough to hold onto with your hands. Another note: Brownells has magnetic handles too----which makes for magnetic bits----which makes for screw holders---if/when the damn screws are so tiny you can't possibly use your fingers to get them started in their holes.
 
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rct269 said:
You blew right by my screwdriver recommendation in Post 17------PAY ATTENTION!!

OR---you can do what I did---just once!

Brownells has their SUPERB Magna-Tip screwdrivers/tips---a set of which will fit any screw ever made---or not. In the case of "or not", they also have (or at least had way back when) two handy little grinding wheels with spindles you can chuck up in your drill press, and proceed to make a good thing better----"or not" again--by customizing their tips to make them your tips.

So that's what I did---to make a little bitty tip even littler. What I made was a blade tip that twisted about 90 degrees the first time I tried to use it. It seems excessive heat messes with steel that's already been messed with to make it stronger----and makes it weaker----weaker than it ever was to begin with. The way you fix that is to get another little bitty tip from Brownells---and leave it the hell alone---or learn just how long you can grind on it without messing it up----which isn't very long. I know these things----now.

Get the Lowes set----be happy.

Ralph Tremaine

And if anybody needs a set of grinding wheels, so they too can mess up perfectly good screwdriver bits, I have them----if I can find them. If/when I find them, I'll be happy to send them off to you----free for nothing!

And yet again, a nagging memory----and sure enough! Brownells now has---or used to have a couple of bits (maybe even whole screwdrivers) that'll fit these sight screws. They didn't have them way, way back when I loaded up on tools the first time around, but here they are now---sitting right in front of me---never been used. The numbers are 120-1 & 120-2, and comparing them to the Lowes tools, they'll fit both of the little-bitty sight screws on pre-war S&W's. SO----if you absolutely, positively have to go first class, forget about Lowes, and get these. Note these are bits, you'll need a handle to go along with them-----and Brownells has a bunch of different handles-----may even have whole screwdrivers in these sizes---with handles big enough to hold onto with your hands. Another note: Brownells has magnetic handles too----which makes for magnetic bits----which makes for screw holders---if/when the damn screws are so tiny you can't possibly use your fingers to get them started in their holes.
Click to expand...

You are correct...in all the back & forth in this thread, I forgot you had posted that screwdriver info earlier. Much obliged! I do have a set of brownells bits with the magnetic handle, so will order some smaller bits & should be all set.
 
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