sbrmike
US Veteran
I mentioned this gun in my post about tight chambers but had a lot to share about my history with K-22's.
I have owned a few K-22's through the years. To the best of my knowledge I never sold one but did trade one or two. We will see where my memory goes.
Anyways I recently bought a very well worn K-22 Masterpiece revolver with a 6 inch barrel. The gun was made in 1951. I put a 4 inch barrel from a S&W model 18-4 on it. It fit perfect in all respects. I shot the gun today and it is a keeper. It feels so right and points naturally for me. It is a good companion piece for my model 66-1 with 4 inch barrel. I was never that wild about 6 inch Masterpieces. I like them, they look right but don't fit me all that well and are a bit of a pain as a hiking companion.
This one is perfect for me.
Let me begin my history with K-22's and it is a long one. The first gun I ever fired was my uncle's K-22 Masterpiece 6 inch revolver made in 1951. I fired it on Thanksgiving Day in 1964. I will never forget that day. Fast forward to 1976. I got out of the Army for a while and looked my uncle up. I asked him if he still had that 22 revolver and if he would sell it to me? He said "That old K-22?" I said yes. He said that he had sold it years ago. Ok, that was that.
Fast forward again to probably 2000 something. One of my other uncles dies and at the repass, my aunt came up to me and asked if I still messed around with guns. I said of course. She said she had a pistol that Buck got from Bill and she wanted me to have it. My heart started pounding. Could this be that K-22? Well yes it was! Gees my uncle Bill could have told me he sold it to his brother! Well she gave me the gun, the original receipt, and a box of Remington Yellow Jackets. I was thrilled.
When my mother died I decided to give that K-22 to my sister. It was the first gun she ever fired as well that Thanksgiving Day in 1964 and since she now owned the family homestead where we all shot it, I figured the gun should stay there for future generations to shoot it.
I missed the K-22 and bought another one. I got it from the estate of the original owner. It was a single line, Made in USA marked gun. It was made in 1948 if I recall correctly? It came with the original box and receipt. I think it cost less than $50.00. It was all matching and in wonderful condition. It was a Game Wardens gun and it wasn't shot much. It had minor holster wear. But it did have one glaring fault. The butt was banged up and one grip chipped pretty bad. He must have needed a hammer bad out in the field one day! Other than that it was pretty darn nice. Of course I gave that to my son. He still has it out in California.
Again I am without a K-22. I bought a pretty decent 1949 model from a friend. I traded that for an Airweight Kit Gun. The kit gun was compact and a good carry along hiking gun, but just didn't feel right. I traded that even up for a 1955 K-22 Masterpiece. Again the 6 inch barrel didn't thrill me. It was banging down my leg and needing a different holster than my 4 inch model 66. I traded it even up for a pre 64 Win 70 Featherweight.
I then bought a model 63. It was a nice gun but had the same issues as my earlier kit gun, i.e. not feeling quite right and also needing a separate holster than my trusty model 66-1 four inch model. So, it goes to my niece who happened to comment she was wanting to buy herself a handgun. I just gave it to her.
I was still wanting a little 22 to carry hiking. I bought a brand new S&W model 317 with fiber optic sights. That was a nice gun. It carried and pointed well. But my youngest daughter absolutely loved it as much as I did so you know she owns it. Another one gifted.
Which brings me to this well worn 1951 model K-22 Masterpiece 6 inch that I have changed to a 4 inch by installing that barrel from a model 18-4. It is the perfect 22 revolver for me! I have never seen a S&W Combat Masterpiece in the wild. The only ones I ever see online were always very expensive. I've got well less than $500 in this gun including the new barrel. It is mismatched and well worn, but is quickly becoming my favorite!
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