Ultimate pre-61 K-22 showcase.

Both of these K-22's date to 1951. The top is an early serial #, is a sold 95-97% with numbers matching stocks. Traded in a shooter grade 1954 era to get this high grade example. Bottom one is 90-95% with original gold box and numbers matching magna stacks. Pictured wearing a set of shooter grade walnut diamond target stocks. Both are great shooters too.
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K22 which shipped in June 1958 pictured with everything I got with it. The gun is a K22, not a Model 17, so it must either have been made at the latest in 1957 and sat around the factory awhile or have been assembled with parts made well before the ship date. It shoots great!



And a solo shot:

 
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Ultimate per-61 K-22 showcase

K2414-my father in law's good friend & hunting partner ordered this revolver as soon as he returned home after WW II. Colorado Saddlery gun rug.
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These next 2 photos are with my new iPad-too hot to photograph outside where I normally set up. I'll find the right lighting eventually.
A model 17, 1958 production with numbered grips & box.
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1953 Combat Masterpiece with numbered grips.
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Regards,
turnerriver
 
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This is my old rusty pre 17. i love this gun! shoot it all the time. im glad i got one in this condition because i dont worry about it and take it every where. great for camping and the truck. saved my life one time.
 
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Here's my humble submission. K-22 #20,918. Shipped to Kelam Hardware in Roanoke VA on May 20, 1948. I swapped a Model 48 for it in 1972, and felt I got the better end of the deal; mostly because .22 Magnum ammo was $3.00 / box at the time and I could barely afford to feed that model 48. The trade took place in Troutville, not 20 miles from where the gun originally shipped to.

It's not in as fine a shape as many of the beauties shown on this thread, but the wear that's been put on it was mostly done by me; either carrying it on a trapline, walking in the woods, plinking, or more recently shooting steel plates. Best of all, I don't have to worry about getting a mark on it while shooting it. For 40 years it has unquestionably been my favorite firearm, though lately my Pre M-27 has been giving me second thoughts.
 

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I'm glad this thread was brought back up. There are some real stunners here!

I'd forgotten about Drew's gun that's still in Cosmoline--wow!

It's also interesting that there's more than one poster who's found that their four inch CM/18 is more accurate than their six inch guns. In my small sample, two six inch K22s and one 22 CM, the same thing is true.

Surely there's more out there!
 
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This is my old rusty pre 17. i love this gun! shoot it all the time. im glad i got one in this condition because i dont worry about it and take it every where. great for camping and the truck. saved my life one time.

You can't leave us hanging, tell us the life-saving event.
 
Dont come to my door at 3 in the morn'n!

You can't leave us hanging, tell us the life-saving event.

Punk wanted in my house and thought he would start a knife fight. My .22 said nope and i let him run off. next time he will see a 25-5 4'' and ill be less kind. I also got a new big dog to help out.
 
I'm excited to see this thread. I recently laid away a K22 5 screw Serial number 150xxx.

Is there a primer somewhere on these guns. 3-4-5 screw?

K22 model 17? I thought K22 was the model?

can anyone tell me about when this gun shipped?

Any interesting history, stories? Was this the gun Billy the Kid used????

well, you know what i mean.

tx.
 
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I don't think so. With that many fine 4 and 5 screws, he must be a manufacturer.:)

Thanks but I'm more of an accumulator than a collector and I started buying before the internet was nearly as big a big deal as it is today. There have been several occasions where I'd buy a gun online and then during a phone call or email seller mentions something else and next thing you know there are 2 or 3 coming. I like and keep most everything I buy but I do always have an eye toward quality so if I find a better example I may sell the worst one I've got. I'm funny that way, sometimes the most worn are my favorites and there is no telling which gun will speak to me. If I think the previous owner valued it and used it well, chances are I'm going to like it too. I'm a sucker for a gun with 80% finish, honest wear. If the screws are buggered or rust pits away much of the finish I'm usually out (unless price makes it a give away) but if the barrel is gray from a thousand trips in and out of a holster or the sideplate blue is thin from a retention strap, I'm still a buyer at a fair price.

GF and I have been to several small shows back in mid 2000s where you could buy most any S&W in the room for $300-400 and we've both grabbed more than our share. I never valued boxes and paperwork like I should have but I sure do like k22s and they've beat the market as an investment although I've made more money on S&W stock then I ever expect to make on my guns. I've got a few pure examples of 60s/70s/80s guns that are in original boxes but I don't have a single 4 or 5 screw that's in its original box and some of my guns are high grade shooters 98/99% with grips that #. The seller either didn't care about the box, which is what I think mostly happened, or else sold the box on the side. Smart guys were putting period correct boxes with their guns when you could buy gold boxes for under a $100 but I guess that's the difference between a true collector an accumulator/hoarder like me. :)
 
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