Was hoping for a really 'Special One'

[bdGreen]

Guess it wasn't meant to be. Ha.

I have this K22 Outdoorsman that was shipped very early in the production of this model.

There were a few odd things about this one and I had hoped that it had shipped to 'someone' and not just a store front operation.

The modifications made led me to believe that a 'shooter' ordered this one up.

1. No Call bead on the front sight. Was swapped out.

2. The action has been modified for 'hammer' cocking only. Trigger cocking doesn't do the job. No follow through.

3. The right side stock has been checked to accommodate a better grip. And, it is.

Well, the letter from the SWHF says all that happened 'after' it shipped.

Well, POOP.

I would dearly love to know the person that bought this gun and customized for his personal use.

Here she is in all her modified glory.

Oh, I ain't complaining.

Enjoy,

bdGreen

Tap on image to enlarge.

 

[RKmesa]

What a fun one... even if all of the cool mods came after it left the factory.

 

[Truckman]

Very cool, and it's an SAO...I imagine the magnas were added at a later date also?...I can dig the checkering, very cool......Ben

 

[hibbs]

Truckman, I have a close cousin of your outdoorsman. #636020 like new in the box with tools and some paper. Does have the gold bead front sight. Was shipped in July 1931.

Richard

 

[Engine49guy]

I never met a pre IL K22 I didn't like.
The stocks are of course pre 52 post war modified replacements and no doubt swapped since the originals were the puny service stocks.
The front site is obviously not original,
Why someone would swap out that sweet gold bead fs blade is a mystery, perhaps it was damaged ?
If I was bigtime into modifying an early used K22 in pre 52 I would have gone the King road or at least swapped on a micro click Masterpiece rear unit

 

[DWalt]

The first thing that jumps out at you is the much later Magna grips. I have never before seen that added checkering on any revolver grip. Regarding the SAO, how was that done - just the DA fly removed? If so, that can easily be replaced.

 

[Retired W4]

The first thing that jumps out at you is the much later Magna grips. I have never before seen that added checkering on any revolver grip. Regarding the SAO, how was that done - just the DA fly removed? If so, that can easily be replaced.

Single Shot, 3rd with a little post factory extra checkering. Someone really took good care of it.

 

[ZGrand]

I have never before seen that added checkering on any revolver grip.

I was thinking the exact same thing. Interesting revolver, though.

 

[SS336]

Looks pretty special to me.
Very cool revolver, I too like the checkering on the stocks. All K22 Outdoorsman are special some are just more special than others. I like this one a lot.

 

[glowe]

Personally, with the high blue finish condition and great case coloring, I would put it back to original. 1930s silver medallion stocks are available and if you post on the Forum here for a gold bead front sight, I know members have them around.

The mechanism might be an easy fix, so I would check out what it would take to put it back to DA and SA. If done, you have a much more valuable gun in my estimation.

 

[mtgianni]

Personally, with the high blue finish condition and great case coloring, I would put it back to original. 1930s silver medallion stocks are available and if you post on the Forum here for a gold bead front sight, I know members have them around.

The mechanism might be an easy fix, so I would check out what it would take to put it back to DA and SA. If done, you have a much more valuable gun in my estimation.

Even if you don't do the mods now, having the parts to return it to original is a much better thing than looking 20 years from now.

 

[YeshuaIsa53]

I'd bet the guy/gal was a right handed shooter.

 

[steelslaver]

I can see gathering the pieces to make it original, but it does say there was something special about its past just the way it sits. Someone really liked that gun.

 

[Model52guy]

I think you got a very special one. The grip mods are great.

 

[bdGreen]

I can see gathering the pieces to make it original, but it does say there was something special about its past just the way it sits. Someone really liked that gun.

Yes I agree with that.

To what end, buying the correct stocks, locating a proper Call front sight and then replacing innards to get the action correct?

I am really hard pressed to see the benefits from doing all that.

And, I couldn't present my SWHF letter to the next owner. Ha. They'd be like, WHAT?

Besides, I already have one correctly configured.

Early one with the gold Call front sight.

enjoy,

bdGreen

Tap on image to enlarge.

 

[Smithandwessoneverything]

Those grip mods are soooo cool. I never thought of cross hatching the back of stocks! I restore sticks and basically anything Smith & Wesson and that really got me thinking about checkering the back of grips. The single action only mods to the trigger can be undone by freeing up the hammer bar and hooking the hinge back over the hammer spring.

 

[Engine49guy]

I love them all but the first year gold bead guns with the early rear sight pre set screw and last pre war year K22/40 Masterpiece are special due to their low production numbers and unique features found only on those versions.
Don't get me wrong the 1932-1939 K22 ODs are sweet but they are more common because of the longer run, btw in that run you see the TM migrate, Service stock grip adapters, Magna stocks and Humpback hammers so it's fun to collect their variations too.

 

[JSR III]

Personally I would leave it alone. Replacing changed parts will never make it original as the parts are not original to the gun.

As Dr. Jinks has stated several times, finding a pristine original gun that has spent its life in a sock drawer is really fantastic, like opening a time capsule however, there is also something special about finding a gun that has been modified to some prior caretakers unique specifications and reveals the true history of that gun. Changing it back to factory shipped configuration will never make it original but merely a representation of what an original gun would have looked like.

Just my humble opinion and worth every penny that you paid for it.

 

[glowe]

. . . Changing it back to factory shipped configuration will never make it original but merely a representation of what an original gun would have looked like . . .
[/QUOTE

Exactly! Just how many people would buy a DA gun that only worked in SA? I guess at my age, I look down the road and look for short term profits. If that gun was bought at a fair price considering its alterations, putting it right again will add value.

 

[JSR III]

Gary, as a "purist" collector it just doesn't sit right with me. I have only sold one gun and that was a club gun that went to the club gun museum in Warren, MA where it belonged.

I don't look to future profits but merely owning and being a caretaker for as long as I breathe air. I will however be releasing some of the non firearm S&W items that have found there way home with me. Mainly because there is too much for my kids to deal with and leaving them with that job is asking too much.

But that's why they make chocolate and vanilla.....

 

[Inland7-45]

This is a nice revolver even if the configuration doesn't match the letter. I dont't have a K-22 from this era , but I do have a 38/44 HD that was made in 1932. Since I shoot mostly DA I would miss not having this capability especially in nice slick old long action. Otherwise the gun is just fine as is.

 

[mikepriwer]

I find that, in lots of instances, where a gun was shipped to may not be relevant to its importance. This is particularly true for guns shipped to distributors or retail outlets. In these cases, the first purchaser is not known, but sometimes subsequent information will connect the gun to a well-known person, or incident.

For example, McGivern's multi-record-setting revolver was shipped to Anaconda Copper Co in Montana. I had assumed that he had purchased it from the company store. It turns out he was was given the gun by a Sheriff's Deputy, and he had agreed to either return it, or replace it with a new one, when he was done using it. After using the gun for 15 or so years, Doug Wesson wanted to buy it, and part of the purchase price was another revolver that would go to that Deputy Sheriff.

Another example is a 1902 1st change 5" 38 target revolver that I recently acquired. It was shipped to a distributor in 1903 or 1904. In March of 1926, it was returned to the factory - probably for refinishing. The factory issued a receipt to the owner, noting that the gun had been received. (This document turned up in a Historical Foundation search by serial number.) The owners name is Ruben V Vaughan, living on Catalina Island, which is a part of Los Angeles, but 20 miles off-shore.

The grip frame has another date for a return back to the factory, in 1946, but no records for that return have turned up.

Ruben is a very colorful character. He was the self-appointed Ambassador of Catalina, officially greeting each and every tour boat every day. He assumed the title of Capt Doc Vaughan, in part because he studied pharmaceutical chemistry during is college days.

He published two books, one called Doc's Catalina Diary, and the other his autobiography called The Print of My Rememberance. The next two images are the forward to the book. They offer an insight into this very unusual person.

Here are two pictures of the gun, after my cleanup effort. It's not going to win any beauty awards, except for the grips that are numbered to the gun, but then again 40 years on Catalina Island might have taken it's toll on the finish.

Regards, Mike Priwer

 

[Heinz]

I like the pistol the way it is. Clearly something that belonged to a serious shooter, that is exemplified by the Patridge style front sight, favored by most match shooters in the mid 20th century.

I would not be surprised if the trigger had been tuned up when it was converted to SAO. Shooting a revolver double action in a classic slow, timed, and rapid fire pistol match was not popular at that time.

 

[Model46]

I will cast my vote for leaving the gun as it is. The modifications are part of its history and should remain as they are. I'm a purist collector, but can appreciate what was done to this gun. Someone certainly liked it. Who they were is now likely lost.
Just my opinion.

 

[DGNY]

I also would leave that interesting revolver as it is. It, with the other having the call bead, etc., would make a great triumvirate should you seek and find (or already on) an unmolested pristine and unmodified revolver with suitably relevant/close serial number.

In a sense that trio would be a collector's Gradus ad Parnassum of stock to slightly modified to magnificently modified.

 

[tajada]

Such as exquisite piece, they are very hard to come by. Only saw one on GB and the price was over the top. My ffl is currently tracking down one for me but he said it's a long shot.