What is this 22LR 8 3/8" barrel gun

[Gdogman]

Friend of mine sent the pictures posted and is asking if its worth buying. I have no clue what model gun it is. Looks like two different numbers on it.

Any help? Sending a few more pictures in a minute.....

 

[rct269]

HUH??!!!

Well, for openers you're showing us two different guns----neither of which carries an 8 3/8" barrel.

And so--------------------------------------??????????????????????!!!

Ralph Tremaine

And only one of which is a .22.

 

[Muley Gil]

You have pictures of two different revolvers. The D serial number gun is probably a Model 10 .38 special from 1969.


The K-22 is from 1955. It has a 6" barrel and a red post front sight. The serial number is stamped on the rear of the cylinder. Hopefully, the number stamped on the butt is the same. The number stamped on the frame seen when the cylinder is swung out is an assembly number and means nothing now. The true number is the one on the butt. The grips will have to be removed to read it.

 

[s&wchad]

Here's info on the .22 you showed. That's not an 8-3/8" barrel, that's a 6" barrel. The gun is a 5- screw K-22 Masterpiece. The serial number on the back of the cylinder (K 259281) dates it to about 1955. The number you see in the yoke cut is an assembly number, which can also be seen on the left side of the grip frame if you remove the stocks.

During this timeframe, the serial number can be found on the butt of the gun, on the back of the cylinder, on the barrel flat above the ejector rod and on the back of the yoke arm (in from of the cylinder). If the gun had Magna stocks instead of target stocks, you would also find the numeric part of the serial number on the inside of the right grip panel. Target stocks like those were not numbered.

 

[Gdogman]

Sorry guys I didn't even notice he had a different pic in the bunch.

 

[Gdogman]

Here's info on the .22 you showed. That's not an 8-3/8" barrel, that's a 6" barrel. The gun is a 5- screw K-22 Masterpiece. The serial number on the back of the cylinder (K 259281) dates it to about 1955. The number you see in the yoke cut is an assembly number, which can also be seen on the left side of the grip frame if you remove the stocks.

During this timeframe, the serial number can be found on the butt of the gun, on the back of the cylinder, on the barrel flat above the ejector rod and on the back of the yoke arm (in from of the cylinder). If the gun had Magna stocks instead of target stocks, you would also find the numeric part of the serial number on the inside of the right grip panel. Target stocks like those were not numbered.

Chad,

Are you saying those came with both Magna and Target stocks, but just the Magna had matching numbers?

Gil

 

[Muley Gil]

Chad,

Are you saying those came with both Magna and Target stocks, but just the Magna had matching numbers?

Gil

That is correct. Magnas were fitted to the frames and were numbered. Target grips didn't have to be fitted and generally weren't numbered.

 

[Texas Star]

Please don't post any more nice, sharp photos of that clean Model 10 .38. They increase my heart rate and I begin breathing heavily and wanting to own it.

No interest in the K-22. Many have sticky extraction and a .22 hasn't enough power for real confidence in shooting at anything beyond paper targets and tin cans. A .22 will kill most snakes, but anything big that wants to eat you or rob and kill you should encounter more power in your handgun.

 

[pantannojack]

I'd love to have the .22. I'l trade a drawer full of used lottery tickets, good condition. Some have not even been certified to be losers

 

[RKmesa]

Friend of mine sent the pictures posted and is asking if its worth buying.

Any help? Sending a few more pictures in a minute.....

I agree with the comments from the posters above. However, it may just be the photos, but the grips on the K-22 may be a very rarely seen variety. They may be the 3-part target grips with the plastic spacer. If that is the case, they are very rare. If they do not have the spacer, they still appear to be early target stocks. I for one would love a few more photos of the grips by themselves... The larger checkering area, the way the radius on the top of the grip that extends down around and frames the rear of the trigger, and the more rounded top part of the checkering pattern and fairly shallow edge cuts are reminiscent of these early N Frame stocks...



Thanks and good luck,

 

[Waveski]

No interest in the K-22. Many have sticky extraction and a .22 hasn't enough power for real confidence in shooting at anything beyond paper targets and tin cans. A .22 will kill most snakes, but anything big that wants to eat you or rob and kill you should encounter more power in your handgun.[/QUOTE]

I have encountered someone who disdains the K22! Next I'm going to look out at my back yard - I expect to see a Unicorn!!!

(I'd post a smiley emoticon for clarification but I disdain emoticons.)

 

[andy52]

Depending on the price I'd be allover that K22, if those are the three piece targets they'd be worth almost as much as the revolver.

 

[skeezix]

"3-part target grips with the plastic spacer"

That's a new one on me. Can someone post pictures of a set showing the plastic spacer?

 

[Gdogman]

I agree with the comments from the posters above. However, it may just be the photos, but the grips on the K-22 may be a very rarely seen variety. They may be the 3-part target grips with the plastic spacer. If that is the case, they are very rare. If they do not have the spacer, they still appear to be early target stocks. I for one would love a few more photos of the grips by themselves... The larger checkering area, the way the radius on the top of the grip that extends down around and frames the rear of the trigger, and the more rounded top part of the checkering pattern and fairly shallow edge cuts are reminiscent of these early N Frame stocks...

I will see if I can get him to send me pictures of the grips removed.

 

[andy52]

I will see if I can get him to send me pictures of the grips removed.

Ask him to be very gentle when removing the plastic center piece they becomes very brittle with age and is easily broken.

 

[andy52]

"3-part target grips with the plastic spacer"

That's a new one on me. Can someone post pictures of a set showing the plastic spacer?

This picture is courtesy of a member here but shows what the early 3 piece stocks look like.

 

[RKmesa]

"3-part target grips with the plastic spacer"

That's a new one on me. Can someone post pictures of a set showing the plastic spacer?

These photos are linked from Lee's (Handejector) album on the topic here:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/members/handejector-albums-rarest-target-stocks.html

[Edited - While I was looking for the above, I see Andy beat me to the posting of a photo... very cool stocks, but very impractical].

 

[Doc44]

The K-frame stocks above certainly are rare. Also, I wonder why anyone would want to make a pair of stocks like that, particularly, when Roper stocks and other non-factory stock makers used a much more efficient way to make them. About twenty years ago, a K-38 that lettered with a pair of early target stocks (like those above) was sold to a well known collector for $10,000.

Bill

 

[andy52]

The K-frame stocks above certainly are rare. Also, I wonder why anyone would want to make a pair of stocks like that, particularly, when Roper stocks and other non-factory stock makers used a much more efficient way to make them. About twenty years ago, a K-38 that lettered with a pair of early target stocks (like those above) was sold to a well known collector for $10,000.

Bill

It didn't take long for the powers that be at S&W to figure that out, the two piece non relieved targets came out shortly after that. I do agree it was a foolish design from the get go.

 

[younggun22]

Man those 3 piece target stocks are really coming out of the wood work lately!

That's the 4th set I've seen in the last 7 months