K-22

[Ebjonnes]

 Hello,  I just found out that I will be given 2 K-22's and 2K38 combat masterpieces as a gift !! I'm a Colt man ,up till now,so I am clueless about Smiths. All of these revolvers are 1950-1960 vintage and have been stored away since the 70's. Are Smiths of that era considered good quality? Did Smith ever make a K-22 in 22wmr?   Thanks.

[John Traveler]

Smith & Wesson K22 and K38 revolvers from the 1950-early 60's period are considered to be of superior fit and finish than those made after the late 1960's.  They are highly prized by collectors.

Yes, a S&W K22 chambered in .22 WRM was identified as the model 48, introduced after 1960 when the cartridge made it's introduction in Winchester rifles.

[Hammerdown]

Hello
Most model 48's came with a 6" barrel and you could have gotten one with a Factory fitted Cylinder & Crane in .22 LR Caliber as an accessory. This one has the harder to Locate 4" Barrel. Here is an Early one that shipped in  1961 that is a 4 screw gun. Regards, Hammerdown.

[Graybeard]

I owned one S&W Model 48 many long years ago. My best recollection of it is that it was an 8-3/8" barrel. I did like the gun and it was quite accurate and rather destructive of game and targets. But that was in the days before I was wise enough to begin using hearing protection when shooting and the sharp crack it gave was about the worst of any round I've seen with the possible exception of the .30 Carbine in a Ruger revolver. Both are really bad in that regard.

I sure wish I'd been smart enough to have kept it and used hearing protection as that was a really nice revolver. I recall one time when out shooting at a clay pit I filled a small dixie cup (likely an 8 or 10 oz size) with soft gooey mud and shot it with that revolver. When I looked the ONLY thing I was able to find was the bottom of the cup setting where it had been more or less. No evidence of the rest of the cup or the mud could be found anywhere nearby. Back in those days that just absolutely astonished me. Ah to have again many of the guns I've let go of over the years cuz I thought I wanted something else more.

[Ebjonnes]

  I have'nt had a chance to examine these revolvers yet. I,ll be getting them in Dec..In the short time that I did handle them I can say that both 22's are the same barrel length of 6 or so. I woulld like to rebuild one of these 22's to a 3 or 3.5in. WMRF. Are the pinned barrels threaded also,or are they just pressed and pinned?

[Hammerdown]

  I have'nt had a chance to examine these revolvers yet. I,ll be getting them in Dec..In the short time that I did handle them I can say that both 22's are the same barrel length of 6 or so. I woulld like to rebuild one of these 22's to a 3 or 3.5in. WMRF. Are the pinned barrels threaded also,or are they just pressed and pinned?

Hello
I would suggest if these revolver's are in great shape, just to leave the barrels alone. They are designed to shoot well with the barrels they leave the factory with, and a Modification may change that, as well as ruin any collector Value to them. The Model 48 is a fine shooter and getting hard to locate in good condition. Just my 2 cent's worth.. Hammerdown

[rockbilly]

Ebjonnes.  Rebuilding the K-22 to 3-3 1/2 inch gun kinda reminds me of a story told by a local car collector/restorer.   An individual showed up at his place of business one day, and after some looking bought a vintage 1929 (totally restored) Ford Coupe.  A short while later the same individual showed up again bragging on his new T-Bucket.  He had taken the vintage car, cut it up, installed a big block Chevy engine, corvette drive train, and disk brakes all around.  Not only had he destroyed a vintage car, he had spent far too much money to do it.

My friend said he had 5-6 frames and body's that he would have sold the guy for about $200.   A good start for a T-bucket.  But this nut paid $10,000 for the car, and (guessing) near that amount again to convert the vintage into a T-bucket.  Had he bought the frame and body, he could have built the car for about a quarter of what he had in it, and of course, the vintage car was gone forever.

Ebjonnes.  If I were in desperate need for a short barreled .22 I would look around and find a used gun that was in need of restoration and work with that rather than butchering a vintage gun.  JMHO.

[S.B.]

Graybeard, I agree with your opinion of the noise levels put out by the .22 WRMs. My experience came with a Ruger Single Six Convertable and caused me to trade for a K22 Conbat Masterpiece that only fired the LR rounds. That was many a moon back and I haven't owned one, since. This all happened in a time when I didn't even know there was such a thing as hearing protection.

[Ken ONeill]

NO, NO, NO !!! Don't cut up that K-22. Put it in the Classifieds with a photo and reasonable price, or e-mail / pm same to me.