Yep, they've always been popular (for good reasons) with outdoorsmen since their introduction in 1932. Like "Old Handgunner" says above, you may be better off looking in local store or pawn shops? Auctions have a way of making sound minds wander in price?
Good luck in your quest the rewards are well worth your efforts! Many a squirrel and bunny has been taken with my K22s over the years.
Hello Fatercat
I agree with Poster S.B. asid on this, That the K-22's are Highly sought after and with today's ammo prices rising they are even more Popular. I can tell you the Only way to Locate a Nice K-22 is to be
Patient, they made a lot of them, from 1931-1990 and in due time one will show up for you, Just Comb the gun shops and shows for better selections and more reasonable Prices, rather than waste your time on highly seen auction sites that Often command far Higher Prices than what they are actually worth. I, Like You lusted for an
Outdoorsman model which was the very first K-22 S&W Made,for Many Years. I finally put it out of my mind, as the Only ones I saw were either
wore out , and served better a
Door stop or were drop dead
mint and far beyond my Pocket would allowance would stretch. I went to a Local gun show in my town the day it was being set up before the general Public was allowed entrance, and was Looking at a vendors handguns when I spotted a Nice Looking
K-22 Outdoorsman . I had Given up all Previous hope of owning one in the past, But figured I would ask anyways what his price was, and to look at it close up. He explained that this revolver was previously owned by a S&W collector, and after he bought it, it had only sat in his gun safe unfired for the last 20 Years. he went on to say that because of the Violent storm of Katrina he had to Put a roof on his house, and by letteing go of this Old Classic, he would be able to replace his roof. his price of
$875.00 was Not that bad considering prices of these lately rising to new High levels much more than this, and this One Looked real close to ones I consider being Highly collectible examples. Here was what I had been searching for, many years before and as usual, Funds were not there at his asking Price. I asked him if he was Interested in any swaps and he said he may be but they would have to meet or exceed his asking price of this Outdoorsman. I told him I would be back early in the Morning before they Opened the gun show to the General Public with a trade offer. I went home and Pulled out several nice S&W revolver's trying to keep in mind I wanted to meet his price but not Loose hand guns I could not replace easily in the future as many of mine were hard to Locate and I have had them for many years. I had two nice Nickel S&W's to swap, One being a mint model 19-4 with a 4" Pinned barrel and the Other being a refinished K-22 that was Now Nickel Plated and they both Looked good. I spent about an Hour detailing & Polishing them and placed both in a brief case for morning before going to bed. I remember that evening was a Lost sleep one, due to the excitment of Possibly owning a revolver I had Hunted hard for all these Years but had eluded me ever time I came across one either because it was more than what I could afford or in a sad shape of hard use. The Next Morning, I got up Bright and early like a Kid on Christmas morning, and I was waiting on him , when he walked up to his Tables just 10 Minutes before they let the Public crowd in, fully knowing if anyone else saw this Outdoorsman it sure would be gone quickly. He looked at both of my Guns, which were Blinding from all my Previous Polishing and detailing on them and I said Two of those should exceed your asking price of that Old K-22 Outdoorsman. After Looking them over closely, Much Like a Jeweler would a rare Jem, He agreed to make the swap for Even and I was out of there Like
Being shot out of a cannon, with the revolver I had always wanted but could not find at a price I could afford or in the shape I wanted one. Once I got home with my New Outdoorsman K-22 I reflected back, Laughing at myself at how I could Not sleep the Night before, tossing and Turning thinking about the Possibility of Loosing this deal, and it almost was funny how worked up it made me thinking of owning such a nice collectible, which lead to the level of Happiness I now was Basking in. He actually got the Better end of the deal on resale price from the Two I had swapped with him, But I got a revolver I never dreamed I would have in return, and Have Not seen another One Like it since. Regards, Hammerdown
