Double Action, 22lr Six Shooters

[Armored farmer]

I was afraid I was going to get the response that a 6 shot double action 22 was going to be difficult to find. I was pretty much striking out with my own searching. That is why I came to THR. I've never used the on line market and I am not really crazy about doing so. I want to touch it and feel it before buying. And so far nothing at all locally.

I don't think anyone should avoid gunbroker. It is a tool of the modern age. If you are looking for a specific used gun.....it's about your best bet to find it.(period)

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I don't think anybody is making a DA six shooter .22 currently, so you'll be hunting the used market. I don't believe Ruger ever made a 6 shot .22 LR DA, I think the SP101 was always an 8 shooter, so you're down to Smith, Colt, Charter (older the better), H&R, Iver Johnson, and if you're a gambling man, Rohm.

Obviously skip Rohm, the H&Rs I believe the consunsus is the 6 shooters are okay, but the 9 shot models lose their timing quickly. My suggestion for a more affordable option is an older Charter made in Bridgeport or Stratford. If I wasn't opposed to 6 shot DA .22's I would have bought one of those already. They're also not heavy either if weight is a concern at all.

I was just going to talk about Taurus, but IDK if they ever made a 6 shot .22 and given Taurus .22's are so hard to come by today, you may as well put them in the Ruger camp of don't bother looking.

IDK if you want to spend the money on a S&W or a Colt, if this is a collection gun you don't mind turning into a safe queen, then go with them, but as of right now my suggestion is and older Charter. The DA triggers on them have been considered very good for rimfire and they'll have good sights and if you have any issues Charter customer service still supports the older models and is considered very good, but it won't be free.

Six-shot SP101, early 90s production. They were never very common and discontinued for about 10 years until the new 8-shot debuted.
Taurus did make medium frame 6 shooter rimfires in that era as well, analogous to the K22. Charter had the Pathfinder and Pocket Target, both were 6 shots and nice guns.

 

[Riomouse911]

The blued S&W .22,LR Models 17 and 18 are both 6-shooters, as is the small-frame model 34. The older stainless Model 617 and the stainless version of the Model 34 called the 63, are all 6- shots, too.

There are also older Colts that could fill the void.

If .22 WMR is ok, there are S&W Model 48’s, too.

Don’t expect these older guns to be inexpensive. They are desired by many people for the exact same reasons you want one and their prices reflect that.

Model 17 6”. My 6” Model 48 is identical other than the caliber.


A 4” Model 18 and Model 48. The 48 is new, ftom the S&W Classic line.


My Model 34, aka; the .22/.32 Kit Gun.


Good luck finding what you want. Be careful because they’re like potato chips; no one can have just one.

Stay safe.

 

[Jeff olson]

Two that should be on everyone's list. I love the colts, but the 17 and 48 are, in my opinion, superior.

 

[jdc1244]

I want to touch it and feel it before buying.

Which doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting a trouble-free revolver.

You can touch and feel the gun you ordered online when you pick it up at your FFL; if you don’t like what you see, send it back.

The Smith M 17 is the only six-round .22 DA revolver in current production to the best of my knowledge.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

I don't think anybody is making a DA six shooter .22 currently, so you'll be hunting the used market.

Smith and Wesson is still marketing the Model 17 Masterpiece, which is a classic, blued six shot double action 22 revolver. But it is pricey.

https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/k-frame-150477

I do share your feeling of not wanting an eight shooter or a ten shooter. I prefer six shooters. More holes in the cylinder just means you go through more ammo faster.

As an unabashed Smith and Wesson collector, I feel they make the very best 22 caliber revolvers. I have some Rugers, but I prefer the high quality of Smith and Wesson. I also have a couple of old double action Colt 22 Rimfires, and the quality is just as good as S&W, but they are relatively difficult to find, and tend to be expensive.




Allow me to take you through some history of 22 Rimfire S&W revolvers.

The very first revolvers Smith and Wesson made in 1857, if memory serves, were the tiny #1 Tip Ups. They were chambered for what we would call today 22 Shorts. Here are three #1 Tip Ups. At the top is a #1 1st Issue, Fifth Type which left the factory in 1859. In the middle is a #1 2nd Issue, sorry I do not know the date it shipped. At the bottom is a #1 3rd Issue which shipped in 1870.






A word about Tip Ups. This is actually a 32 caliber Tip Up, but it shows how they worked. A latch at the bottom of the frame is disengaged, and the barrel rotates, or tips, up. Then the cylinder is removed. Spent brass is poked out of the cylinder with the rod mounted under the barrel, fresh ammo is popped into the chambers, then the cylinder is popped back onto the frame and the barrel rotated back down and latched, ready to fire. They were very simple revolvers, and were never made in any calibers larger than 32 Rimfire, but they worked quite well.






Smith and Wesson never made any Top Break revolvers chambered for 22 Rimfire, The smallest Top Breaks were chambered for the 32 S&W round, like this little 32 Single Action from 1881.






Smith and Wesson began building revolvers with swing out cylinders in 1896. In 1902 they made their first 22 Rimfire revolvers with a swing out cylinder, the tiny M frame Ladysmiths. The Ladysmiths were seven shot revolvers chambered for 22 Long, they could not chamber 22 Long Rifle.






Three different models were made, from 1902 until 1921. Left to right in this photo the Ladysmiths are 1st Model, 2nd Model, and 3rd Model. There were a few Ladysmiths made in a target configuration with 6" barrels, but the gun was too small to really be useful as a target revolver. There is an interesting story that when staid old Daniel Wesson heard that the Ladysmith was the preferred firearm of ladies of the night, he ordered production to cease. Not true, Wesson died in 1906, the Ladysmiths were in production until 1921.






In 1911 San Francisco dealer Phil Bekeart thought S&W should build a suitable 22 Rimfire target revolver. He proposed a 22 caliber revolver be built on the I frame, which was a bit bigger than the tiny M frame Ladysmiths. Smith and Wesson made up 292 of these on special order and shipped them to Bekeart. Known as the 22/32 Hand Ejectors, or 22/32 Heavy Frame Targets, because they were bigger than the tiny Ladysmiths. This one is a relatively late one, it shipped in 1940. Notice the tiny rear sight that was adjustable for windage and elevation. The oversized 'Bekeart' style grip was needed because the frame of the revolver was fairly small, and a large grip was needed for a target revolver.








In 1931 Smith and Wesson introduced the K-22 Outdoorsman. This model was built on the K frame, hence the name. The K frame was designed as the perfect size for a 38 caliber revolver, but a 22 Rimfire revolver could be built on the same frame, the caliber would simply be smaller. In my opinion, the K frame 22s are the finest 22 Rimfire revolvers ever made. Big enough for target shooting, but small enough to be comfortable for woods carry, or simple plinking.

This K-22 Outdoorsman left the factory in 1932 and shipped to the Providence Rhode Island Board of Public Safety. It was probably used by the Providence pistol team. Don't let it's worn appearance fool you, this one is the most accurate 22 Rimfire revolver I own. Because of its beat up appearance I was able to grab it for $600 a few years ago. Notice the tiny rear sight which is adjustable for windage and elevation. This revolver is wearing incorrect Magna grips.






Another K-22 Outdoorsman. This one shipped in 1935.This one is in much better condition, and has the correct service grips.






This is a K-22 Masterpiece. The K-22 Masterpiece was issued briefly in 1940-1941, but production stopped for WWII. Production resumed in 1946 at the end of the War. This one is a Post-War K-22 Masterpiece, it shipped in 1950. Notice the large screw for windage adjustment on the rear sight, and unlike the Outdoorsman, the Masterpiece had a rib running down the barrel.






This is a K-22 Combat Masterpiece. The 4 inch barrel is standard on this model, and the front sight is a Baughman Quick Draw sight. With its short 4" barrel this model is very desirable for walking through the woods. This one shipped in 1953 and I stole it a few years ago for $800.






In 1957 Smith and Wesson changed over to a Model Naming system. The K-22 became the Model 17. I bought this Model 17-3 brand-spanky new in 1975. It cost $125, which was a lot of money back then. Notice the barrel is now a bull barrel without the slight taper of the previous two models.






In this photo, my Model 17-3 is at the upper left, two K-22 Outdoorsmen are on the right, and the little I frame 22/32 Bekeart is on the lower left. Notice how much smaller the Bekeart is compared to the three K frames.






Anyway, that is a short primer on Smith and Wesson 22 Rimfire revolvers. If I was looking for my first double action 22 Rimfire revolver today, I would be looking for a good used K fame Smith. If they are well cared for they will last forever.

 

[Bill_in_TR]

Very educational. Thank you very much.

 

[Tallball]

@Driftwood Johnson is a treasure.

After I gave up on finding a decent "off brand" DA 22 revolver, I haunted GB for months and finally found an old K22 with worn finish and ugly black rubber grips. The cost wasn't outrageous. It's my most accurate revolver. All of the other DA 22 revolvers I owned were rubbish compared to it.

 

[reddog81]

I have 2 pre-model number S&W .22's and plan to try and trade one towards a 10 shot 617 or maybe a Colt King Cobra next time a local shot gets one of them ones in stock. 6 .22 sized holes in a K frame sized cylinder looks kind of ridiculous with all wasted space and having 10 shots in a DA revolver sounds like a cool proposition. .

 

[2ndtimer]

Smith and Wesson is still marketing the Model 17 Masterpiece, which is a classic, blued six shot double action 22 revolver. But it is pricey.

https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/k-frame-150477

I do share your feeling of not wanting an eight shooter or a ten shooter. I prefer six shooters. More holes in the cylinder just means you go through more ammo faster.

As an unabashed Smith and Wesson collector, I feel they make the very best 22 caliber revolvers. I have some Rugers, but I prefer the high quality of Smith and Wesson. I also have a couple of old double action Colt 22 Rimfires, and the quality is just as good as S&W, but they are relatively difficult to find, and tend to be expensive.
.

As a brief counterpoint, and if price is no object, the Colt Diamondback is a fantastic option. I bought mine new a “few” years ago for $279. Which was a considerable amount back then, but I had been looking for one for quite a while. It’s I ever had to sell my firearms, it would be the last one to go.
Here is mine, and surrounded by my other .22rimfires. The top 2 only get shot occasionally, while the bottom two go on every range trip.

 

[dobedo]

Who makes one? I have an interest in getting one and I am not sure who makes a double action 22lr that holds six rounds. And yes I know probably all or most of you will wonder why not 8 or 10 rounds. I can't give you any sensible reason. It is just what I would like to have.

Smith & Wesson Model 63 22 LR 3" 8-Round Revolver | Kittery Trading Post
Smith & Wesson Model 617 22 LR 6" 10-Round Revolver | Kittery Trading Post

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

I have 2 pre-model number S&W .22's and plan to try and trade one towards a 10 shot 617 or maybe a Colt King Cobra next time a local shot gets one of them ones in stock. 6 .22 sized holes in a K frame sized cylinder looks kind of ridiculous with all wasted space and having 10 shots in a DA revolver sounds like a cool proposition. .

I bought this ten shot Model 617-6 used about ten years ago. It originally shipped in 2003. Sorry, I do not remember what I paid for it, but it was not terribly expensive or I would not have bought it. I found it in a local shop and the only reason I bought it was I was shooting a steel match at the time and had to put 8 aimed shots onto steel in, oh I don't remember, 15 seconds, or 30 seconds or something, it was a long time ago. Anyway I could not do that with one of my six shot Smiths. I am old fashioned and think this model is butt ugly, with its full length under barrel shroud and ugly rubber grips. Besides, the extra weight up front makes it more muzzle heavy than I would prefer.






A few years ago I dressed it up a bit with some fancy wood grips, but I still think it is butt ugly and muzzle heavy with the full length under barrel shroud.






You may think six 22 caliber holes in a K frame cylinder looks ridiculous, but I still prefer a six shot K frame Smith and Wesson 22. As I said earlier, ten holes is just an invitation to burn up more ammo in a hurry. One of the tricks I learned many years ago is to only load five rounds into a six shooter, leaving one chamber empty. Most ammo comes in boxes with five round rows, and this is an easy way to keep track of how much ammo I have shot. To paraphrase Wilford Brimley in Crossfire Trail, if I take my time... I get a more harmonious outcome.






It's your guns and your money, but I would not dream of replacing one of my pre-model number K-22s with a ten shot Model 617. I still have all my six shooters, did not trade one for the ugly 617-6.

 

[.455_Hunter]

I stopped looking for a good .22 revolver when I bought my early 50's K-22 with the "speed hammer".

 

[doctorj77]

Not sure if been mentioned, but may want to check out High Standard, their Sentinel lineup from the 60s are usually sub-$400 in the used market. They had aluminum frames, steel barrel/cylinder, typically fixed sights. Also came in 2-6in barrel offerings. I think they were a budget gun back in the day but my R-103 has been rock solid for years of use, easy to carry, and is accurate as any other 22 Pistols I've shot

 

[cfullgraf]

It seems normal to me that revolvers are generally 5 or 6 shot. It just seems to be "normal".

But semi-autos have had variable ammunition load numbers for many years so lots of folks have probably become decensitive then "standard" load for revolvers.

I have a S&W M317 and M43C. Both are 8 shot 22 RF revolvers. I'm good with that, the M317 is a nice cary gun on my hobby horse farm.

 

[TTv2]

@Driftwood Johnson is a treasure.

After I gave up on finding a decent "off brand" DA 22 revolver, I haunted GB for months and finally found an old K22 with worn finish and ugly black rubber grips. The cost wasn't outrageous. It's my most accurate revolver. All of the other DA 22 revolvers I owned were rubbish compared to it.

Do you see what the appeal is to lower price DA .22's is? At least when you accept how subpar they are you can at least say the price reflects it.

Where I draw that line is when GP100's are $950, SP101's/S&W 317's are $700 and they shoot like $300 revolvers I don't feel like a satisfied customer.

 

[PzGren]

I bought a used 1952 vintage K-22 in the early 1990s and it was my only rimfire revolver, i.e. it was shot a lot. About 40 or 50 older S&W K22/17s went through my hands and I have seen no mechanical problems in any of them, no end shake, either. The only issue were occasionally over torqued barrels. The same can be said for the S&W 18.
H. Weihrauch had made inexpensive revolvers of their Arminius line and the HW9 is the match version that has very nice sights and holds six rounds, it is based on the High Standard Sentinel and is a surprisingly accurate gun with comfortable grips. They can often be found for a little over $300 and in my experience are as accurate as a S&W 17. The Sauer & Sohn Trophy is probably going to be much harder to find but is also an alternative, as is a Korth 21/22 series. The post 1969 Korths are considerably more expensive and the full under lug guns require a hefty premium.

 

[Tallball]

Do you see what the appeal is to lower price DA .22's is? At least when you accept how subpar they are you can at least say the price reflects it.

Where I draw that line is when GP100's are $950, SP101's/S&W 317's are $700 and they shoot like $300 revolvers I don't feel like a satisfied customer.

I'd had good luck finding decent-shooting inexpensive used centerfire revolvers from Rossi, Taurus, Sauer & Sohn (single action), etm. Didn't understand until I'd been through a few that DA 22's are a totally different situation.

 

[tuckerdog1]

The Ruger SP101 six shot is out there. Prices seem to be all over the map. I've seen them from $500-$950. Mine has the 1/2 barrel lug. They did make a full barrel lug version. Maybe one is rarer than the other, causing the large price differences. Springs are easy to swap out to greatly improve the trigger. I put Wolff springs in mine and cut the DA trigger pull in half. Was concerned that was going to cause light strikes, but zero misfires after range testing. Mine is a 1993 vintage.

 

[tubeshooter]

The older SP101 with the half-lug is somewhat less common than the full lug version. Looks a lot better to me, too.


I remember thinking they had a real winner with that one. They didn't make them very long. I'm not that surprised at them commanding a premium over the full lug.

 

[Big_Al]

Pretty happy with my s&w 34 4". Smooth action & easy to carry

 

[chicharrones]

The Ruger SP101 six shot is out there.
View attachment 1158269

That looks to be a sweetheart of a .22 six shooter there.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Not sure if been mentioned, but may want to check out High Standard, their Sentinel lineup from the 60s are usually sub-$400 in the used market. They had aluminum frames, steel barrel/cylinder, typically fixed sights. Also came in 2-6in barrel offerings. I think they were a budget gun back in the day but my R-103 has been rock solid for years of use, easy to carry, and is accurate as any other 22 Pistols I've shot

I rather like my High Standard R-101 Sentinel, except for the fact that it's an early version with the ejector rod that isn't spring loaded. It came with a square butt; I changed that out for a round butt so it's a little more pocketable. However, it's a 9-shooter, rather than a 6-shot revolver as the OP asked for.



For a six shot DA .22 revolver, you can't beat a S&W K-Frame. This is the same High Standard when it had the original grip, with my Model 18-3, which wears Herrett's stocks.




But a K-22 Masterpiece is the ultimate DA .22 revolver, IMNSHO.



I lucked into this one last year with the original box and tools for $999 + tax at a gun shop in rural Lancaster County, PA.