I like S&W .22lr revolvers

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JFrame said:
I've gotta get in on this .22 revolver love-fest... :)

Have posted this pic before, but these J-frames are the only Smith .22 revolvers I have at the moment... I've previously said that the Model 63 (bottom) could very well be "the one gun I would keep if I could only keep one"...

I DO want to get my hands on a nice K-frame .22... :)

View attachment 816808
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Nice grips on that Model 63, JFrame. Where can I get some like those?
 
Driftwood Johnson said:
Model 617-6, shipped 2003. I really don't care for this gun at all. Butt ugly, and I don't like full length underlugs. I replaced the butt ugly factory rubber grips with after market wooden ones, but it does not go to the range much when I have so many classics.
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It's funny, you say this is your least favorite rimfire revolver. I don't have a rimfire revolver yet and so my next gun is going to be one and it will prolly be a 617.

When I get one, I will install Hogue big butts, Alchin mount with C-MORE slide ride and will lighten the trigger, smooth out the action. I'm more worried about getting it to shoot than what it looks like.
 
kscharlie said:
There's not much to dislike about S&W .22 revolvers. I find it interesting that Driftwood Johnson's most accurate one is a K-22 Masterpiece from 1953. My K-22 Masterpiece is also from 1953 and it is the most accurate one of mine.
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Sorry, it is the one in the center of the photo, shipped in 1932 that is the most accurate of the bunch. My placement of commas was probably confusing.

This one is also the least expensive of the bunch. I bought it at a live auction, and none of the high end collectors was interested because the finish is worn and the grips are incorrect.

So I got it for $500. At the suggestion of Roy Jinks I lettered it, and it turns out it shipped in July of 1932 to the Providence RI Board of Public Safety. Roy thinks this means it was used by the Providence pistol team. It was returned to the factory in June of 1946. Probably needed a tune up at that point. Perhaps it was refinished too. Anyway, by the time I got my hands on it, the finish was worn as you see it. Looks to me like somebody's trigger finger did a lot of resting above the trigger guard. But it has the lightest trigger and is the most accurate 22 revolver I own.

K%2022%201932%2002_zpsfdrchslp.jpg

K%2022%201932%2001_zpsvyvgivt0.jpg
 
thomas15 said:
It's funny, you say this is your least favorite rimfire revolver. I don't have a rimfire revolver yet and so my next gun is going to be one and it will prolly be a 617.

When I get one, I will install Hogue big butts, Alchin mount with C-MORE slide ride and will lighten the trigger, smooth out the action. I'm more worried about getting it to shoot than what it looks like.
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All of my classics work beautifully. None of them needed the triggers lightened or the action smoothed. I have no idea what a Alchin mount with C-MORE slide ride is, and don't really care.

The only reason I bought the 617 was I was shooting a steel match at the time and I needed to put 8 rounds onto 8 targets in 15 seconds. Couldn't do that with any of my six shooters. I found the 617 used locally and bought it on a whim. Have not shot that steel match in years, so I have no need to shoot butt ugly guns.

You might find this post I did a few years ago comparing my Model 617-6 to my Model 17-3 interesting.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...o-a-revolver-made-with-machined-parts.769929/
 
Thank goodness for picky collectors, worn finish, and incorrect grips!

I wouldn't have been able to afford a K22 otherwise. :)
 
As always, some nice looking revolvers in this thread. I'll add my pair of K-frame .22s if nobody minds.

Model 18-4 with tung oil finished Ahrends Retro Combat stocks in maple:

cC7Hrt.jpg

Model 17, no dash with tung oil finished Ahrends Retro Target stocks in cordia:

RvJTXw.jpg

The Model 17 is my favorite of the pair. Though you can't tell in the pictures, it's slightly finish-challenged. It was a sock-drawer gun, lightly surface rusted on the left side. But it's a shooter! I'm fair certain it will outshoot my Ruger 10/22 Carbine in raw group sizes out to 50 yards. You almost can't miss when shooting it.
 
Love S&W, I have lots of big bore revolvers & only this past week picked up my very first S&W in 22 caliber.
A Model 34-1 with a 4" bbl, never been fired until I ran it & it shoots real good. I only have one complaint with
it & that comes from my familiar grip on N frame revolvers. The grips are made for a 5 year old girl.
I Want grips like Druftwood Johnson has on the model 17 pictured above.
I didn't have a choice with this one, it came with a few other guns.
Can I get larger grips for a S&W 22cal like this one?
Lots of great looking revolvers here.
 
Love those Smiths displayed above. I also love SW .22s. A few of mine:

SW K.jpg
Above are my 17-4 and my 18-3. The 17 wears Cullina grips and the 18 wears Ahrends. Both with target hammers and triggers. For some reason, I seem to shoot the 18 better and it is, by far, my favorite blued Smith.


SW J.jpg
These are my small frames. The top one is a 22/32 target on an improved I-frame. In the distant past, someone changed the front sight and put on some beautifully custom checkered targets. The middle one is my 34-1, my first SW revolver. The bottom one is a 51 (.22 magnum) with the normal 3.5 inch barrel.


SW ST.jpg
I also enjoy the stainless side of SW .22s. The one on the left is a 648-2 with a two power scope. This is my "squirrel" gun. It shoots WMRs and WRFs to the same point of aim at 50 yards. The top revolver is my 617 with Ahrends grips. I am pleased with how it shoots, although my 18 shoots better. The middle gun is a 651-1 (.22 magnum) with a special order and factory fitted .22 lr cylinder. This one accompanies me in the field quite often. The bottom on is my 63 no dash, with Altamont grips. These grips fit me better than any others I own.

None of these are safe queens. I have a back yard range that allows them all to breath.
 
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Driftwood Johnson said:
All of my classics work beautifully. None of them needed the triggers lightened or the action smoothed. I have no idea what a Alchin mount with C-MORE slide ride is, and don't really care.
Click to expand...

Driftwood Johnson said:
You might find this post I did a few years ago comparing my Model 617-6 to my Model 17-3 interesting.
Click to expand...

Please accept my sincere apology but I did not find your post at all interesting.
 
Driftwood Johnson said:
Model 617-6, shipped 2003. I really don't care for this gun at all. Butt ugly, and I don't like full length underlugs. I replaced the butt ugly factory rubber grips with after market wooden ones, but it does not go to the range much when I have so many classics.
Click to expand...

When I was younger I liked the full underlug look a lot, now not so much. Some guns look ok with it, but I prefer Smith's with the traditional look.
 
My dad's K22, I grew up with it going out shooting with him now it's mine.Here is the results 6 shot test last time I documented the results. I need to test Aguila ammo in it also now that I think of it. One day want to get one in .22 mag also.

2a7ec742-6353-4691-a6ae-ac06b619468a-original.jpg
 
lionking said:
One day want to get one in .22 mag also.
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As far as I know, the K-22 was never made chambered for 22 Magnum Rimfire. 22 Long Rifle only.

There was the Model 53, which was chambered for 22 Remington Jet, a 357 Magnum cartridge necked down to 22. These revolvers came with inserts so 22 Long Rifle could be fired in them. The gun had problems because the taper on the 22 Remington Jet was so long and narrow that unless the chambers were scrupulously clean and dry the cases could back out and jam the gun up. The 22 RF inserts were also problematic, they needed to be removed from the chambers to eject the spent brass. A total of almost 15,000 Model 53s were produced from about 1961 until 1974.

The Model 51 22/32 Kit Gun Magnum Rimfire was chambered for 22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire. This revolver was built on the J frame. Produced from 1960 until 1974.
 
Driftwood Johnson said:
As far as I know, the K-22 was never made chambered for 22 Magnum Rimfire. 22 Long Rifle only.

There was the Model 53, which was chambered for 22 Remington Jet, a 357 Magnum cartridge necked down to 22. These revolvers came with inserts so 22 Long Rifle could be fired in them. The gun had problems because the taper on the 22 Remington Jet was so long and narrow that unless the chambers were scrupulously clean and dry the cases could back out and jam the gun up. The 22 RF inserts were also problematic, they needed to be removed from the chambers to eject the spent brass. A total of almost 15,000 Model 53s were produced from about 1961 until 1974.

The Model 51 22/32 Kit Gun Magnum Rimfire was chambered for 22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire. This revolver was built on the J frame. Produced from 1960 until 1974.
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See this link, known as the MODEL 48
https://joesalter.ca/products/smith-and-wesson-k-22-magnum-masterpiece
 
I stand corrected.Thanks for pointing that out.

Model 48
22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire
Square Butt K Target frame
barrel lengths 4",6", or 8 3/8"
Patridge front sight on 6" and 8 3/8" barrels, Baughman sight on 4" barrels
Produced from 1959 until 1986.

Always something new to learn about S&W revolvers.

There's one right now on Gunbroker, with the blue box.

Starting bid $825.
 
I only have one S&W 22 revolver. A model 34-1 with the flat latch like pictured above. I have no idea what year it was made but it is a shooter for sure. I just shot it a few weeks ago and had forgotten how well that gun shoots.

This thread did make me go on GB to see what was for sale. There are 43 pages of S&W 22 revolvers. You can have about anything you want. Its just a matter of money. And I now have a 4" barreled 22 like a model 15 but in 22 on my watch list. Thanks. I really need a new gun. Lol.
 
I have a Model 17 no dash that I think is from 1958 - 59. If anyone has the info handy and could tell me the born date, I`d be grateful (serial # 3377xx)
It too is amazing in that you put the sights on the target, pull the trigger and a little hole almost magically appears where you put the sights! What a concept! Seems harder to do with my other handguns:eek:
 
I have a 1952 vintage S&W K-22 Masterpiece for over twenty years that is an excellent gun. Like the target K-frames of that era it has the pivoting trigger stop that is an excellent feature on target handguns. Korth has a tiny hex head set screw that serves as a trigger stop, while the 1961 vintage Colt OMM makes do without one; there is no perceivable overtravel.

rimfire-revolver-comparison.jpg
 
DaStray said:
I have a Model 17 no dash that I think is from 1958 - 59. If anyone has the info handy and could tell me the born date, I`d be grateful (serial # 3377xx)
It too is amazing in that you put the sights on the target, pull the trigger and a little hole almost magically appears where you put the sights! What a concept! Seems harder to do with my other handguns:eek:
Click to expand...

There should be the letter "K" in front of that serial number. It is a part of the serial number. Assuming the presence of the "K", that gun would have come from 1958.
 
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