1948 Smith & Wesson K-22

The fewest serial numbers were assigned in 1949. But there were four other years when the production numbers were low; 1947, 1950, 1954 and 1956. After I began investigating production numbers I couldn't stop there. I started looking at the changes to the gun during this period. I'm not an authority. In fact, I'm barely a novice when it comes to the third model K-22. Don't take anything here as gospel.

The Three T's is a term you will run across while searching for one of these guns. My 1948 gun exhibits none of those traits. It has the tapered barrel with narrow rib and the Diamond Magna Style Grips, which I love. I would like to have an example with the target hammer and trigger.

• Target Hammer
• Target Trigger
• Target Stocks

Of the 317,722 serial numbers assigned from 1946 to 1957, it appears likely that 248,605 were assigned to 5-screw guns and 69,117 were assigned to 4-screw guns. The grips changed in 1953 from sharp-shoulder (175,537 sets) to rounded-shoulder (142,185 sets), but the gun could have been ordered with Target grips instead of the Magna style grips. If a gun got Target grips, they were not numbered to the gun.

The change from narrow to wide rib seemed to occur about 1953 like the grip change, but I couldn't pin it down enough to try and estimate the number of guns with each. The wide rib may have been available as early as 1950 and you could still get the narrow rib, perhaps as an option much later. As I found a 1955 gun for sale with the narrow rib.

For the 1955 year serial numbers, it seems the change from 5-screw to 4-screw occurred about mid-year. So you are equally likely to find either 5 or 4 screws on a 1955 K-22. It appears that the standard finish on these target revolvers was the satin blue finish, but the bright blue or high polish finish could be had as an option before it became standard in 1955 or 1956. I've seen the bright blue on 1948, 1955 and 1957 guns for sure.

In monitoring K-22 sales for the last month, I discovered that you cannot determine age or year by the satin versus bright finish alone 100% of the time. I have yet to see a nickel-plated version for sale. I've learned to never say never with these guns and that I have a lot to learn.

Of the four K-22's I bought last month, I paid the most for this one. It really is in excellent condition, has been fired very little, has the original numbered box and all of the tools that came with it when new. I love the bright blue high polish finish, but when the condition is high, like this 1948 gun, that satin finish is creamy beautiful. This 1948 gun is described with the following features on the Gold Box:

• Micrometer Click Sight
• Short Cocking Action
• Ribbed Barrel
• Heavy Frame
• Anti-Backlash Trigger
• S.&W. High-Speed Hammer

When I bought three more of this third model version of the K-22 to give to the men for Christmas, I acquired a 1950, 1953 and 1957 gun. When I lined those four K-22 third model K-22 Masterpiece guns up, side by side on the dining room table, the average person would have noticed no differences in the guns. My wife spotted the bright finish on the '57 gun. But even the trained eye would require a closer inspection to detect the narrow rib and wide rib variants. I recently saw serial number 250 from the first year up for sale. Don't you know I thought about it. UPDATE: After learning this gun was the first of this model to be completed at the factory in 1946, I bought it.