The 1953 Five-Screw K-22

This article is Part IV of the K-22 Masterpiece Series. After the 1948 page looked at serial-number patterns and production clues, this 1953 five-screw K-22 shifts the story back to the collector’s heart: the appeal of old workmanship, hand-fitted parts, original boxes, and the feeling that comes when a gun finds you at just the right time.

The Masterpiece

Only another gun enthusiast could understand the passion that can overtake you when that one gun comes along. It can take you by surprise. In my case, the surprise was the Third Model K-22 Masterpiece.

Prior to this, I had only one .22 caliber handgun in my collection — the old 1961 Colt Scout my brother gave me years ago. Then, almost by accident, I bought one of these K-22s. Then two. Then three. Then four. When a friend asked why I would pay that much for a decades-old .22 revolver when a new one could be bought for less, my answer was simple: I hoped the younger men in the family would develop an interest in the historical aspects of these guns.

An Old Gun Versus a New Gun

Does an old gun shoot better than a new one? Is it more accurate? I cannot really answer those questions because some guns shoot better than others regardless of age. But that misses the larger point.

The appeal of an old gun is not only how it performs. It is how it was made, what it represents, and how much hand work went into building it. These Third Model K-22 Masterpiece revolvers were made from 1946 to 1957. Smith & Wesson had just moved into its new building in 1945 as World War II was ending. It was a state-of-the-art facility for its time, but it was still a world where skilled people had more to do with making guns than machines did.

The Five-Screw Era

This 1953 gun is what collectors often call a five-screw Smith & Wesson. In 1955, Smith & Wesson dropped the fifth screw located on the upper rear frame. In 1961, the company dropped the fourth screw, which was located on the face of the trigger guard.

Were those changes made to improve performance? My gut tells me no. They look like cost-saving measures. That does not mean the later guns are bad guns. It simply means the earlier guns carry visible evidence of the older manufacturing approach.

Collector Takeaway: The five-screw K-22 is not automatically better because of one extra screw. It is desirable because that extra screw marks an earlier manufacturing period — one where hand fitting, visible craftsmanship, and old Smith & Wesson pride still feel close enough to touch.

They Don’t Make Them Like That Anymore

Forgive me for saying it, but they do not make them like that anymore. They cannot. Can you imagine wood grips being hand-fitted to a factory production-line firearm today? That would happen in a Custom Shop. Back then, that kind of fitting was part of the production-line world.

That is one of the reasons I love the Third Model version of this gun. Imagine a time when the serial number was placed on major parts because they were fitted specifically to go together. Then imagine a later time when machines were so good that parts could be interchanged without the same level of hand matching.

I am not against CNC machining. Modern machine work can produce excellent parts. But when I think of the craftsmen and work that went into making these old Smith & Wessons from the 1950s, the pride of ownership feels different.

The Seller’s Description and What I Paid

The seller described this K-22 Masterpiece as a six-shot .22 LR revolver manufactured in 1953 according to its serial number, K177155. Despite its age, it remained in very good condition overall, with a cylinder ring from use, slight bluing wear, and some small handling marks. It came with a gold factory box.

Of the four Third Model guns I purchased, this was the second-highest price paid. Was it high? Yes. Am I happy? Extremely.

• Online price: $1,350
• Sales tax: $108
• Shipping: $18
• Total purchase price: $1,476

The Highest Quality Period

To me, the Third Model K-22 Masterpiece guns are of the highest quality. The four examples I purchased ranged in age from 64 to 73 years old at the time. They locked up as tight as new guns, and I had no doubt they would last for many more years.

In the 1950s, everything was booming — including babies. Rock and roll was emerging. Television sets were arriving in living rooms. Corvettes and Thunderbirds were rolling out of Detroit. Alaska and Hawaii were about to become states. And Smith & Wesson was producing beautiful revolvers that still command respect today.

The wood grips on the new guns cannot hold a candle to the old guns.

Final Word

Why did I not pay attention to this gun years ago? Maybe because it was a “lowly” .22 caliber. Maybe because it did not fit the usual defensive-handgun conversation. But that was my mistake. The K-22 Masterpiece is not about being the loudest gun in the room. It is about precision, workmanship, and the kind of manufacturing pride that makes a collector stop and look closer.

Only two of the guns I bought had the original cleaning tools and screwdriver. Smith & Wesson once guaranteed 1½-inch groups at 50 yards. I did not see that anywhere on the modern website.

You are never too old to learn something new.

About Greg Cook

Greg Cook writes about firearms collecting, personal history, and the stories behind interesting guns. His Army MOS was 76Y, Unit Armorer, and he brings that practical background to his collector articles.