Collector Guide · Smith & Wesson K-Frame Rimfire Revolvers

Smith & Wesson K-22 Masterpiece Overview

The K-22 Masterpiece joined the balance and handling of Smith & Wesson’s medium K-frame with the low recoil and precision potential of the .22 Long Rifle cartridge. The result became one of America’s defining target revolvers—and one of the best entry points into serious Smith & Wesson collecting.

By Greg Cook · July 23, 2026

Why the K-22 Masterpiece Matters

The K-22 occupies an unusual place in firearm history. It is a rimfire revolver built with the dimensions, sights, trigger reach, and general handling of a centerfire service-size handgun. That allowed a shooter to practice sight alignment, trigger control, and one-handed target technique without the expense and recoil of centerfire ammunition. It also gave Smith & Wesson a platform on which to demonstrate careful fitting, accuracy, and finish.

For the modern collector, the K-22 is equally useful. The family spans major changes in Smith & Wesson production: prewar craftsmanship, wartime interruption, the postwar restart, the transition from five screws to four, the adoption of model numbers, and later engineering changes identified by dash numbers. A small group of K-22s can therefore tell a broad story about the company’s twentieth-century manufacturing history.

From the K-22 Outdoorsman to the Masterpiece

The story begins before the “Masterpiece” name. Smith & Wesson introduced the K-22 Outdoorsman as a serious .22 target revolver on the K-frame. Its proportions allowed rimfire practice with a revolver that felt more substantial than the small-frame .22 handguns common to the period.

The prewar Second Model adopted the K-22 Masterpiece name, but production was interrupted as American industry shifted toward wartime needs. When commercial production resumed after World War II, the postwar Third Model K-22 Masterpiece became the version most collectors recognize: a six-shot, adjustable-sight K-frame .22 with a six-inch barrel and the classic profile of Smith & Wesson’s postwar target revolvers.

The Postwar Third Model

The postwar Third Model established the pattern that made the K-22 famous. Early examples retained features associated with immediate postwar production, while later guns reflected gradual manufacturing changes. Collectors commonly study the frame screw arrangement, hammer and trigger configuration, extractor rod and barrel details, stock style, finish, and serial-number placement.

These revolvers were working target guns, so honest use is common. Many were fired extensively, carried in range boxes, fitted with replacement stocks, or adjusted by generations of shooters. Condition therefore matters, but originality must be judged as a complete package rather than by blue percentage alone.

Five-screw and four-screw frames

The familiar collector shorthand refers to the visible frame screws used during different production periods. Earlier postwar K-22s normally have four sideplate screws plus the screw at the front of the trigger guard—the configuration collectors call “five-screw.” The upper sideplate screw was later eliminated, producing the “four-screw” arrangement. These terms are useful dating clues, but they should not replace a serial-number study or inspection of the gun itself.

The Model 17 Transition

Smith & Wesson began assigning model numbers in the late 1950s. The K-22 Masterpiece became the Model 17, with the model designation stamped inside the yoke area. The old name did not vanish overnight; boxes, advertising, and shooters continued to use “K-22 Masterpiece.” That overlap is why collectors often describe early numbered guns as both Model 17s and K-22 Masterpieces.

The early Model 17 retains much of the look and feel of the late pre-model revolver. Later dash-number variations document engineering changes. A dash change is important, but it does not automatically make one version superior. Some collectors prefer the earliest numbered guns because they sit close to the pre-model era, while shooters may favor later examples for availability, condition, or practical features.

How to Identify a K-22 Correctly

Identification should begin with the entire revolver rather than a single marking. Open the cylinder and inspect the yoke cut for a model number. Then record the serial number exactly as marked, including the K prefix when present. Compare the serial number, model marking, frame screw arrangement, barrel inscription, sights, stocks, and other features for consistency.

Serial Numbers and Dating

The serial number can usually narrow a K-22 to a useful period, but it should be treated as an estimate rather than a guaranteed shipping date. Frames could be assembled and shipped later than the year suggested by a broad serial range. Published tables also vary in precision and may describe production or shipment differently.

For a practical starting point, consult the Smith & Wesson K-Frame Serial Number Master Guide. For a historically important or high-value revolver, a factory historical letter remains the strongest documentation because it may confirm the original shipping date, destination, barrel length, finish, and stocks recorded by the factory.

Stocks, Boxes, Tools, and Paperwork

Accessories can transform an ordinary acquisition into a much stronger collector package. Original stocks should fit the revolver’s production period and configuration. Numbered stocks, when appropriate to the period, should be evaluated carefully rather than assumed to match merely because they look old.

Boxes require the same caution. Correct appearance is not proof of originality to a specific gun. Check the label, model description, barrel length, finish, serial notation, interior, tools, paperwork, and wear pattern. A period-correct box is desirable; a correctly numbered original box is more desirable; and a documented package with consistent provenance is stronger still.

Condition and Originality

A careful inspection begins with safety and mechanical function. Verify that the revolver is unloaded. Examine the bore, chambers, muzzle crown, forcing cone, top strap, cylinder face, ejector rod, lockup, timing, and trigger operation. A K-22 may look excellent but still show the effects of extensive target use, improper cleaning, or poorly executed repairs.

Finish evaluation should focus on edges, lettering, screw holes, sideplate fit, and areas normally protected from wear. Rounded markings, dished screw holes, washed-out edges, or inconsistent polish can indicate refinishing. A professionally refinished revolver may be attractive and useful, but it should not be represented or valued as an original-finish collector gun.

Common issues to check

• Replacement or modified stocks that are attractive but not period correct.
• Buggered screws or sideplate damage from improper disassembly.
• Altered front sights, replacement rear sights, or target modifications.
• Finish loss around the muzzle, cylinder, backstrap, and high edges.
• Lead accumulation, bore damage, or a damaged crown.
• Mismatched or renumbered parts and accessories.
• A box that is correct for the era but not original to the revolver.

Shooting the K-22 Masterpiece

The K-22 earned its reputation as a precision revolver, but expectations should be realistic for any individual example. Accuracy depends on mechanical condition, ammunition, sights, bore condition, crown, shooter technique, and whether the revolver has been altered. Many examples still provide excellent practical accuracy and a superb trigger-training experience.

Before firing an older revolver, have questionable mechanical conditions evaluated by a qualified gunsmith. Use appropriate .22 Long Rifle ammunition and avoid assuming that collectible condition means mechanically perfect condition. After shooting, clean carefully with tools that will not damage the crown or finish.

Collecting Strategies

The K-22 family can support several focused collections. A collector might seek one representative example, assemble a production timeline, compare five-screw and four-screw revolvers, follow the transition into the Model 17, or build a group around original boxes and accessories.

What Determines Value?

K-22 values cannot be reduced to a single chart. The strongest factors include exact variation, condition, originality, rarity, barrel length, stocks, box, tools, documentation, provenance, and current demand. Early or scarce configurations can command substantial premiums, but a common variation in exceptional original condition may also outperform a rarer gun with problems.

Use completed sales involving genuinely comparable revolvers, not optimistic asking prices. Compare the same variation, similar condition, and similar accessories. Photographs should be detailed enough to assess markings, finish, stocks, box labels, and mechanical areas. When the financial difference is meaningful, expert inspection and factory documentation are worth the expense.

A Five-Part K-22 Collector Path

This overview is the best starting point, but individual revolvers reveal the production story in greater detail:

1. Postwar Pre-Model 17 K-22 Masterpiece Overview
2. 1946 K-22 Masterpiece Factory Showcase Gun
3. 1948 Smith & Wesson K-22 Masterpiece
4. 1953 Five-Screw K-22 Masterpiece
5. 1957 Four-Screw K-22 Masterpiece

Continue into the numbered era with the 1960 Smith & Wesson Model 17-1 and its detailed photo gallery.

Final Perspective

The K-22 Masterpiece is easy to appreciate because its virtues are visible and practical. It has the proportions of a classic service-size revolver, the refinement of an adjustable-sight target gun, and the accessibility of the .22 Long Rifle cartridge. Yet the deeper attraction appears only after comparing examples across time. Small changes in screws, markings, stocks, boxes, and model designations turn a familiar revolver into a study of American manufacturing history.

For a first-time Smith & Wesson collector, a sound K-22 can be a rewarding beginning. For an experienced collector, the family offers enough variations, documentation questions, and historical transitions to support years of study.

About the Author

Greg Cook is the founder and primary author of Gun Collectors Club. A longtime collector and former U.S. Army unit armorer, he writes collector-focused firearm histories, serial-number guides, identification resources, and articles based on guns and documentation from his own collection.

Read more about Greg Cook