K 22 postwar 3rd Model question

[Boats]

Been on the look out for a nice K 22 to use as a shooter. Prefer older to newer. One turned up this week. Not perfect finish wise but not too bad either about right for a revolver to use. Correct grips. It's a low serial number and has two modifications. One is a set screw in the trigger guard for a trigger stop. Other is a lanyard hole drilled in he butt.

Std Catalog of S&W mentions a lot of these were drilled for lanyard rings. Friend of mine who has it for sale said he understood many that were sold to the Army were drilled due to some regulation on handguns having lanyard rings. And if I lettered the gun it would "likely" show sold to the Government.

It's priced about 100 dollars more than a newer M 17 in a bit better condition. Action and trigger are flawless and it should be a great shooter.

Anybody know more about the Lanyard ring hole. Am not looking to win the lottery but also don't like paying too much for altered firearms.

Boats

[Sebago Son]

Post WW2 guns with factory lanyard rings are not common. It's not impossible that your K22 shipped with one, but it is highly improbable. It was possible to have one installed after shipment by S&W and until the 1970's this was listed as a factory 'service'. Usually the lanyard ring post was centered on the butt and this necessitated drilling a hole through the serial number. Guns so ordered with a lanyard as original equipment would have the serial number positioned forward of center so as not to be obscured. Guns returned from the field for installation of the lanyard or those having the lanyard added to a stock gun from existing inventories would have the serial number remarked on the frame under the stocks.

[Sebago Son]

To illustrate:

Factory Installed Lanyard Ring as Original Equipment. Note the location of the serial number.



Factory Installed Lanyard Ring mounted after completion of the revolver. Note that the serial number is penetrated by the lanyard post....



... and the serial number relocated to the grip frame.



Drew

[Boats]

Thanks,

This ring hole is obscuring the number, have to look and see if it was added inside the frame. I assume that would be a good indication that it was done by S&W not some local gunsmith.

I am thinking it's a nice revolver with some interesting but not particularly valuable features.

Boats

[Sebago Son]

Thanks,

This ring hole is obscuring the number, have to look and see if it was added inside the frame. I assume that would be a good indication that it was done by S&W not some local gunsmith.

I am thinking it's a nice revolver with some interesting but not particularly valuable features.

Boats

In my view, that's a fair guess.

If I were buying, I would value it only as a shooter, and for less than the newer Model 17 in better condition.

Good luck,

Drew

[Boats]

Sebago

Re Reading the Complete Guide I see the triggerguard screw was factory on some K22's Never seen one before and hard to see from the books photo. This screw looked to be a professional job

Boats

[Sebago Son]

Well, if you mean the Cylinder Stop Screw through the front of the frame then yes, this is factory.... it looks like this...



Note that the two earlier guns from the left have the cylinder stop screw, where the newer gun on the right does not....

Is this what you're talking about?

Drew

[Boats]

Sebago

What I should have said was trigger stop screw. It's in the back of the guard and prevents trigger overtravel after the hammer falls.

Boats

[Sebago Son]

Boats.

There is a small notch cut in the frames of K-Target guns behind the trigger for a small stamped steel trigger stop. However you must remove the sideplate to access it. (Sorry... no pictures tonight...).

To my knowledge, no K-22's received a set screw through the rear of the trigger guard as a trigger stop from the factory.

In my opinion, the seller's story has quite alot of holes in it too...

Drew

[Boats]

Sebago you are right goes to show sometimes it's best not to jump. Still for a shooter if the price is right it ought to be a nice revolver. Test is price is right

Boats