S&W 22 Combat Masterpiece.

[Dmashowtime]

My grandfather past away a few months ago and left me a shed on his property. I have just gotten around to going through it and found this K-22 masterpiece tucked away with a few other guns. (Colt 25 auto, Springfield 30-06, and a Mauser 300 win mag). I have been doing some research on this little guy and thought why not post some pictures on here and see what you guys think of this gun. I have never owned a revolver before but I am thinking of holding on to this just cause it was my grandfathers. Now I am not sure if the box is original to the gun if someone could she some light on it for me. Here's some pics!!

[Alpha Sierra]

Something is odd. Unless the photo gives an illusion, that revolver has a 6" barrel; which makes it a K22 Target Masterpiece. The same revolver later became known after 1952 as the Model 17.

The K22 Combat Masterpiece, as the box correctly states, has a 4" barrel and was re-named the Model 18.

FYI revolver barrels are measured from the muzzle to the front of the cylinder.

Still, a very very nice pistol.

[Dmashowtime]

That's what I was thinking. Barrel is definitely 6". Measured it to make sure my eyes weren't lying to me. Serial number on the bottom and handle and inside on the face of the cylinder match and are low 200k. Upon further inspection the box appears to have multiple stickers placed over each other on the side panel. If you zoom in on picture 3 you can make out another stickers edge. I may just have to request a letter from S&W to find out more.

[Digger11]

You have a treasure in your hands. If that gun was my grandfathers they would have to pry it from my cold dead hands.
Keep it and enjoy a pinnacle of the shooting world.Great gun!

[anachronism]

It's not the original box. The end of the box describes a 4 inch barrel, and yours is a 6 inch. The original box probably got damaged, and your Grandfather replaced it with the box you see.

[Dmashowtime]

It's not the original box. The end of the box describes a 4 inch barrel, and yours is a 6 inch. The original box probably got damaged, and your Grandfather replaced it with the box you see.

Thanks for all the info guys. Sounds like I will definately be holding onto this one and apssing it down to my son. I am only halfway through the shed so who know what else I will find that Grandpa hid away.

[T2C]

The prices on K Frame S&W .22 revolvers seems to keep going up. Even if you don't have an emotional attachment to the revolver, I would hang onto it.

[SeriousStudent]

That is a nice looking pistol. I hope shooting it brings you fond memories of your grandfather.

[Dmashowtime]

That is a nice looking pistol. I hope shooting it brings you fond memories of your grandfather.

I am sure it will. The 300 win mag I found in there is actually the rifle I took my first elk with when my grandpa was teaching me to hunt. (Big gun for a 12 year old haha) About 2 years before he passed as his Dementia and Parkinson's were starting to get bad, he hid all his guns so that some of my jerkoff relatives wouldn't come and steal them. We hadn't seen most of them up until he passed and left me, my brother, and my dad, 3 sheds on his property. My brother ended up finding a 30-06 and my Grandfathers S&W .38 that he carried as an officer in the 50's. My dad ended up with my great-great grandfather's shotgun that was used when he was a small town sherrif and his M1 Garand from WWII. It actually been a pretty neat experience seeing what my grandpa left for each of us and talking with my Dad about the stories behind each of them.

[CAVDOC]

The screwdriver in the pic is also an early s&W item and sought after by collectors check out smith and wesson forum the driver may be worth a couple hundred bucks! Nice k22 target ( not combat) I suspect it does not fit in the box. ( smith made boxes barrel length specific) if it fits in the box maybe mid labeled. These guns shoot great ( with target ammo not the bulk pack crap most people shoot) I use mine for bullseye shooting and the gun is easily capable of sub three inch 50 yard groups with target grade ammo.