Howdy Again
In addition to my Model 17-3 that I posted on the first page, I had been wanting a real K-22 Outdoorsman for some time. I came across this one a few years ago. Serial number is 6444XX, it shipped in January of 1932, an early K-22 from the second year of production. The finish is quite worn and the grips are incorrect, but it is as tight as the day it left Springfield and is an excellent shooter.
A few months ago I was having breakfast at the counter of the local diner. As is my habit, I had a book with me. It happened to be Roy Jink's 1977 history of Smith and Wesson. I was also wearing my S&W ball cap. A couple came in and the woman noticed what I was reading. She asked if I knew much about Smith and Wesson revolvers because she had her-mother-in-law's old Ladysmith and she didn't know what to do with it. At the mention of the work 'Ladysmith' my collector's ears perked right up. I showed her a photo of a tiny M frame Ladysmith in the book, but lacking any scale in the photo she really did not know if that was what she had. All she knew was her mom-in-law used to call it her 'Ladysmith'.
After a bit more questioning I was pretty sure what the lady had was a K-22 Outdoorsman, not a Ladysmith.* I made an appointment to come to their house and inspect her revolver. I brought along my K22 and my Model 17 as a bit of show and tell.
Turns out she did have a very nice K-22 Outdoorsman. It was wearing a trigger shoe and a grip adapter made by Fray-Mershon.
I bored them to death with a general history of the K-22, and told them what I thought the revolver was worth. I tried to give them an honest value, and I also told them I was not going to attempt to purchase it, I just appreciated the opportunity to see it.
Well, they are locals and I bumped into them a few more times in the diner. The more I thought about it I realized that this nice old K-22 should be in my safe. I saw them at the diner again last week, and after I finished my breakfast I went over to their table and asked if they had sold it. To make a long story short, I have the gun now. SN is 6497XX and it shipped in 1935. When I got it home I took off the grips and sure enough, they are numbered to the gun, I nice perk. I took off the trigger shoe, but was thinking of leaving the grip adapter on, since it was pretty funky. Unfortunately the old plastic started falling apart. So I put the grips back on without the adapter.
Have not had it to the range yet, but it will be fun to see which K-22 is more accurate.
*Let's not even talk about those silly things Smith produced recently that they were calling the 'Ladysmith".
