doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Classic .22LR revolvers?

Yeah, I wish I had a pair of them. One in .22 LR and one in .22 Mag.

Vic, when I spoke with S&W today they told me that from 1944-1956 K-22's had the serial number block K-101 through K-288988.

That's roughly about 290,000 guns in 14 years, a little over 20,000/year if production was at all consistent. Your gun, is an early one in that block with either number. Give them a call, they were very helpful, perhaps they can narrow it down for you.

I've owned at least one of all the revolvers you mentioned except the Colt OMT. Of them all, my favorite was the Model 35 "Kit Target." But they weren't popular and are hard to find at any reasonable price, especially in the "less-than-pristine and better-than-crappy" condition that most of us want for a nice shooter.

Practically speaking, I'd look for a K-22 or "pre-Model 17". They have a good balance of portability and shootability and can still be found at less than astronomical prices, unlike anything that has a pony on it. If you use it for extended range sessions, bring along a worn-out toothbrush to brush unburned powder grains out from under the extractor star every few loads, or you will have the cylinder bind shut. I've had many S&W .22s and .22WRMs and almost all of them had this issue; they are made to TIGHT tolerances.

Actually ANY of the guns you mention, in good shape and at a decent price, will serve you well. Fortunately DA revolvers are not very fashionable in NYS and still can be found at reasonable prices with a little searching. The further you get from the Big Apple, the better the prices, in my experience.

Congrats on wending your way thru NYS gun permit hell! I got mine six months after residence in NYS, but had a hell of a time; didn't know anyone to give me a reference. Finally found a co-worker at the college (in Rensselaer County if you're not from east of the Hudson and west of Vermont, you're nobody) who was also a gun nut and known to the fuzz. Locals didn't like the fact that all my bona fides were from Idaho, but I persisted and got the permit. Once you get it, many possibilities open up.

Thanks Mike, I'm actually in Westchester (east of the Hudson but south of VT!) and the permit process here is more involved than the one for NYS. Took a long time to get the necessary documentation together and then when I first submitted the application one of my references had used the wrong color ink so that was a 5 week delay. But in the end it went pretty smoothly.

The two closest ranges to me are in CT so I'm in the process of applying for a CT permit. Also there seem to be many more retail outlets for the type of gun I'm looking for in CT and a CT permit will allow me to purchase there without the problems of transfers.

Gadzooks, so they ADD complications by COUNTY now? Thought that was just The Apple! "Local control" is great in principal, but not always in practice....

Yeah, I agree about the retailers in CT; lotsa slightly worn Colts and Smiths there. If you are ever in the Albany area, there were (3 years ago when I left) a number of good sources for used handguns. Another that I especially liked was Beecroft's Shooter's Supplies up in Schachticoke. That's a far piece from Westchester, but might be worth a call. They don't do internet business (or didn't) but may have a website. Dave Beecroft is a good guy to deal with.

One thing I disliked about NYS was the autonomy of county cops in enforcing the gun laws; seemed like every county mounty had his/her own interpretation of what was legal where. One guy would tell you it was legal to hunt deer with a legal caliber handgun in a "shotgun only area", but right across the county line (where in the hell is THAT when you're in the woods????) it magically wasn't. Not much use citing the printed statutes when they're busy impounding your guns and talking about violations that threaten your permit! Made me hinky, although I never had a real problem I couldn't blarney my way out of.....and California is AT LEAST as nutso!

based on personal experience i would stay away from webley & scott and harrison and richardson. i don't mid six shot capacity so my top choices would be s&w 650 or 651 stainless with extra .22lr cylinder. i would stay away from old collectible stuff as it's more expensive to buy and more difficult to fix if something breaks down.

Sometimes I forget what the rest of the world has to go through just to own a handgun.

Here in Alaska you can carry open or concealed without any type of permit. When you buy one it's just a 4473 and you don't need anyone's permission to own a handgun.

In MS it's 'no permit needed' to purchase or keep in one's car; the main complaint I hear about the CCW process here is the fact that they only take apps on Wednesdays...

BTW MS is THE ONLY place in the ENTIRE WORLD where the inhabitants, although unfortunate enough to have a 'school shooter', also were fortunate enough to have an armed schoolteacher who rushed out and stuck a loaded 45 in the perp's face and captured him before he could kill anyone else.
Regards, Joe

Speaking of consecutive serial numbers, how about a pair of Colt OMM numbered like that? One in .22 the other a .38 Spl. Unfortunately they, along with a pre-War Colt OP, mint in the box, went into the kitty a few years ago when I was putting together a down payment on a house. The OMM .22 was beyond a doubt the most accurate .22 revolver I ever fired. As a friend said to me "It shoots like a young rifle!"

colt made some nice guns. i own stainless/alloy series 90 9x19 dao compact pistol. it has no manual safety and clip holds 6 cartridges. i would say it's the best pistol colt has ever made.