Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 22 Revolver

Got an itch for a nice 22 revolver. I prefer blued and walnut, but not absolutely. I'd love to get a Freedom Arms or original Colt Diamondback, but can't see spending $2,500+ on a plinking gun. I'm not a fan of the Ruger Single Six convertibles, as I don't like the bore "compromise" made to accommodate both cartridges. The S&W Custom Shop still offers the Model 17 Masterpiece for $1,100 or so....might be an option. Any thoughts? Decisions.

Good used gun may be an option.

I like my '60's vintage Kit gun. Don't know what they go for, but may be something to think about.

DF

Nice! I saw a Colt Trooper 4" that looked pretty cool as well.

I’d lean more for good used than new.

DF

Keep your eye on gunbroker for those.

Most Troopers for sale there are the Mk III models which are nice revolvers but IMO too big and heavy for a .22, plus their prices tend to go way up. But occasionally, right now in fact, they'll have some original Troopers from the 60's and before. Those are really well made and lately have been a very good deal. If you search for them ignore those two overpriced at $2,000, those have been there unloved for a few months now.

1954 Trooper .22

This one pictured went for $505 just before Christmas

I've read the older, pre-Convertable Single Sixes have a tighter bore. They are really accurate. I picked up this early Flat Gate that fits that bill.

The OEM grips had cracked and I replaced them with ebony, installed Ruger Medallions, sent them to Errol Case in MO for carving/checkering.

DF

Nice.

Sometime you can find a pre-War Colt. I picked up this one for $400 a few years ago. Sometimes it's easier to deal with a vendor when the show is over and they're packing up their stuff. That's what happened in this case.

I like it better with Python grips, but do have the OEM's. The late'30's action is amazingly smooth and it's very accurate. I think it may edge my K-22.

Yeah, it's a full sized gun.

DF

Absolutely - I forgot about those. The older Officer's Model Target and Officer's Model Match are great revolvers, actions are just so smooth and "snick-snick".

The Police Positives in .22 are dainty little things along the lines of a Smith J-frame. Just found five on gunbroker with prices from under $500 to under $700. They're getting a bit long in the tooth but as long as the crown is good they should still be good shooters.

Thanks folks....lots to think about.

I'll second the pre-war Colt Officer's Model Targets. I just bought one in .22 off of GB, to round out the triumvirate with the .32 and .38 pre-war OM's I have. Prices are admittedly high compared to lesser revolvers but nice shooters can be had for well under a grand. (I paid slightly under $1K all up for mine, but it has tons of condition plus a Colt factory letter outlining its birth and first owner.) In my opinion Colts of that era have the edge on Smiths, and popular opinion among aficionados and experts back then bear that out but that paradigm changed after the War. Don't get me wrong, my post-war S&W K-target revolvers are damn fine revolvers too and I would have to be hard pressed to surrender them, but at the end of the day if I had to pick one over the other it would be a pre-war Colt OM.

Fast forward to the 50's-60's into the early 70's both Colt and Smith medium frame .22 revolvers are precision piece of goods, and I love 'em too, but there's just that certain "something" about those pre-war hand fitted Colt revolvers. Just me, I'm probably making too big of a deal about it! (And don't get me started about Woodsman's too!)

Next size down, the Smith Kit Guns and Colt Police Positives alongside Ruger and Colt single actions were fine weapons too and mighty handy for carrying. I guess it boils down to what the final usage will be.

Guns that commanded $300 all day long 20 years ago are all $1K guns now. Inflation's a bitch. If you want lifetime quality you gotta be prepared to spend that kind of money, unless you get lucky.

We were blessed a couple generations ago to have the factories bending over backwards to sell us damned high quality .22 revolvers. Not so much now. Look to the past for the best, IMO.

DF



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Those ebony grips are to die for! Envious here!

That OM .22 illustrates exactly what I was flapping my gums about above!

Stay away from the new production S&W 17 offered by the company, it’s a shadow of the older ones.

This ^^^. Or a Model 17 or 18.

You can’t go wrong with a S&W model 17 or a 617!
Maybe a 22 mag. S&W model 48 or a 648!
Of coarse we’re speaking of the pre locks.

Good luck with your search.

Smith 617

There are a number of 60s-‘70s S&W 17-2 to 17-4 on the market right now. I’d sooner have one of these than any of the newer guns. I’ve got a 17-2 that I’ve had for 45 years and will have it for a long time more. I never wanted for another .22 revolver.

Smith and Wesson 17. Preferably an older version.

S&W Model 18 if you want a 4" barrel.

S&W Model 17 if you want a 6" barrel.

EDIT: I have a S&W Model 617 6" 6-shot that is my least favorite handgun, I don't like the full lug barrel, seems too muzzle heavy. Bought it in 2001, probably hasn't left the house in over 20 years.

The 34-1 J frame is a smaller, handier gun vs. the larger K frame. Mine has the target style grip, which I like better than the smaller version.

I have a pair of 8 3/8" Target K frames., a K-22 and a K-38. The Target version has the wide target hammer and trigger.

I was checking on line and saw on Gunsinternational, 34-1's listed for $1,100 to $1,300 in mint or near mint condition, one unfired in its factory box was listed for $1,750. Who'd a thought.

Although Colts values have gone thru the roof, 5 screw Smiths aren't too far behind. Even 4 screw gun in good condition are appreciating.

DF

Yes, everything has gotten crazy.