First off ...welcome to RFC !
The S&W Model 17 & the S&W K22 are the same gun . The names are interchangeable . I have a K22/Model 17 made in around 1972 . Any of these models are very well built quality pieces . I don't shoot mine a lot as I have been using my semi auto .22's more but very much enjoy it when I do .
I have no first hand experience with a Colt Officers Model but I do know that they are considered by most to be at least equal to the S&W models as far as their quality & accuracy is concerned. The S&W Model 17/K22's are not inexpensive ..they generally sell in the $600 -$1000 price range depending on the year ,condition and whether not the original box/paper work is included. They are worth every penny in my opinion .
The Colt Officers Model will sell for more than a S&W in similar condition & all things being equal.
You are not likely to be disappointed with either the Colt or the S&W and they are both likely to hold their value .

 

First off ...welcome to RFC !
The S&W Model 17 & the S&W K22 are the same gun . The names are interchangeable . I have a K22/Model 17 made in around 1972 . Any of these models are very well built quality pieces...

Could you please tel me anything about dash numbers? Are later revolvers better than earlier ones?

...I have no first hand experience with a Colt Officers Model but I do know that they are considered by most to be at least equal to the S&W models as far as their quality & accuracy is concerned. The S&W Model 17/K22's are not inexpensive ..they generally sell in the $600 -$1000 price range depending on the year ,condition and whether not the original box/paper work is included. They are worth every penny in my opinion .
The Colt Officers Model will sell for more than a S&W in similar condition & all things being equal.
You are not likely to be disappointed with either the Colt or the S&W and they are both likely to hold their value .

I had looked for a reasonable priced k22 forever, then i stumbled on my colt officers target for what i felt was reasonable $ for a similar k22. love the colt! they are both great revolvers, i feel like the colt trigger is at least as good as the older k22s.

they are both over built for a .22lr chambering.

As I mentioned, I am not familiar with Colts, so after some search, I found this website:

Officer's Model http://www.coltfever.com/Officer_s_Model.html

Most likely I will be looking for The Officer's Model Match, Fifth Issue.

Thank you for your help.

 

I had looked for a reasonable priced k22 forever, then i stumbled on my colt officers target for what i felt was reasonable $ for a similar k22. love the colt! they are both great revolvers, i feel like the colt trigger is at least as good as the older k22s.

they are both over built for a .22lr chambering.

 

I think you're likely to find that it's almost impossible to wear out a Colt or S&W with 22 rimfire, unless that's your specific goal. - anything are great as far as S&W is concerned.

 

Generally, if the guns are in equal condition, you're going to pay more for the Colt, if that matters to you.

I've had both, and like them both. Still have the S&W K22's.

The Colt E/I frame just feels a little large to me for .22's, but that's just a personal thing.

 

I've owned both but prefer the feel and balance of the Smith. Accuracy is for all intents and purposes equal.

 

Welcome to the forum.

I picked up a like new S&W model 17-3 for a little over $500 not too long ago. That same condition Colt OMM would probably be around $1000.

I consider them equal. I do have several of each. I prefer the cylinder rotation and cylinder release on the S&W.

For collectible purposes, the Colt wins. Most folks don’t realize that the Colt OMM is just a Colt Python in 22 (also in 22 Mag & 38 Special), without the ventilated rib and Royal Bluing. It’s our little secret. Don’t tell anyone or everybody will be trying to buy them and I won’t be able to complete my collection.

 

" Most folks don’t realize that the Colt OMM is just a Colt Python ..."

Reverse that, and you've got it.

 

Welcome! There are a lot of folks who have deep knowledge about this stuff here. I have some practical knowledge based on owning a few of these types of revolvers.

I wish I could give you a simple answer to your "tell me about dash numbers" question. The truth is that there are revolvers that are shooters from every era. The best description I have found of the changes that were made with every design iteration is The Standard Catalogue of Smith & Wesson by Supica/Nahas. Older models tend to command a premium because they are of interest to collectors, but there is, in my experience, no straight-line correlation between price and accuracy/quality. Older revolvers made in the golden age of American manufacturing were put through rigorous hands-on quality control checks and were hand-fitted by highly skilled S&W machinists. Newer revolvers have more CNC machined parts and the benefit of a century's R&D on metallurgy. So which is better for the shooter? Honestly, I have no way to answer that question.

The corporate history is easier. Here's the summary Wikipedia entry:

"Smith & Wesson was founded by Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson as the "Smith & Wesson Revolver Company" in 1856 after their previous company, also called the "Smith & Wesson Company" and later renamed as "Volcanic Repeating Arms", was sold to Oliver Winchester and became the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. The modern Smith & Wesson had been previously owned by Bangor Punta and Tomkins plc before being acquired by Saf-T-Hammer Corporation in 2001. Smith & Wesson has been a unit of American Outdoor Brands Corporation since 2016, after corporate restructuring in the 21st century. "

What Supica/Nahas say is that some dash numbers denote very small design changes (e.g. ejector rod goes from being left-hand threaded to right-hand threaded from the 17 to the 17-1), while others denote substantial changes (17-6 introduces the full lug barrels, or 17-8 has an alloy cylinder). To make things more complicated, S&Ws with pinned barrels and recessed cylinders seem to have been phased out in the middle of a production model (17-4, starting in 1982). The pinned barrels have higher collector value -- not sure it makes a difference in practice.

The lore is that S&W quality suffered during the repeated sales from "strategic" investor to strategic investor starting in the 1980's as successive buyers tried to extract more value from the brand, while reducing production costs. What I have found though (and I speak for my examples only) is that the functional quality of these revolvers remains pretty high, at least when compared to the modern competition. By that, I mean Ruger. I don't mean to trash the brand, but my own experience with the last three Ruger .22 revolvers that I purchased new (GP100, Single Six, SP101) was that all needed to return to the factory for timing/lead spitting problems. Once again - -just my own experience in the last few years. Colt used to be S&W's direct competition and the consensus seems to be that the fit and finish of the Colts was higher (e.g. internal polishing done at the factory on Colts vs. S&W that left internals as they came from being machined etc.). But the collectors' market rules there, and I have never been able to pull the trigger on a used revolver that cost over $1k (so far, that is. I'd probably make an exception if the right priced Korth came along. Sigh).

For what you want, the modern version of the Model 17, K-22 Masterpiece sounds perfect. Here's a pic of mine:

I bought this used off an RFC member and it is super accurate -- I need to shoot it rested to get the most out of it.

A Model 18 (also confusingly called the K-22 Combat Masterpiece) is also an option. I have an older version of this and it is very handy:

The longer sight radius of the Model 17 (6-inch vs. 4-inch Model 18) can help out a little in the off-hand shooting department, but I am not a great off-hand shot.

Hope this helps. All indications to the contrary, I actually am not a collector -- more of an interested shooter. Like you, I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out what made sense to buy that was less nose heavy than the 617. If you want to go down another rabbit hole there are also 4 and 5 inch versions of the Model 63 - a smaller J-frame kit gun and an aluminum alloy framed Model 317 -- not for me, but some folks like them.

 

I paid $250 in 1995 for a 1955 K-22 with scope and holster
I paid $540 in 2013 for a 1930 Officer's. I made a scope mount and put a scope on it.

They both shoot better than I can.

 

I've had a chance to shoot my buddy's Diamondback, my 1947 K22, and a Colt OMM on the same day and I would have to say of the three, my K22 had the best trigger and balance- at least in my hands. I personally think the Diamondback was the most attractive of the trio and was only a very thin hair behind the K22 in function. The Colt was so close to the other two I would have taken any of the three and I was allowed to take any one of them blindfolded...
Accuracy was what I would consider as equal as my big hands could make them. Hitting clay pigeons offhand at 50 yards wasn't what I would call difficult and even in my unpracticed hands I could score about 80% hits, even on the small pieces after breaking the whole clay...

I personally like the look of the full underlug Smiths, but many don't care for them- possibly due to the extra weight. Never seemed to be a problem for me, but my big hands help in that regard.

The explanations above are very good and fill in some of the blanks I wasn't aware of when I started shopping for one of the K22's many years ago. From my understanding, the originals from the 40's were called Combat Masterpieces, then K22's up until the late 50's when the company was sold and they began the -17 numbering system, adding a 6 to the front of the designation to imply stainless . I know a lot of guys I talk to hate the later models with the lock and I don't really care for them either, but other than the look I've only talked to a few people who thought the later versions functioned any better or worse than the earliest models....

Bob

 

I have a K-22 and model 17, both in 6 inch and shoot both the same.
As far as the Colt, one thing to consider few gunsmiths remain that know how to time the revolver. My Python needed timed. A gunsmith told me the design was weak on the Colts and needed checked occasionally.

 

I bought a NIB condition Colt OMM that I paid over $1000 for. I have several in new condition and that particular one was the most I’ve paid. Was it worth it? To me- yes. The quality of a Colt OMM is right up there with a Python.

I have several Diamondbacks. They look awesome but they are just a fancy Detective Special with a ventilated rib and royal blue finish. They are nowhere near the level of revolver that the OMM is.

The S&W model 17 is probably the best value for any of these old 22 revolvers.