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Smith & Wesson Model 22

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General referenceInterpretive dossier study · Crown Archives visual atlas
Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionSep 11, 2026
Entity authorityQ3963024 ↗
Source-derived summary

The Smith & Wesson Model 22 is a six-shot, double-action, large frame revolver chambered in .45 ACP using moon clips. It is a refined commercial version of the M1917 revolver first issued during World War I.

Additional

Built around Smith & Wesson's large N frame, it was originally sold as the Model 1950 and is normally fitted with a 5½" barrel with no under lug and fixed combat sights. The Models 25 and Model 26 are the "Target" models. The Model 22 was succeeded by the stainless steel Smith & Wesson Model 625.

The Model 22 was re-introduced as the second limited production Thunder Ranch revolver in 2007. This gun features a 4" match barrel with under lug, fixed sights, cocobolo grips, and an internal lock. The popularity of this revolver led S&W to continue its production in its classic line as the 22-4. It is quite an accurate revolver and has a smoother trigger pull than the original, most likely due to improvements in production. A limited production run of bright nickel-plated, non–Thunder Ranch models were made. Only select firearm dealers were considered to be allowed to sell this particular model.

Editorial summary

This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Smith & Wesson Model 22” as open-knowledge reference entry. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.

Editorial reviewA dependable orientation record for establishing vocabulary, names and a first evidence trail. The current lead gives the account dated anchors—1950, 2007—that can be checked directly. The selected authority fields contribute no independent date. The account is most persuasive where Smith, Wesson and Model can be independently traced.
Editorial analysis

Why this record matters

The subject matters to the general reference register because the source frames it as open-knowledge reference entry. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.

Evidence profile

Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 11, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q3963024. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1950 and 2007.

Critical limits

The absence of detail may reflect summary conventions rather than a lack of surviving documentation. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

How to read it

Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.

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  2. Expand the search: follow Smith & Wesson Model 22 primary sources, Smith & Wesson Model 22 archive and Smith research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
  3. Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.

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Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from “Smith & Wesson Model 22” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.