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S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 All 5-Screw & Vintage 4-Screw SWING-OUT Cylinder REVOLVERS, and the 35 Autos and 32 Autos


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  #1  
Old 06-24-2011, 10:34 AM
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Default K-38 Target Masterpiece Five Screw

Here's a pretty nice one that I happened to find a couple of weeks ago. This K-38 Target Masterpiece ( Pre Model 14) is a five screw gun and dates to 1955. It was wearing rubber grips when I bought it and I have replaced them with these incorrect checkered targets. If anyone reading this has a nice set of diamond magnas that they'll sell me at a reasonable price to make this gun complete I'd sure appreciate it. This is a six groove gun and has the old style hammer.Other than a bit of blueing wear at the muzzle it is in pretty fine condition. I hope to shoot it this weekend.
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  #2  
Old 06-24-2011, 10:39 AM
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A nice find there! If you like the targets the diamond center target grip would be period correct as well.
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Old 06-24-2011, 10:56 AM
Oldiron Oldiron is offline
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Beautiful gun. Grips look great on it. Of course I dont know why people love to stick Trojans on guns.(maybe it is to protect themselves from it) Have a set of diamond magnas on a 1940 pre-victory I will part with if I can find a set of round top silver medallions at the AGCA show in two weeks.
Larry
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Old 06-24-2011, 11:10 AM
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The K-38 Masterpiece is one of the best-looking revolvers S&W ever made. The five-screw guns with the speed hammer are in my eyes the cream of the crop. Congratulations!
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Old 06-24-2011, 11:26 AM
larryofcc larryofcc is offline
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I just wonder how many 100% original 5 screw K38's there are left in this world. Seems to me that the original purchasers of these opened the box, took the magnas off, and threw them away, never to be seen again in our lifetime. I doubt anyone knew that the grips were, in fact,numbered to the gun. I would rather have a lesser grade gun 100% matching than a minty one that is mis matched. It took me over a year to find a matching early standard bbl. K38. Several I found were minty, but mismatched, and sharp shoulder magnas are very hard to find. With me, it has to be a 100% matching gun. Big Larry
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Old 06-24-2011, 11:28 AM
jubela#4 jubela#4 is offline
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Great score Rick, congratlations on that one! Let us know how it shoots.
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Old 06-24-2011, 12:05 PM
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I'm sure you will love the way it shoots. It took me awhile, but I found a pair of period Target stocks then had DWFAN redo them to bring my K38 back to period. It also had the big Pachmayer grips on it when I bought it.
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Old 06-24-2011, 01:37 PM
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That is a great gun! When I look at K-38's, I look for the service trigger like you have, but that hammer really sets it apart in my eyes. Good find.
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Old 06-25-2011, 03:50 AM
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Way to go, rfo1!!!
I am very fond of K-38s - from before and after 1957.
Congrats.
JP
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Old 06-26-2011, 07:28 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rfo1 View Post
Here's a pretty nice one that I happened to find a couple of weeks ago. This K-38 Target Masterpiece ( Pre Model 14) is a five screw gun and dates to 1955. It was wearing rubber grips when I bought it and I have replaced them with these incorrect checkered targets. If anyone reading this has a nice set of diamond magnas that they'll sell me at a reasonable price to make this gun complete I'd sure appreciate it. .
rfo1


Hello Rick
That is a nice Pre-14 you have there. Are you sure it shipped with Magna stocks ? after January 1952 Target stocks were available and some of the Pre-14's indeed shipped from the factory with them, and as hard as diamond Target stocks are to find in good shape perhaps that is why it came to you with rubber grips on it, if someone took the originals off that gun and sold them, that would certainly explain why they may be missing. Here is one that shipped with a set of Factory diamond Target stocks in March 1953. If it were me, I would spend the $50.00 obtaining a factory history letter to see what the gun actually shipped with when it left the factory new before placing the wrong stocks on it ... Hammerdown






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Old 06-26-2011, 09:04 AM
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A nice set of Kurac or Brown grips would do just fine for me. To each his own. Nice find, rubber or not.
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Old 06-26-2011, 10:38 AM
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I sense a 'show your K-38' thread developing!
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Old 06-26-2011, 10:41 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vulcan Bob View Post
A nice find there! If you like the targets the diamond center target grip would be period correct as well.
Yep, that'll work too.



GF
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  #14  
Old 06-26-2011, 12:40 PM
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Congratulations on your new K38 Heavy Masterpiece.
The topic of correct grips comes up once in a while and would probably make a nice Sticky.

Target stocks are not usually numbered to the gun and make an ideal replacement in a case where the originals are not available..
If you prefer Diamond Magnas they are generally recognized as having 4 transitions ,

1 ) Pre war K Magnas (1936 to 1946) their checkering pattern is similar to the pre war service grips but different than the post WWII styles.

2 ) Early Post War Diamond Magnas (1946 to 1952) recognized by their high shoulder and flat bottom or "heel".

3 ) Tapered shoulder Diamond Magnas (1953 to 1967) flat heel.

4 ) PC or "Plain Clothes" Diamond Magnas (1952 to 1967) tapered shoulders and rounded heel, usually found on non target site K frames .
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  #15  
Old 06-26-2011, 09:19 PM
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This K-38 shipped on Dec 7, 1955 with these non-relieved Targets on it. It also shipped with the early version Target Hammer:

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checkering, k38, masterpiece, model 14, target masterpiece, victory, wwii

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