OK, I have a Smith & Wesson revolver that has no model number behind the yoke......
a. It is a hand ejector
b. Serial # K273xxx
c. 38 S.&W. SPECIAL CTG.
d. 4 inch barrel
e. Post-war adjustable sights
f. 4 screw

Trying to find the model number, and, if possible, the year of manufacture.

Thanks to all in advance.

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Welcome to the forum.

It's too early to have a model #, only a Model name. It's a Model K38 Combat Masterpiece but in 1957 became the Model 15.

It's a collectible vintage and collectors refer to it as a 4 screw variation.

Its from circa 1956.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Yes. I have one in my collection with a serial number just 5,000 higher than yours. It letters to shipment in November, 1956.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Wow! That reply was so fast I think I went back in time!!!
Thanks for the help!

K266,155 – K288,988...1956 (manufacture)
On my list is K2723xx which shipped in 1/57
The K-38 Combat Masterpiece was made principally for law enforcement use, and later the US Air Force adopted it as their official handgun. It was used throughout the Vietnam era, and up until the M9 Beretta was adopted in the late 1980s. It later became the Model 15. A very similar revolver, except for its having a 6" barrel, was the K-38 Masterpiece intended principally for target shooting. It later became the Model 14.

That is a fairly early 4 Screw.
I'd be curious to know if the barrel and cylinder have the serial number on them?
Please look at back of cyl and bottom of barrel with cyl open.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Excellent question, Lee. I have two from this era; K278720 and K285963. Both are four screw and neither has the serial number on the barrel flat nor on the rear face of the cylinder. K278720 letters to November, 1956. I have not lettered the other one.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

I list K2853xx as shipping in 7/57. Can't say if it is a CM.

I have one with serial numbers matching in all locations. K1382xx, could you please provide the month and year of manufacture?

Thanks,
Joe

Welcome to the forum. The year is 1952 according to the Standard Catalog, but that's based on serial number ranges. We don't have months of manufacture. The months mentioned by the others above are shipping dates of individual guns gleaned from history letters which have to be ordered from the S&W historian for each individual gun.

Since acc. to the catalog 1952 started with K136691, your K138xxx was likely made in the first months of that year. Without a letter, that's the best we can do.

Just to add another data point . . . K271846 (K38) is an early 4-screw (10-groove) frame that shipped 9/30/1956 and it does have the s/n on the rear face of the cylinder and the barrel flat.

Russ

Thank you for the information.

I have several K-38s listed having SNs which are reasonably close, and the best I could say is that yours very likely shipped sometime in 1952. But not the month.