I keep telling myself to stop buying revolvers, but I have a tough time listening. Old K frames just have a soft spot in my heart.

Stopped in to one of my favorite pawns the other day and I saw a satin blue Smith that had 5 screws. $460+tax on the tag. Upon closer inspection I decipher a very early K-38 due to the serial K43002 and tapered barrel. Blueing excellent, mechanicals excellent, barrel and cylinder match the butt, not correct grips but they were nice. 6-50 and star stamped frame under the grips. I checked for signs of a refinish and didn't see any. The markings were crisp and clear. They didnt budge on the price but I still brought it home. The condition was too good to pass up, even without the box etc. I think the serial is late 1948.

I love the look of the satin blue cleaned up. The hammer has excellent case hardening and the style is very attractive. I'm sure she will shoot as good as my 14-6, maybe better?!? Here are a couple of pics.

SVT28



Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

You stole it from them. Great job. Beautiful revolver.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

Very, very nice!! I too would have had a hard time leaving it sitting at the store at that price. Really good find for a great price!! Enjoy

I also have a 1948 K22 but it cost me a bit more from the Gun Library in the Reno Cabela's a few years ago. They're great revolvers that will last forever if properly cared for. Mine has the old time glossy blue but yours sure looks great. Did you replace the grips or did they come with it? I have a nice pair of diamond target grips on mine that I picked up somewhere. Mine came with a set of after market grips that I just didn't care for. I have two 1956 K38s to frame my K22 with and a real nice 1978 17-4 with an 8 3/8" barrel. I must say that I also have a love affair with S&W K frames.

Those are the strangest set of sights I ever saw on a 40-50 vintage Smith. The rear sight is very short and the front sight very tall. I would guess that it is set up for long range shooting. You might have to change out both sights for your style of shooting.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

Nice gun, nice pics, nice price!

Congrats! I love the high front sight!

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

With a rework date stamp only a couple years after is shipped, it may not have been refinished, and if it was, you'd never see any sign of it.

As for the front sight height, it's perfectly normal for an early K-38 with tapered barrel.

At $450, even with the re-work, ya done good.

Mark

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S&W Forum Member #721

I would say you got a screamin deal. Let us know how it shoots.

A narrow rib, tapered barrel K-38 Masterpiece ("Target" was never part of its name) in that condition is a very nice find. And the price was excellent, even with post-1967 stocks on it.

Congratulations!

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Very well done, OP! I've been tempted by a couple, but the prices were no where close you what you paid!

I grant you the front sight looks high---camera fooling us maybe. That said, the blade is just a little taller than the base. So I looked at one of mine of similar vintage-----and the blade is just a little taller than the base.

And the rear sight blades are very short.

Ralph Tremaine

This isn't the best pic, but doesn't the front sight on the OP's look like mine (which is in the K43000's)?



Mark

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S&W Forum Member #721

Mark
Who made those stocks? They look nice.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Nope! Yours looks lower than his---and a tad taller than the base---which is just like mine------and I'm still going with getting fooled by the camera (camera angle)---at least some of us---me included.

Ralph Tremaine

Nice revolver man thanks for posting that was an excellent price . Those K 38s ,K22s set up with long barrel and adjustable sights weren't actually called " target" in the names? I didn't know that I have always heard them referred to as target ,learn some small detail on here everyday . Wheelgun610 honerable mention for the addition of your excellent revolver also.

Great purchase on a fine revolve. And some nice photos here. We all like good photos.

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John

Beautiful! The curvature at the front sight looks different from the other K-38.

What is the SN Range ( you can XX the last 2 digits if you like).

It's not that the rear sight seems higher it is that the rear sight overhangs the frame a bit further back and the front sight is noticeably higher.

I've seen that same thing on a 25-2 that a member once owned. I cannot recall what that was for or why it may have been more beneficial than the standard Target sights.

Any "King" markings on the front sight or a U notched (with or without white color) rear sight ?

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ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

I got my K-38 in a trade over 30 years ago. It's in virtually the same condition as yours but did include both the original numbered Magna grips and a set of targets as well. This was at a Norfolk, VA gun show and my actual value of the trade was about $150 or so way back then. I'd say you did very well indeed. (BTW, my Dad had it for years after I got it and he just gave it back to me a few months before his passing back in the Spring, so it has additional special meaning for me!)

Froggie

Thank you sir.

A Connecticut clock maker by the name of Gagne gets credited as actually bein' the maker, but some other guy by the name of Roper is the one usually associated with Mr. Gagne's artistry.

Mark

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S&W Forum Member #721

Mark
I didn't recognize them as Ropers, but I guess I'm not surprised. The artistry is self-evident.
Thanks for the reply.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

The S/N was reported to be in the K34000 range in the original post.


Mark

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S&W Forum Member #721

Thanks everyone. I flip flopped two numbers in the serial accidentally so I just updated my first post. The serial is K43002.

As far as the sights go, I don't see any markings like King or anything else. I've taken a couple better pics and attached them to this post for reference. I think the rear sight is cranked pretty high but it does look like it sits correctly against the cut in the frame. I'm taking it shooting today so I'll be finding out real soon if adjustments need to be made.

SVT28


Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

If you saw the left panel, you'd have known immediately. I only posted that particular pic as it was taken at near the same angle as the one in the original post. Which reminds me that I need to take some better shots with my good camera.

Mark

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S&W Forum Member #721

That's a great Looking K38 and mine was made in 1952 and they are great revolvers. I bought this one awhile ago for $500 and it has the matt finish and is like new and is as tight as a drum.

Missed that. It's in the transition range, about 1947. What's with that rear sight ? Does it overhang more than the standard K38 sight or was that just the camera angle ?

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ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

I didn't re-read every post in this thread, so I may be repeating what someone else has already stated. But, I believe the front sight is taller on the OP's gun because we are used to seeing a Patridge sight on the later K-38 Heavy Masterpiece. With that barrel, the sight does not have to be as tall because it starts from a higher base point.

Different height rear sight blades are available, so if additional adjustment is needed by the OP to suit his shooting needs, his blade can be replaced quite easily.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

SVT28 It's sweet. The K series Masterpieces are one of my favorites. The early post-war transitions, even more so.

Appears the only thing not original on yours is the stocks. Yours are from a post 1967 K frame (no diamond around screw escutcheon ).

Find a quality set of K frame diamond target (non-relieved) and you'll have "the" premier stock on it.

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ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

SVT28, you have a very nice example. Here is my narrow rib variation K-38 that shipped in June, 1949. The non-relieved Target Stocks are from a few years later, it lettered with Magna Stocks. Yes, the front sights do look high on the narrow rib, tapered barrel models.

Attached Images

S&W K-38 Masterpiece 1949 Target Stocks.jpg (46.7 KB, 46 views)

The rear sight seams to sit pretty normally to me looking at the frame notch. Perhaps adjusted a few clicks up.

Attached Images

IMG_2858.jpg (92.7 KB, 28 views)

I also might have missed a comment here and there, but am also surprised that I find no one has commented on the utra-matte finish, or the non-original stocks?? Those stocks are from the 1950s, not the 1940s. I have a K22 and a K38, both from 1948, and while they were not high gloss blued, all I have seen have a low gloss finish but not a parkerized surface. Also, the stocks from that era had a very sharp top shoulder on the original Magnas.

Lastly, the rear sight has been screwed up about as high as it will go, but the front sight is the exact same on my 1948 K38 as the OPs. I have another K38 from 1951 with a front sight matching my K22. My assumption is that both style sights would have been available from the factory.

Attached Images

P1010003.jpg (97.0 KB, 44 views)

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Glowe you are correct in that these grips are definitely not original as they are non diamond post '67 grips. I am currently on the hunt for a pair of nice condition period correct high shoulder magnas

As far as the finish goes, it may be the photo box/camera/lighting but its definitely the factory satin blue thats seen on the early K-38s.

You have a couple of really nice specimens btw and I'd kill to find one of these in original condition with the original gold box. Maybe one day.

SVT28

Well, how does it shoot? It should be a tack driver. Mine is a little younger, K100xxx from 1951.



All rapid fire cocking the hammer each round.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I've been keeping my eyes peeled for a decent set of high shoulder diamond magnas or some non relieved diamond targets for my Masterpiece. I ended up winning the set below last week for less that $150 and couldn't be more excited.

I know these grips are probably from 51-52 and my tapered Masterpiece is a little earlier than that, but these fit perfect and the condition is consistent with the revolver. The first range trip went very very well the other week, its quite a tack driver! Something tells me though that I'll shoot it better with these

SVT28



Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

The gun you bought and the price you bought it for are fantastic! Great job! I have a five screw Combat Masterpiece, but I'm still waiting for a standard Masterpiece. I even have a set of non-relieved diamond targets like the ones you just bought for your gun. I can't ever sell them, though, because the minute I do, I'll find a gun just like yours...priced at only $300 because it has a set of Pachmayr rubber grips on it. That would be my luck.


What else are you going to spend it on? Groceries and clothing are overrated.

Why would you say the stocks are from the 50s? Non-relieved targets were made from late-1948 to 1955 and no changes were made during that time. Is there a serial number stamped on the right stock? I have not yet seen a stamped early Target set yet, and have bought quite a few sets over the years, non with serial numbers stamped.

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Gary
SWCA 2515