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10-13-2018, 05:06 PM
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.38 Combat Masterpiece
Today I was at my favorite gun show of the year but was drawing a blank until I got to the very last row. Saw this really nice pre-Model 15 sitting on a table and ended up making a straight-up trade for a pre-war 32-20 M&P in much worse shape that I paid $325 for. It's really a beauty. The gun is SN K2168XX, which dates to 1954. It's got the nice early post-war matte blue finish and is all matching except the high-shoulder diamond grips, which number to an S800K gun a few years earlier.
I've never really been a big fan of the adjustable sight K frames, but this one is changing my opinion. I think the trade definitely worked in my favor.
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22hipower, 2ndshift, 3589, ancient-one, arjay, Bayou52, BB57, beagleye, BigBill, Birdgun, bmcgilvray, CajunBass, federali, j38, JayCeeNC, Jeppo, Jimmyjones, JohnRippert, JP@AK, Kapuna, kobsw, lamarw, LEO918, lrrifleman, lscocoa, M E Morrison, M1A, OLDSTER, one eye joe, Oscar Zulu, pawncop, RobertJ., shouldazagged, sigp220.45, Sixgun100, SVT28, tecolote, Texas Star, TTSH, usmc2427765, Vulcan Bob, Walter Rego, wundudnee, wx7b |
10-13-2018, 05:16 PM
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Nice gun. Probably what most people would effectively carry if overthinking wasn't so fun.....
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10-13-2018, 05:21 PM
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Not bad. Not bad a'tall. 
I've got it's kid brother. 1954, 22 Combat Masterpiece.
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John 3:16 .
Last edited by CajunBass; 10-13-2018 at 05:22 PM.
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10-13-2018, 07:22 PM
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I’d make that trade all day every day and twice on Sunday. The value of your CM almost certainly exceeds the $325 investment you made in it by at least another $100 or more. Much as I like the 32-20, that trade was a no brainer.
Froggie
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10-13-2018, 09:52 PM
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Absent Comrade
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Many people think the Combat Masterpiece/Model 15 is the finest revolver S&W ever made. If your CM shoots as nicely as my 15-3 did, you are going to love it.
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Oh well, what the hell.
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10-13-2018, 10:39 PM
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Sell it right away 😁
Uh oh now you’ve done it. Sell it right away or you will be like me and burn through all your gun funds. I got a new in box 15 made in 1968 at a gun show January for $550. It was too nice to shoot so I got a slightly used 15-3 in February but it’s close to perfect for $480. Then I ran into an awesome deal on a 6” 17-2 for $450. It was 98% easy after a good cleaning. I use for range duty. And I just bought a 14-4 in perfect shape with the three T’s with a reddish set of target stocks that are real beauties for $580. So this year alone I have bought
15 NIB 4”
Month later 15-3 4”
In April a 17-2 6”
And October a 14-4 6”
Once you get the k frame bug there is no cure!!!!!! I sold some guns and picked up some extra money doing some work last holiday season but the last purchase emptied my funds. I put myself in time out and am working overtime to build back up the funds so I can hit a local major show in January for, you guessed it, more K frames!!
Beauty gun and those 15s are sweet! Enjoy your K frame
Last edited by Grimjaws; 10-13-2018 at 10:41 PM.
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10-13-2018, 11:12 PM
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Absent Comrade
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Following my very first s&w purchase a k22 I found a pre m14 and pre m15 to keep it company. These are really quality revolvers I’m impressed.
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10-14-2018, 08:18 AM
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I also have one of the CM 15 , also 1954 . Great balance. Tight as a drum.
It a great carry gun in a belted holster. A bit bulky for a CC piece.
It shines punching holes in paper on the range.
As one of the old guys on the line said to me after glancing at my target, " that'll keep em' off ya'."
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10-14-2018, 09:29 AM
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Lately all the M15s I've seen in that condition have been $500+, so you did good.
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10-14-2018, 09:37 AM
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I picked up my first ever CM 15-2 1965 a couple of years ago.I think I like your matt finish over the polished blue version.
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10-14-2018, 10:05 AM
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You made a great deal for that K38. Congrats 
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John
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10-14-2018, 11:56 AM
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Hey big, you made a very good trade. Here's a couple of mine...
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Living a dream - S&WCA #2364
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10-14-2018, 12:03 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigwagon
Today I was at my favorite gun show of the year but was drawing a blank until I got to the very last row. Saw this really nice pre-Model 15 sitting on a table and ended up making a straight-up trade for a pre-war 32-20 M&P in much worse shape that I paid $325 for. It's really a beauty. The gun is SN K2168XX, which dates to 1954. It's got the nice early post-war matte blue finish and is all matching except the high-shoulder diamond grips, which number to an S800K gun a few years earlier.
I've never really been a big fan of the adjustable sight K frames, but this one is changing my opinion. I think the trade definitely worked in my favor.
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Great trade on a great gun.
Regards,
Kobsw
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10-14-2018, 01:47 PM
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It shoots as good as it looks!
This is 28 rounds single and double action at 7 yards.
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10-14-2018, 04:22 PM
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I find that I shoot my 15-3 more than any other single handgun I own. Having a .38spl. chamber, it's perfect for shooting the most available and most reloaded CF ammo.......
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dd884
JMHO-YMMV
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10-14-2018, 06:04 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigwagon
I've never really been a big fan of the adjustable sight K frames, but this one is changing my opinion. I think the trade definitely worked in my favor.
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And so, his downfall began......
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Regards,
Lee Jarrett
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10-14-2018, 06:24 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by handejector
And so, his downfall began...... |
I've already fallen down the N frame rabbit hole, so I know how it goes.
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10-14-2018, 08:05 PM
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The older pre-15 CMs are also very nice with just a little more barrel. This is a 5 inch Missouri State Highway Patrol version, which differs from the 5 inch Illinois State Police version in that the MSHP revolver had the CM barrel taper, whereas the 5 inch ISP was a pre-14 with the straight wall (non-tapered) barrel.
Last edited by shawn mccarver; 10-14-2018 at 08:07 PM.
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10-19-2018, 04:40 PM
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I agree with Shawn, the 5inch revolvers balance very well in the hand.
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10-19-2018, 05:16 PM
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One of my big regrets was passing up an ANIB CM, ca.1950, for $500 a couple of years back. I recently bought a Model 15 no-dash former cop gun in somewhat distressed cosmetic condition for $200. Some internal and external cleanup, a pair of S&W smooth wood presentation grips from my woodbox and a few applications of Oxypho cold blue made it look far better. Shoots pretty well too after I adjusted the sights. Last week I put 20 shots into a 2" group at 50 feet from a bench rest with it. That's good enough for me.
The closest CM to SN K2168XX on my list is K1994xx which shipped in 3/54.
Last edited by DWalt; 10-19-2018 at 05:29 PM.
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10-19-2018, 05:24 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shawn mccarver
This is a 5 inch Missouri State Highway Patrol version
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Also an MSHP 5" .38 Combat Masterpiece, shipped on October 3, 1952.
A wonderful revolver to own, since only 365 of them were sent to the Missouri agency!
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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318
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10-19-2018, 05:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grimjaws
Uh oh now you’ve done it. Sell it right away or you will be like me and burn through all your gun funds. I got a new in box 15 made in 1968 at a gun show January for $550. It was too nice to shoot so I got a slightly used 15-3 in February but it’s close to perfect for $480. Then I ran into an awesome deal on a 6” 17-2 for $450. It was 98% easy after a good cleaning. I use for range duty. And I just bought a 14-4 in perfect shape with the three T’s with a reddish set of target stocks that are real beauties for $580. So this year alone I have bought
15 NIB 4”
Month later 15-3 4”
In April a 17-2 6”
And October a 14-4 6”
Once you get the k frame bug there is no cure!!!!!! I sold some guns and picked up some extra money doing some work last holiday season but the last purchase emptied my funds. I put myself in time out and am working overtime to build back up the funds so I can hit a local major show in January for, you guessed it, more K frames!!
Beauty gun and those 15s are sweet! Enjoy your K frame
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I love your thread of logic here, it's just like my mental dialog.
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10-19-2018, 08:14 PM
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Those are some beautiful Combat Masterpieces posted above!!...
I feel for you!! I just found a Combat Masterpiece today, and posted a thread on it: New to me Combat Masterpiece and a little something else!!
This is my first one, and I'll have to do a little research on them.
Best Regards, Les
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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064
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10-19-2018, 10:22 PM
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Nice!!! Hard to pass that up. I bet it shoots as good as my .38ctg from early 50`s
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