Well, it got here. K205380, and everything matches. No box. Can't tell if it's been refinished. Looks like it spent most of it's life in a drawer with some neglect areas, especially on the left side of the barrel. Not sure about that target hammer either, but I'm aware they were available. A gentleman from this forum has mailed some helpful information that I hope applies to this revolver. Now, it on to find the "Letter" form.

Nice revolver. Likely from 1954. I'll bet it's a good shooter.

Very nice!

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Pine_Worker
Ex-LEO, NRA Life

Nice!!

I've seen a lot of police revolvers with a service trigger and target hammer but only the letter can tell you for sure.

Assuming you have checked for the factory rework marks, and not found any, I vote for original finish.

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Terry Lester

Very nice COMBAT MASTERPIECE.

^What he said.

An outstanding example of what I believe is an "overrun" from the special ordered 5" Combat Masterpiece for the Missouri State Highway Patrol . . . congratulations! They are few in number and not very often seen in the condition of yours.

From our research, the highest s/n of those shipped directly to the MSHP is K157676 but I have recorded s/n's in the K205XXX series that shipped to stocking dealers that had an affinity for special runs &/or non-catalogued barrel lengths. For example K205342 shipped to a Florida S&W dealer and K205385 shipped to a dealer in Los Angeles.

I am aware of one other example that shipped with a target hammer but only a factory letter will tell for yours. Whether the target hammer is original or not you'll find that 5" CM an outstanding handling and shooting revolver!

Russ

P.S. If you're planning to come to the big Tulsa show this weekend I hope you can join us for the Southwest Bunch gathering Saturday evening and bring your 5" for show & tell.
Southwest Bunch Barbecue Fall 2019

I know of an example of an ISP 5" K-38 (heavy barrel version of yours) that will be there! Feel free to call my cell for directions (573-465-1870)

Nice gun with the 5” barrel. Where did you find it? Linde is the expert on the 5” K’s. Larry

Thank you sir for the info and the invite. Unfortunately, I cannot attend due to other commitments. Perhaps another time. I spent some time in Skaitook as a youngster, and wouldn't mind revisiting.

I found it on Gunbroker, of all places, and it came from a gun shop and shooting range in Florida.

Like me born in "54" has
To be good one.
Nice find!

I think a 5 inch barrel is the perfect length.

It's hard to tell for sure from the photos you've posted, but looking at the writing and logo, I'd say it's the original finish. The writing still appears to have raised edges which is a good indicator.

Russ beat me to it, but I concur that your SN is not one of the MSHP guns. The highest number shipped directly to the Missouri State Highway Patrol is K157719. It was in the second shipment to MSHP of 10-3-1952. The highest serial number of the last shipment to MSHP (10-13-1953) is K157676, mentioned by Russ. That said, Olympic Arms in Los Angeles, if memory serves (Russ will correct me if my memory is bad), got at least one of these rare guns directly from S&W.

We have always assumed that the 5 inch guns were made using cut down original tapered 6 inch barrels that were left over after S&W pretty much went to the straight walled barrel for the 6 inch K38. Originally, however the 6 inch K38s were offered with either the tapered barrels or the straight walled "heavy barrels."

It is quite likely that there are a few more of these MSHP overruns that got sent out. I hope you will letter your revolver to find out where it went. I also agree with Russ that the MSHP revolvers were not originally shipped with target hammers. Yours may have been ordered differently as it was not an MSHP gun.

Herbie Harris up in Chicago (H. H. Harris) used to stock the 5 inch Illinois State Police guns, which used the straight walled heavy barrel of the Model 14 or K38. Thus, ISP had Pre-14s in 5 inch made up 4 or 5 years after Missouri State Highway Patrol got their 5 inch Pre-15s. The obvious difference is in the barrel taper and the bevel cuts on the corner of the frame.

Shawn

Shawn-

Thanks. That's the best explanation that I've seen of this matter.

And the letter has arrived...it appears that 12 of these puppies shipped to Evaluators Limited, Quantico VA in 1954. The target hammer is correct, as is the 5" barrel. Wonder what became of the other 11?