New (to me) Hand Ejector

freddial · #1 03-23-2020, 06:13 PM

Would like some help identifying. Ser.# K931xx. Ctg. 38 S & W Special. 6” pinned barrel. Pinned front sight, adj. rear sight. Chromed (I think) polished and jeweled trigger and hammer, target style (wide). No butt swivel. 5 screw. Lotsof holster wear on end of barrel and cylinder, but, othwise, bluing is very good. Suspect stocks aren’t correct.o

chiefdave · #2 03-23-2020, 06:39 PM

K-38 Masterpiece from around 1948 if the s/n you provided is correct. Looks like the heavy barrel that came a year later. You are correct about stocks, should have sharp shoulder Magna's.

glowe · #3 03-23-2020, 06:59 PM

Welcome to the Forum. The Magna stocks are from a much later time than 1948, maybe as late as the 1980s. Those stocks would have been a post-factory replacement and not original. Non-matching stocks does impact value, but overall your revolver looks to be in very nice condition.

Check your serial number on the butt of the gun and see if there are 5 or 6 numbers there to be sure?? The first heavy barrel Masterpiece was sn K66047, so late 1948 manufacture would have been possible for your early Heavy Masterpiece.

freddial · #4 03-23-2020, 07:13 PM

Ser # is five digits. Any clue on the hammer and trigger?

Pine_Worker · #5 03-23-2020, 07:31 PM

Nice K38, wouldn’t mind having it.

glowe · #6 03-23-2020, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freddial

. . . Any clue on the hammer and trigger?

Not sure what you mean? The trigger and hammer coloration looks right, but the picture is small. They were case hardened/colored at the factory. S&W did not blue either part. If another issue, let us know.

freddial · #7 03-23-2020, 09:53 PM

The hammer and trigger are chromed (it looks like) and jeweled or engine turned.

JP@AK · #8 03-23-2020, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freddial

The hammer and trigger are chromed (it looks like) and jeweled or engine turned.

Yes. This is sad. Ruins the collectibility of an otherwise very nice condition early K-38 Heavy Masterpiece.

I have no idea what possesses people to do this sort of thing.

But, hey, you still have yourself a very nice older target revolver. Enjoy it!

daddio202 · #9 03-23-2020, 10:34 PM

Nice k.38 you got there. Looks like the finish on gun is original but a common way to spiff up your gun back then was to jewel the hammer and/or trigger. Looks like an owner did just that and had them plated then jewelled to spiff up the gun. You could possibly find an original hammer trigger set, have a gunsmith replace them for you. But if you just want to enjoy shooting the gun and not worried about selling it or the value - just leave it as is and shoot away. Very fun and accurate guns to shoot. Enjoy.

Muley Gil · #10 03-23-2020, 10:37 PM

IIRC, engine turning was originally for holding lubricant.

kscharlie · #11 03-23-2020, 10:51 PM

Yes, like Jack said, it is sad about the hammer and trigger. However, those original parts can be found with a bit of searching, and replaced, if you have a desire to do so. And as stated earlier, the stocks are much newer. The two attached pictures of my K-38 will show the diamond center, sharp shoulder magna stocks that number to the gun. The close-up will show the color case hardened hammer and trigger.

Mine is serial K801xx and was shipped in March, 1950.