Hello all!

I recently received my first revolver that belonged to my late grandfather and am having trouble finding any information about the model number or when it was made. My best guess is from sometime around 1950 but I could be way off about that.

It is a 38 special, blued finish, 4 in barrel, and adjustable sights.
No model number under the yolk, SN is K82199.

I am also looking to see if anyone knows what the original grips looked like and if there is anywhere that either the original or reproductions can be found. The grips that came with it appear to be a cheap plastic and don’t look like they fit correctly.

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

Attached Images

image.jpg (209.4 KB, 245 views)

Hi

It is a .38 Combat Masterpiece, and your guess is pretty good. This one would have likely shipped in late 1949, but probably in early 1950. At that time, it would not have a model number. In 1958, it would have the Model 15 designation, but before that it had a model name, not a number.

In the attached picture, the revolver on the bottom is wearing stocks that would look like those originally on your Combat Masterpiece. The gun on top wears the prewar style, with a more extensive checkering pattern.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Welcome! This is a .38 Combat Masterpiece and its approximate production year is 1950, so good guess . After about 1957 a similar gun would be called the model 15.

The correct stocks would be wood Magna stocks with the uncheckered diamond around the stock screw. They resemble the ones on the gun at the top of the Forum home page but yours would be a later type.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Jack beat me to the answer, and with photos too!

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Thank you so much! I really appreciate the info guys!

Welcome!
Your Grandfather's gun is a K38 Combat Masterpiece and you are very close to the date of shipping - most likely 1949. The gun later became known as the Model 15 when S&W started using model numbers in the late 1950's.
The original grips were most likely "service" style and would be called K Frame diamond magnas (the "diamond" is an uncheckered portion around the screw hole). They are easily found on ebay, or you can post a want to buy ad here on the forum. Plenty of them around, although they were stamped with a number corresponding to the gun and finding your gun's grips would be nearly impossible.
(ooops....was typing when the responses above were sent - they are the experts!)

You should keep an eye out for grips that come up in Accessories for sale on the Classifieds section of this forum.
There's a set of aftermarket (Altamont) grips on there now made to look like K frame diamond magnas.
George

FS, Altamont grips for S&W K frame. $35 shipped

I have one in my collection that is very close to yours, #K82259 that Roy puts at Mar. 1950 so I would guess yours is probably just a bit earlier.

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SWHF #595

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass!

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Nobody has remarked on the engraving yet! Is there a story to go with it?
Ed

The engraving on this one is very cool, I’m assuming it’s obviously his grandfather. Definitely an awesome heirloom!

As far as stocks go they could have been diamond Magnas or a set of diamond targets (relieved or non). Either way I would go with an original eta correct set leaning towards targets if they didn’t cover the engraving.

Any magna or target stock is going to cover up most of the last name. It makes me wonder what kind of stocks were on the gun originally. Only a "service" style prewar stock would not interfere with the engraved name.

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Y. B. Ord & A. Ree