Quote:
Originally Posted by S&W2296
I have a S&W 14-3 serial number K9329XX. It has the target hammer. Is this a K-38 masterpiece or 14-3 and can someone tell me close to what year it might be?
Thanks
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S&W2296,
More than you wanted to know, but here it is."Masterpiece" is nothing more than a designation S&W chose to apply to the three K-Frame Target revolvers, K-22, K-32 and K-38, at the time they made the transition from the tapered barrels to the heavier wide-ribbed type barrels which have a heavier straight taper. This occurred in 1949, and the reason was to give all three models, all having 6" barrels, the same weight and balance so they had the same feel in the hand for target shooters who would be using all calibers in different NRA matches for revolver.
No doubt the appellation "Masterpiece" was to give the impression that the revolvers were the ultimate development of the model. In 1957 this became the Model 14.
At approximately the same time they also introduced a 4" version of the pre-"Masterpiece" K-38 with the original tapered barrel as an up-graded Police service type revolver and gave it the appellation "Combat Masterpiece". This became the Model 15 in 1957.
Strangely, over the production life of both the Model 14 "Target Masterpiece" and the Model 15 "Combat Masterpiece", the M-14 was fitted with 4", 5" (rare) 6" and 8 3/8" heavy barrels. The M-15 was later also fit with the heavy barrel and was offered in lengths of 2", 4", 6" and 8 3/8". The result was there were times where you could have two revolvers of the same barrel length and type, otherwise indistinguishable from one another except for one being marked as a Model 14 and the other Model 15. Odd, isn't it!