Or perhaps a Christmas tree for 4" S&W Combat Masterpiece fanatics ?



Enjoy !

You are a terrible evil enviable man.

I think you may have a problem, therapy may be advisable

You need atleast 4 more for the top, its more like shrub

That is...beautiful

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Ephesians 6 (Armor of God)

Wanted to air them out before the hot weather arrives and experiment with the camera a little.

This one was taken outside but the colors are a bit washed out.

You...........you..........you..........AARRGGHHH!

Top row, second from right and bottom row, right end. Could you straighten these up please.

I like a man with an expanding collection. There are 3 more CM's in your 2nd picture than in the 1st. …. I can't wait for your 3rd photo! Wonderful array of six-guns. Thanks,

Jerry

Ha ha ha... Well at least I get to know who my fellow OCDers are

The first pic was only of non underlug CM's, the second included 3 full underlug K22's,
Of course after taking the pictures I found another CM hiding in the safe that didnt make the pics.

All different variations? Any duplicates?

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No life story has happy end.

Man.....you need help!

All I can say is WOW to all photos on this post!!

Yes a few doubles in different models mostly pre's.

That is impressive. Very nice collection of steel you got.

First post fellas so be easy. That is a Revolver Playboy magazine cover shot. Awesomes guns

Hope you reload? Saweet collection mate.

thewelshm

Wow.... you know what would be great..... you could invite your 8 closest pals (plus me of course) over to have one serious mad minute with all those!!!! Very very nice... I am soooo jealous!!!

If we ever embark on World War III, I move that we start it at your house.

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Why, I aughta.....

very nice..congrats !

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

Engine49guy
You make my safe seem so . . . . . . . . empty.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Oh, I don't know about that. Looks like he's doing just fine all by himself! .
But, he might like some monetary help, if that's what you were referring to!

Hoarder!........

I can only hope to get that many.........

Did you find a way to breed blue metal?

Yes , Mr MAckee says "Hoarding is bad and people who hoard are Bad Unnn kay "


Then again collecting keeps me outta trouble usually .

Thought might be fun to take a closer look at them individually to detail the models evolution .

The Combat Masterpiece was introduced in 1949


Basicly a shorter version of the tapered barrel matte blue 6" Masterpiece replacing the Patridge with a Baughman FS and offered in .22 LR, .32 S&W Long and .38 Special calibers.

This is a fairly early example at serial K94566 that shipped in October 1950 with common early features such as matte blue finish, 6 groove tangs, "High Speed" or Fishhook hammer, "High Shoulder" diamond Magnas.



Note the Large Ampersand and blind FS pins through the barrel rib polished flush.

Moving forward in time two years to 1952


And this 1952 K22 Combat Masterpiece ,
(note the K22 shorter FS blade and "Finnials" that flank the barrel rollstamp)


serial K132838 that shipped around April 1952


Same matte blue finish 5 screw frame with 6 groove tangs, flush FS ramp pins, High Speed hammer ,
large Ampersands and high shoulder Magnas


6 groove tangs


What has changed is the grip medallions ,
Instead of the traditional nickel plated brass are suddenly now made of grey plastic ,
IIRC these seem to appear near the K130,000 range and disappear around the K165000 rang .

Its 1953 and the Corvette is born


And so is this 1953 K38 serial K195134,
Appears to be the same 5 screw frame in matte blue with High speed hammer,


Closer inspection reveals this example has the "proud" style front site pins that seem to come and go until the practice of pinning the ramp to the barrel is discontinued years later .


Also different roll stamp fonts and smaller ampersands,


the change from the high sharp shoulder diamond Magna to the tapered shoulder style that continues until the end of the diamond era,



Last is a bit hard to see from the pics but the grip medallion that changed from nickel brass to plastic has now changed to bare steel and will stick to a magnet.

The previous examples take us from CM introduction in 1949 to 1953 and thats where I want to take a brief pause,

1954 is a pretty neat time in the USA and for S&W collectors big changes are about to begin.
Although WWII "The "Big One" ended 9 years ago the Korean conflict has only just ended July 1953 , Prosperity and a flourishing economy means new jobs, new homes, new cars and more wealth and general leisure time.

For S&W this new found American prosperity was likely reflected in escalating sales as many new models were about to be introduced in the next few years .

Just prior to WWII when choosing a .38 special S&W 4" service revolver it meant either the fixed site M&P ,the 38/44 or the pricey Reg Mag in .357.
In 1949 the adjustable site matte blue K38 Combat Masterpiece became a regular cataloged item but for the beat cop wanting a bit more power on a budget the pre 27 was still alot of money,
Combining the matt blue finish of the 4" Combat Masterpiece with N frame Pre 27 (The .357 Magnum) a new Model was introduced that would become hit.

The date is April 15 1954 and the new Model was the 5 screw N frame .357 "Highway Patrolman" (AKA pre Model 28) shown here with its smaller sibling Combat Masterpiece serial K204445 also of 1954 vintage .


Little changes to the 54 CM model from the 53 except for the Ampersands and a change back to nickel plated brass grip medallions.

By 1955 The 6" wide rib Masterpieces that first appeared in the 1950 All Model circular supplementing the tapered barrel versions have totally supplanted them,

Interesting because the 4" cm and 6" Tapered Masterpiece had the same frame styling that mate to their narrow barrel rib where the 6" and 4" continue now with different frame and barrel styles.



The 1955 K22 Combat Masterpiece serial K246498 continued as a 5 screw frame with 6 groove tangs and High Speed hammer but now standard in high polish "Bright Blue" instead of the older matte blue.


slight changes again to the ampersand

Sir, you need another 67 M-15's, that way you could title your next post "Four Score and Seven."

Before we move forward in CM evolution I think its important to talk about the Combat Magnum ,
The Combat Magnum was developed to make the power of the large N frame .357 Magnum cartridge available in the smaller Masterpiece K frame .

The Combat Magnum (Pre Model 19) was introduced at serial K260001 in 1955 as a 4 screw frame with 6 groove tangs ,
6 groove tangs


Kind of a combination of existing ideas it had target grips instead of the Magnas, shrouded ejector rod of the Pre Model 27 and the non tapered wide rib barrel of the K38 "Heavy Masterpiece" (pre Model 14) and although intended for LEO use no matte version was produced as a separate economy model like the Highway Patrolman.


1956 Combat Magnum Serial K261043 shipped June 28, 1956 shown with 1955 K22 CM Serial K246498.

That is a beautiful collection you have there. I was thinking why! That is a lot of great history you have there! I likie it a lot!!! Thumbs up.

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2 Timothy 1:7

The "High Speed" hammer is Dead ....Long live the Semi target hammer ! Appearing as an option in the 1950 AMC the wide target hammer and smaller semi target hammer have dethroned the Fishhook by 1957 and just like that the unique S&W trademark High Speed Hammer is officially out by the dawn of Model numbers.
Bright Blue finish, 4 Screw frames , 10 groove tangs and Model numbers appear in that order and are the shape of things to come.


Serial K317946 "Non Model marked Model 19" shipped May 1958.
Serial K334388 is a Model marked 18 that also shipped 1958 ,





Do not see the two set pins or visible seperate front site ramp (Pinned ramps continue in the Model 19 until 1970)


10 groove tangs

Superb collection and great, informative thread. Some of my favorite S&W's. Waiting for more….

This should push your "liked" count well over 1000!

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Tony

I hate you...

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Don't You Ever Wash That Thing

Outstanding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next up is this 15-1 serial K436622 ...
Well Dum Dums its 1959 and the Flintstones is just over the horizon in 1960 along with the modern 3 screw frame that awaits in the future world of 1961 ...!


Still in the 4 screw frame era watching that new show Bonanza and Bozo the clown on the Black & white TV while Alaska becomes the 49th State and Hawaii becomes the 50th .
NASA introduces America's first astronauts to the world including John H. Glenn Jr, and Alan Shepard Jr.

But we have bigger fish to fry with the transitional "DASH 1 REVISION "

Of course it begins by slightly changing the barrel ampersand like we always do ,
Next fix is that pesky ejector rod that tends to unscrew itself changing its right hand thread to Left and cut a channel behind the knurling so the two parts dont get mixed up in the parts bin later on OK ? ..POW done and done



Next up is that Lazzzzy frame ampersand that needs to go on a diet...BAM done !



How about that little rear site scallop...? if enough is good then more is better right ?....Mmmmm More scallops please...Shazaam done !


And finally the Jig holes...(left)...
WE DONT NEED NO STINKIN JIG HOLES...(right) Wammy done !

We all know that I am The Great Gazoo from the Flintstones right ?
And my nick name for Barney and Fred is "Dum Dums"..
Just didnt want anyone offended....ha ha...Now onto the future with three screw frames.

Moving forward through the 60's ,

The Cuban Missle crisis and Cold War, JFK, Civil Rights, Gemini, Apollo and the Moon, Johnson, Vietnam the M16 and AK47, Counter culture, Hippies, Muscle cars, Timothy Leary, Tune in turn on drop out, The Beatles and the Stones, Beach Boys, Doors, Janis Joplin Jimi Hendrix, Simon n Garfunkle, The Moody Blues,The Mammas n Pappas , Who and Woodstock,


A Tale of two Model 18-2s or One less screw to answer, one less egg to fry.....
The NEW three screw frame is here which means goodbye to that screw in the front of the trigger guard forever

Serials K637012 (1965) and K708518 (1967) are interesting to compare because they are both 18-2s with different features, Noticeably the grip diamonds are gone by 1967 although the deep escutcheons remain ...for now.
Also the modern frame address ampersand that briefly appeared on the dash 1 is back to a large ampersand on both dash 2s.


If you have been following along you know the First thing to change is of course the barrel ampersand,
1965 large ampersand


1967 Another change to Modern ampersand


Next is those pesky finials we love so much are present still on the 1965 gun



Gone by 1967 never to return.

"One small step for Man, One Giant Leap for Mankind"

should have been the advertisement for the Models 64 and 66 that came out one year later in 1970
as S&W introduces their popular LEO market Models, 10, 15, and 19 in the new Stainless steel
previously only offered on the Model 36 as the Model 60.
The Model 67 followed two years later as SS models were in very high demand in the LE market.

4 Stainless steel Models were a minority at first but set the stage for what was to come at S&W .

Nixon and Agnew are now in office , the 73 gas crunch is upon us and my favorite healthy breakfast cereal is Captain Crunch as the 66 and 67 below were rolling out the doors at S&W.


Note that the early examples have the SS rear site that looked real cool but didnt give enough contrast and so would soon change.


Its now April 1975, Saigon is falling to the Communist North Vietnamese and I attend 5th grade classes at the Sussex Ave public School in Morristown NJ .



And this 18-3 Serial 5K9042 K22 Combat Masterpiece is rolling out the doors of S&W ,


Pretty much the same Combat Masterpiece except for the usual ampersand changes, the dash 3 rear leaf site screw relocation and new short brass grip escutcheons, black washers for blued guns and SS for SS Models inside their numbered Magnas .


Ford, Carter wide ties the Bicentennial , Billy beer, Disco and Star Wars are just ahead on the horizon ,

What a great colection!

...please keep up with the story, Great Gazoo

This is better than trippin on Purple Haze. Excellent tutorial.
DW

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"NUTS"

Engineguy

Just wanted to say thanks ...... great thread you've put together!!

Ok, you hooked me! Now, put me in line for your book that you need to do! I love the story line of history with the guns! The history of when the lazy was dropped and the jig droped. Very well done!

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2 Timothy 1:7

Glad your enjoying it !

Son of Sam, Disco, Carter, Iran hostage crisis...Maybe lets skip ahead a bit to the 80s.

1980 Assassination attempts on the Pope and Ronald Reagen... Lets skip a bit more ...



1982 ET is in the theaters , Micheal Jackson sings Thriller and I am a part time Senior in High school ,
Full time surfer dude in Boca Raton Florida favorite hobbies are beer and girls.



At S&W The large right side trademark migrates to the left side frame,


The Alpha serial prefix is born and we see poorly fit blocky Magnas with goldish medallions, sloppy checkering , chemical bluing , smooth combat triggers and crush fit barrels that signal the end of the Pinned and Recessed (P&R) era
(Note K22's never stopped having recessed cylinders).

Models 18-4 Serial 270K816 and 67-1 AHY6291 exhibit the serial prefix change, blocky Magnas, Crush fit barrels and chemical blueing that is here to stay.


Interestingly the 18-4 has a Wide TT/TH where the 67-1 has the Smooth Combat trigger and semi target hammer .


What else is new ? the Ampersand of course


PS, What happened to that big channel cut behind the ejector rod knurling?
the rear site channel is no longer grooved to match the barrel rib also as a cost cutting measure.

I need to stop for a moment because to know where we are going we have to know where we came from ,
Stepping back in time to 1950 the wide rib 6" K38 was introduced with matching frame in an attempt to weight match the 3 different caliber Masterpiece series.

The 1950 AMC advertised the new wide rib 6" K38 as the "Heavy" Masterpiece to distinguish it from the narrow rib tapered barrel design still available for purchase.

1950 Heavy Masterpiece in matte blue with non relieved walnut target grips with 1950 K22 tapered barrel Masterpiece.




By comparing the two designs side by side you can easily see the differences in barrel and frame,



Interestingly the wide rib K22 does not appear until 1955 and is not called a "Heavy" Masterpiece like its K38 sibling.

in 1965 by combining the heavy barrel from a Model 10 with the adjustable site Model 14 frame
a limited run of 4" 14-2's are produced and advertised as the "Hanen Special" ,
AKA the 4" Model 14-2 Dayton gun or 14-2 Heavy Combat masterpiece .


In 1970 another small run of 4" Model 14-3's are created with barrel rib grooves By shortening a Model 14 barrel (left),
The 14-2 HB (right) in comparison had a smooth rib from the Model 10 HB

This is important to know as we jump back to the mid 80s and evolution of the old tapered barrel Combat Masterpiece .

This is a wonderful thread. Thanks to all who posted.

My father gave me a 2" M-15 in 1967. Sadly it's long gone. I replaced it with a mid 80s 2" in '86. No pin of course, but still the "Cadillac of belly guns".

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

Its 1985 and one consistent thing is change,
Back to the Future, Top Gun, Ron Reagans 2nd term, SALT, Titanic is found as well as U2,
Genesis, The Police, Madonna, Prince, Wham, Boy George, New Coke fizzles,


1955 (Pre 18) Combat masterpiece (top) shown with 1985 Model 17-5 HB AWN1230 (bottom)
Hard to believe but that 30 year jump from 1955 to 1985 is the same 30 year jump from when the 17-5 was made to today in 2014


1986 Shuttle Challenger and Chernobly disasters , US bombs Libya , Perestroika and Glasnost, Iran-Contra Affair,Magnum, P.I., Platoon, Aliens, Dynasty, Hill Street Blues, Cagney and Lacey, Cheers ,The A-Team , The Bangles, Billy Joel, Robert Palmer, Lionel Richie, Van Halen, Culture Club, Pet Shop Boys


A change is in the works for our old tapered barrel Combat Masterpiece that now has a wide rib barrel (top).


A bit heavier but now built on the same frame as the 6" Model 17,


The Model 15 has the same profile and the Model 14 wil get a full underlug barrel in .38 special.