Confusion about my K38

[HUMONGO]

I was given a K38 by a friend, a very good friend. The revolver was set up by the owner before him to target shoot in a league. It has these damned awful Fitz target grips, a target hammer and a trigger shoe. Neither the hammer nor trigger are cch. The frame is not inlet at the front like other early K38s.

What confuses me is the serial number 46905 looks to be made in 1948, but the book states that the reference numbers are "year of introduction (not serial rage)".

I want to put original grips on it, but I'm not sure if it was ordered with the target hammer and therefore target grips, or if it originally came with diamond magnas.

Short of getting it lettered, is there any info you guys can pass on?

 

[HUMONGO]

No, there's not a "K" in front of the serial.

The frame has a 25 stamped, maybe from factory service?

 

[mkk41]

Most likely whoever had that revolver was a serious bullseye shooter and had a trigger job done on it. It was fashionable (to some I suppose) to also polish the sides of the hammer and trigger.


Hmmm , the thumb spur on that hammer looks like it was added too!

 

[HUMONGO]

It's tight and crisp, I'll give you that.

 

[mkk41]

No, there's not a "K" in front of the serial.

The frame has a 25 stamped, maybe from factory service?

Are ya looking at the number on the bottom of the butt like this? Gotta take those grips off!

 

[HUMONGO]

Man I feel like an idiot! I should have known that!

It's K96851, which looks like it's a 1950.

 

[HUMONGO]

She's real dirty under the grips, but no rust.

 

[mkk41]

Numbers in the yoke cut are not necessarily the ser.no. on older guns.

 

[mkk41]

I'm seeing S&W trigger/hammer sets on e-bay more and more often because of trade-in and turn-in guns getting stripped and sold for parts.

A good and bad thing I suppose. Good guns are getting parted out but at least the parts ain't getting melted down.

 

[linde]

. . . I want to put original grips on it, but I'm not sure if it was ordered with the target hammer and therefore target grips, or if it originally came with diamond magnas.

. . . It's K96851, which looks like it's a 1950.

With a late 1950 serial number it's possible it came with the optional target hammer but only a factory letter (or the original box) will tell for sure. Whether factory original or added later, somewhere along the way it got polished or plated.

If it came from the factory with the standard diamond magna stocks, they would look like these:






P.S. Your K38 would be considered a "Heavy Masterpiece" and therefore the frame is not "inletted" where it meets the barrel . . . as you mentioned. The change took place generally after s/n K75XXX.

Russ

 

[HUMONGO]

I just cleaned it up a bit and took the trigger shoe off. The hammer and trigger are polished, not plated. I think I'll letter it, it's the only 5 screw I have. If it comes back as something worthwhile, I'll get the trigger and hammer redone.

 

[Nightowl]

I would think there is a very high probability it shipped in the configuration show in the pictures from RdrBill. That was the standard configuration back then and while the target hammer just might have been available, I think the trigger came later, and target stocks were just coming on line. It would have had to been special ordered to have the target additions. Only a letter will tell you for sure.