14-2 with 5" barrel

[stu1ritter]

I recently found this on Gunbroker and for some reason I was the only bidder. A 14-2 that dates 1961 with a 5" barrel and ramp front sight. The ONLY mention I can find in Supica is that 5" barrels bring a premium and nothing else. No production codes, nadda. Anyone have any ideas? Please pardon the poor photo's, I'll get it outside later and redo. It is one of the nicest shooting .38's I own.
Thanks,
Stu

 

[410bore]

I almost bid on it, but passed as the photos made it look in poorer condition than it appears to be here.

good buy

 

[Art Doc]

I believe some 5" 14s and 15s were made on special order for some police agencies. Very cool.

 

[stu1ritter]

It is actually in much better condition than these poor photo's and I was shocked when I opened the package at how good it looked. I thought for the price I could refinish it if I decided to just keep it as a shooter, but no need. It's just fine. I can't believe that in 10 days I was the only bid.

 

[stu1ritter]

There are no departmental markings on the gun at all.

 

[murphydog]

If there is no evidence that the barrel has been shortened, it appears a factory letter is in order. There were 5" Illinois State Police and Missouri State Highway Patrol guns (member linde is knowledgeable about these) but these were from a slightly earlier time than the 14-2. Nice find!

 

[Iggy]

Dayton model?

 

[410bore]

Dayton model?

Dayton's were 4 inch guns.

I read here on the forum about some 5" 14-2's when I was looking at this gun on Gunbroker.

Here we go;

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1961-1980/151394-model-14-2-k-38-5-special-order.html

 

[stu1ritter]

410bore, thanks for that link. I just looked at the rib under the front sight and indeed there are the two pins polished flush to the rib, I didn't see them before. Humm, looks like a letter is indeed required here. By the way, what search terms did you use to find that 2010 post? I tried quite a few different combinations and never turned it up.
thanks,

 

[410bore]

410bore, thanks for that link. I just looked at the rib under the front sight and indeed there are the two pins polished flush to the rib, I didn't see them before. Humm, looks like a letter is indeed required here. By the way, what search terms did you use to find that 2010 post? I tried quite a few different combinations and never turned it up.
thanks,

"14-2 5" Barrel"

 

[stu1ritter]

Your browser must be better than my browser. I had no returns using exactly that expression :~(

 

[410bore]

Your browser must be better than my browser. I had no returns using exactly that expression :~(

were you using the forum search or the google custom search? I always use the google search and have great results.

 

[linde]

I recently found this on Gunbroker . . . A 14-2 that dates 1961 with a 5" barrel and ramp front sight.

An outstanding example . . . congratulations!

Having studied the 5" Heavy K-38s made for the Illinois State Police, I have run across several other pre-model marked examples including ISP "overruns" as well as a few special runs for major dealers.

Other than the one of twenty-four example provided by Walter Rego (in the link provided by 410Bore), yours is the only other Model 14-2 with a 5" I have seen. I would guess it will letter as number two of those twenty-four.

You done good! Thanks for sharing.

Russ

 

[stu1ritter]

Thanks Russ, the letter request goes in today's mail. From your studies, have you determined that these 5"er's were all overruns and or special runs for major dealers, or in other words, were any ever ordered singularly (if that was even possible)?

 

[stu1ritter]

I just looked at the serial number on the Walter Rego 14-2 and it is K5519xx. The serial number on mine is K494554.

 

[Watchdog]

I must not live right. Or maybe I don't visit enough pawn shops. Or maybe I just live in the wrong state. Or something. Nothing like this ever happens with me. Congratulations on a very nice find.

 

[linde]

Thanks Russ, the letter request goes in today's mail. From your studies, have you determined that these 5"er's were all overruns and or special runs for major dealers, or in other words, were any ever ordered singularly (if that was even possible)?

Stu,

I would guess relatively few batches were "one-only" special orders, but I have seen examples where the factory produced a batch of 25 or more special barrel lengths and shipped a few here and there to their larger "preferred" dealers. I suspect the factory was doing a little market test when that happened.

Unfortunately, factory letters do not always tell us how many units were in a given shipment so there may be more knowledge yet to be learned.

Russ

 

[JP@AK]

If there is no evidence that the barrel has been shortened, it appears a factory letter is in order. There were 5" Illinois State Police and Missouri State Highway Patrol guns (member linde is knowledgeable about these) but these were from a slightly earlier time than the 24-2. Nice find!

Yes. The ISP guns were from 1957, so would not have been Model 14-2. The MSHP revolvers were Combat Masterpiece revolvers and shipped in 1952. So both of those guns are out as possibilities here.
Photo of the MSHP Combat Masterpiece in my collection:

 

[Walter Rego]

A letter on the gun that stu1ritter posted might be worthwhile. The current wait time from Mr. Jinks is about 6 months though. Please post to the list when you get the information back. I am kind of surprised that another from the batch of 24 that shipped to American Wholesale Hardware Co. in Long Beach, CA in January 1964 along with mine has not surfaced yet. I wrote to the Historian with the Long Beach PD a while back and asked if the department ever issued 5" K-38's but did not receive a response. They could have been for another agency in the region or maybe a security company ? It's too bad S&W didn't make the 5" a standard available length in both the Model 14 and Model 17, they have a very nice balance.

 

[revolver club prez]

Hello alll.
With regard, the 5inch bbl. Mod 14 . About 20 years ago I bought one such and was told that it was a custom order . From then on I have not seen another revolver like it .Also no reference book that I have seen , makes mention of these .