What Have I Got?

[AJ]

Picked up a K Frame, four screw, square butt with adjustable sights last week. The S/N: K 280579. I am thinking it is a Model 14, but not sure. It is heavily modified. The barrel is a very heavy slab sided six inch barrel marked A.F.Behlert, Cranford, N.J. Very heavy full length top rib that has what looks to be an Eliason type rear sight. The hammer has been bobbed and the revolver is DA only now. Way more accurate that I am. With a little practice I can put all rounds in a 4 inch bull at 15 yards. Best guesses??

 

[glowe]

You have a K38 Heavy Masterpiece revolver, shipped in 1955. Starting in the early 1950s, S&W came out with a heavy barrel version to equal the weight of the K22 Masterpiece revolver. Model numbers did not start until 1957/1958, so the proper model name is as above.

Too bad about the hammer, since these guns are going for good money, but you may be able to find a replacement hammer out there. Problem is that it could have been a target hammer, which is more difficult to find.

 

[s&wchad]

Model numbers weren't assigned until 1957 and your gun pre-dates that, so it's either a K-38 Masterpiece or a K-38 Combat Masterpiece that has been built into a PPC competition gun. Google PPC and you'll find lots of information.

You can tell which model it is by the looking at the top front of the frame. The K-38 Combat Masterpiece had chamfers at the top corners where the rib meets the frame. The K-38 Masterpiece had square corners, which is probably what you have.

Austin Behlert was a very well respected gunsmith, so I'm not surprised it's a great shooter.

 

[AJ]

I guess it is a K 38 Masterpiece. Not real pretty, but it can shoot!

 

[old bear]

but it can shoot!

That's what counts. Enjoy that old guy.

 

[stu1ritter]

Austin Behlert was one of the REALLY great pistolsmith's of all time. Some of his shorter barreled competition revolvers were thought to have influenced S&W to make shorter barreled N frame guns. I. Would be quite proud to own one of his guns.

 

[murphydog]

A factory history letter will tell you what model corresponds to the SN, but from the photo showing the upper top frame contour I think this was likely a K-38 'Combat" Masterpiece with a 4" barrel.

This gun was modified for PPC (Police Pistol Combat, or currently Precision Pistol Competition) shooting as configured. A good example of how competitors will stretch the rules for any advantage - not much of a holster or service gun for the streets . Enjoy!

 

[DWalt]

Yes, you have a PPC revolver. They were custom-built for that purpose, and I have seen quite a few similar revolver conversions. However, they will not be attractive to most shooters or collectors, and are generally not hot sellers as the market for them is very limited, especially those in the well-used condition pictured. But perhaps the Behlert name on it could make it somewhat more marketable than it otherwise would be vs. its being made by a lesser-known or unknown pistolsmith. You basically have what is probably a very excellent shooter, but without significant market value to most. Whether it started life as a pre-14 or pre-15 is of no consequence at present, but I would also say that it seems to have the CM frame.

On my list I have SN K2803xx which shipped in 12/56. Yours could have shipped originally earlier or later than that. I would not recommend wasting $50 for a factory letter to find out.

 

[handejector]

Looks like a Pre-14 frame to me.

Odd that it has the short ejector rod. I don't see the point because it leaves the center pin to be pushed against for ejection. OUCH.

 

[AJ]

Many thanks for the replies. I am going to enjoy shooting this old revolver!

 

[Nightowl]

I would bet that it didn't leave Austin's hands with that short ejection rod! He was too fine a gunsmith for that. I would put a full length rod on it.

Behlert made top of the line PPC guns, so you have a very nice PPC gun, but not much good for anything but for range use. Which is just fine.

 

[Big Cholla]

Your handgun was built specifically for someone to compete in PPC competition. It probably was and still is for that matter a real tack driver with the right load. It could be restored back to S&W specs, but as it is represents state of the art customization (past) for the utmost in accuracy for competition purposes only. ...........

 

[glowe]

Now that is a substantially different revolver than what I was imagining without a picture! When you said slab & heavy, I thought about the large flat rib on the heavy barreled K38 Masterpiece.

 

[AJ]

Now that is a substantially different revolver than what I was imagining without a picture! When you said slab & heavy, I thought about the large flat rib on the heavy barreled K38 Masterpiece.

It sure is a heavy piece. Just more stabilization I guess.

 

[AJ]

Your handgun was built specifically for someone to compete in PPC competition. It probably was and still is for that matter a real tack driver with the right load. It could be restored back to S&W specs, but as it is represents state of the art customization (past) for the utmost in accuracy for competition purposes only. ...........

It is more accurate than I am for sure. Doubt if I'll restore it, will just keep it clean and shoot it some.

 

[AJ]

A factory history letter will tell you what model corresponds to the SN, but from the photo showing the upper top frame contour I think this was likely a K-38 'Combat" Masterpiece with a 4" barrel.

This gun was modified for PPC (Police Pistol Combat, or currently Precision Pistol Competition) shooting as configured. A good example of how competitors will stretch the rules for any advantage - not much of a holster or service gun for the streets . Enjoy!

Had a friend that was a Motorcycle Officer in Westminister, Calif. many years ago. He carried a PPC revolver on his duty belt in a custom holster by Arvo Ojala. He used it for a club a couple of times according to him.

 

[L Pete]

Had a friend that was a Motorcycle Officer in Westminister, Calif. many years ago. He carried a PPC revolver on his duty belt in a custom holster by Arvo Ojala. He used it for a club a couple of times according to him.

Too bad. In the days of olden, I would never have used a good PPC gun for duty use. The tuning on those old PPC guns was really quite good, and using duty ammo stood a good chance of throwing the revolver out of time. I didn't know that Behlert did PPC guns, but now, it's good to know. He was quite the good "high quality" gunsmith in the old days. That's is really a good find, and I wished I could find a good quality PPC gun from those days, as they're really quite accurate. Bill Davis, Power Custom, Clark, and a few others knew what they were doing, and turned out some really sweet guns, capable of sub_MOA at 50 yds. with wadcutter ammo. Back then, a PPC shooter usually had three guns for competition, with one going to the gunsmith, one coming from the gunsmith, and the one that they were shooting. It takes a lot of tuning to keep these guns going correctly. That's really a very nice find........

 

[todd17ff]

What do I have?

Would love to know the year and value of this beauty that was given to me by my grandmother.

 

[DWalt]

Would love to know the year and value of this beauty that was given to me by my grandmother.

It's better that you start a new thread rather than changing horses on someone else's unrelated thread. What you seem to have is an earlier (pre-1922) K-frame M&P revolver with incorrect grips, but without a SN and caliber (I can't make it out from your pictures) not much else can be definitely said about it. It has the appearance of having been re-blued. It will not have a high value.

 

[AJ]

For what it is worth..........I paid $350 for the revolver, with a Pachmayr four gun pistol case with an old Atlas 15-30X spotting scope mounted on the lid and an .30 cal ammo can full of reloads. There was a bunch of stuff in the pistol case......spare parts(for what I am not sure), sights, a Colt screwdriver, stapler, cleaning gear and hearing protection.