I just picked up what appears to be a pretty early 4" Combat Masterpiece with the Target Blade front sight. I knew of a few ramp front sight 4" K38's made but not Target Blades. Gun appears to have been fired very little and presents itself with original matching grips and high 90's condition. Part of a six gun collection. Any help on scarcity would be appreciated. K 550XX is serial. No box, can't have it all. Pictures as you see. Thanks in advance for your consideration. Scott.
K38 Combat help
- Thread starter 4dguns
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Any chance you could post an in-focus close-up of the front sight?
That's the standard front sight. Look at mine, shipped 1957:
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Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
What is not standard are your non-relieved Target stocks. They're in excellent shape and a desirable set. Nice gun.
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Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Targets Guy
US Veteran
Very nice 1948 K38 Combat Masterpiece. You've got a treasure there.
Targets Guy
US Veteran
Yep. 3rd edition says 1948 was K18732 - K73121. Puts it near in the middle.
Now my 1951 K38 has the six inch barrel but you can see the difference in the front site.
upload pics
Now my 1951 K38 has the six inch barrel but you can see the difference in the front site.
upload pics
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so the Blade sight was on the 6" and the Ramp is what I have? I thought the Ramp is a lower profile. Here is a K22 I got out of the same collection. I call this sight a Partridge. Is that what you call it? Thanks for all the help. I am trying to get up to speed on some of the pre 70's revolvers.
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Targets Guy
US Veteran
You're doing fine. Nice collection you have going there.
It is hard getting my K38 and K22 together. They like to act up a lot and they are hard to tell apart.
adult photo sharing
It is hard getting my K38 and K22 together. They like to act up a lot and they are hard to tell apart.
adult photo sharing
DWalt
Member
Didn't the CM first appear at about K 76000 in late 1949? If so, K 550xx would be a bit early. Time to double check that ALL SNs match.
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Engine49guy
Member
The K-38 Combat Masterpiece tapered ramp front site is called a Baughman and utilized a longer site base held on by two cross pins vs the 6" Patridge short base which used 1 cross pin.
Bad news is your K-38 CM predates the first documented K-38 CM by quite a bit so guessing that when you open the cylinder and look under the ejector rod on the barrel flat the serial number will not match the one on its heel.
If it does actually match and is in fact in the K-55,0XX range you need to get a factory letter on that one,
PS...the "Proud" front site pins hint at the barrel being from a 1953 era gun in the K-150,000 range, perhaps you missed the "1" on the heel ?
PSS if the serial is stamped K-550XX on the barrel flat look for a star stamp there or on the heel and look for a factory rework stamp inside the grip frame on the left side.
Bad news is your K-38 CM predates the first documented K-38 CM by quite a bit so guessing that when you open the cylinder and look under the ejector rod on the barrel flat the serial number will not match the one on its heel.
If it does actually match and is in fact in the K-55,0XX range you need to get a factory letter on that one,
PS...the "Proud" front site pins hint at the barrel being from a 1953 era gun in the K-150,000 range, perhaps you missed the "1" on the heel ?
PSS if the serial is stamped K-550XX on the barrel flat look for a star stamp there or on the heel and look for a factory rework stamp inside the grip frame on the left side.
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A quick look at the hammers should make it easy to tell them apart.
Engine49guy
Member
Double check your heel serial and the barrel flat serial when you get a chance and let us know,
There are quite a few Combat Masterpiece fanatics here including myself and although Im skeptical of a CM with that low a serial anything is possible with S&W..
There are quite a few Combat Masterpiece fanatics here including myself and although Im skeptical of a CM with that low a serial anything is possible with S&W..
DWalt
Member
There is another possibility, namely that someone sent a 6" Masterpiece back to the factory for conversion by rebarreling to a 4" CM. Look for a star near the barrel SN, also a date marking on the left side of the grip frame. I don't see the swell on the frame end of the barrel, but maybe that's just because the picture could be better. That could indicate a shortened 6" barrel also. In any event, there is something beyond suspicious about yours. Might be worth a letter to remove any doubt about its lineage.
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Engine49guy
Member
Yes, likely mid 1953,
Your "Proud" front site pins were a pretty big hint as they seem to appear in 1953 and are polished flush again on the 1954 CM.
Incidentally the 1953 CM has another unique feature in that they were the first year to have the new tapered horn Magna stocks and the only year that S&W used steel grip medallions .
Your "Proud" front site pins were a pretty big hint as they seem to appear in 1953 and are polished flush again on the 1954 CM.
Incidentally the 1953 CM has another unique feature in that they were the first year to have the new tapered horn Magna stocks and the only year that S&W used steel grip medallions .
