Pre 15 with a 5 inch barrel
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Are you sure it was from 1957? Also are you sure it is a Combat Masterpiece and not a K-38 Masterpiece?
I ask because there was a run of Combat Masterpieces with 5" barrels for a special order in 1952. There was a later run of K-38 Masterpieces with the 5" barrel for a different order. One of the former is shown below.
Can you post pictures?
If this is accurate, it wasn't a Combat Masterpiece (so-called Pre-model 15).
Notice barrel profile
K38 Masterpiece
Maybe a special order for PD. I can’t recall exactly Illinois’s State Police ?
Can you pick it up ?
Desirable in my book
K38 Masterpiece
Maybe a special order for PD. I can’t recall exactly Illinois’s State Police ?
Can you pick it up ?
Desirable in my book
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Shouldn’t it be a 5 Screw frame?
There were three shipments totaling 470 units shipped to the Illinois State Police in 1957 or so. K3033xx shipped to them in October 1957 as one of 230. There may have been some other individual guns shipped to others around that time. But most of the 5 inch K frame .38s shipped to Illinois State Police or the Missouri Highway Patrol (1952) . Missouri's guns were the slimmer Combat Masterpice style and the Illinois guns the K38 style heavier barrel, like yours. Total shipped has been estimated as less that 1000 units.
They are great shooting guns!
The one I have is non model marked 4 screw, that shipped with target stocks.
They are great shooting guns!
The one I have is non model marked 4 screw, that shipped with target stocks.
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It is my dim recollection both the Missouri and Illinois state police had 5" K-38's (heavy barrels) made up. That said, it's been a good long time ago, and one or the other may well have been Combat Masterpieces with 5" barrels.
It's likely one of our resident experts will be along to share their wisdom on the matter--and you can take whatever they have to say as gospel!
Ralph Tremaine
It's likely one of our resident experts will be along to share their wisdom on the matter--and you can take whatever they have to say as gospel!
Ralph Tremaine
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It’s definitely a 4 screw
I have to ask, just out of curiosity, are those magnas numbered to the gun?
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Yup, I found better details in my book. I should learn not to trust my memory. See tiny image posted above.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol guns were 5" .38 Combat Masterpiece revolvers (tapered barrel) - see my post #2. 365 units were ordered and shipped in four shipments: June 13, 1952; October 3, 1952; October 15, 1952 and October 13, 1953. These were all five screw guns. Serial range was from K147000 through K157000.
The 5" K-38s have been documented above. Those were four screw units. The fifth screw was eliminated in 1956, based on a management directive in 1955. Hence, the Illinois units had only four screws.
The 5" K-38s have been documented above. Those were four screw units. The fifth screw was eliminated in 1956, based on a management directive in 1955. Hence, the Illinois units had only four screws.
No they are not numbered to the gun
You should have grabbed it! Be cool to have one of those 5” CMs.
It’s not available yet, he hasn’t even priced it.
He knew it was unusual with the 5” barrel.
It could be an Illinois State Patrol gun, certainly similar. There were overruns to the contract that went to the civilian market. Distributors like H.H. Harris and others bought them up. Great gun, hope you can work out a deal.
5" K 38, IL State Police. The ISP guns were heavy barrels, and not all the MO State Police were Heavy Barrel, if my memory serves me correctly. A scarce edition you can count yourself lucky to have.
Jim Watson
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I once saw a 5" M19 at a gun show. Like a dummy, I passed it up.
I really felt a dummy when IDPA came along with a 5" maximum revolver barrel.
I had multiple guns sawn off for the purpose. Then had to saw them off again when IDPA reduced to 4".
So that factory 5" would have had a short service life, I would not have cut it.
I really felt a dummy when IDPA came along with a 5" maximum revolver barrel.
I had multiple guns sawn off for the purpose. Then had to saw them off again when IDPA reduced to 4".
So that factory 5" would have had a short service life, I would not have cut it.
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