Anyone ever heard of a K38 combat master 5 screw w/5" barrel?

If so, how much are they worth? Shop wants $400.

The gun appears to be in 95% condition. Looks like original grips. All serial numbers match. Front sight is pinned, back sight is micro-adjust. 38 special, of course.

Thanks!

They do exist are are pretty scarce. I believe they were used by State Troopers (MO., IL. ??)..............pretty sure DWFAN has one - maybe he will see this thread.

That is a GREAT price by the way!

VM is correct . . . both Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Illinois State Police special ordered 5" 38 Combat Masterpieces. A serial number would help us identify which state. There were also "overruns" of both issues, although far fewer of the Missouri issue.

Russ

Edit to add: Only the Missouri 38 Combat Masterpiece would have been a 5-screw

I'll try to get a serial number tomorrow. If I can't it will be on Monday. I'll try to take a picture of it too.

Buy it, then get the serial # and pics.

I'd love to find one of those. Might get me to finally buy something other than an N-frame. (smile)

Dave

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RSVN '69-'71
PCSD (Ret)

Hi Russ:

I thought I would add that the Missouri revolvers have a tapered barrel like the Combat Masterpiece as opposed to the Illinois revolvers, which have the straight walled barrel of the K38. That might help the original poster identify which type of revolver he is considering. The price sounds very reasonable, assuming the revolver is original, and in decent, unaltered condition.

Shawn

If it's a tapered barrel it's a Combat Masterpiece. Straight barrel, Target Masterpiece. I have all the serial numbers for the ISP guns.
SN K286661




SN K304214

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"NUTS"

Wiser words were never spoken. Do not hesitate, Run, as fast as you can and BUY IT. Five inch K38's are RARE.
DW

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"NUTS"

DWFan,

Thanks for the pictures. That is what it looks like. The finish on the one I'm looking at isn't as nice though. The one at the store also has the trigger 'shoe' like yours in the bottom pictures.

On the one I'm looking at, there were two pins under the front sight, close to the barrel. I can't tell from your pictures, but does yours have them too?

Ok, I got the serial number. Its K228455

Very interesting serial number.

The highest serial number for the 1952 MSHP special order 5" Combat Masterpiece is K1577XX and, as Shawn reported, it would be a 5-screw, tapered barrel with the narrow barrel rib.

The earliest serial number I find for the 1957 ISP special order is K2721XX, but I will defer to DWFAN for a more compelte list. All the ISP 5" K-38s that I am aware of are 4-screw with straight walled (heavy) barrel with wide barrel rib.

Back in January, another forum member reported finding a 5-screw 5" K-38 (heavy) and, like this one, had a serial number after the MSHP and before the ISP special order.

Your find would be an excellent candidate for a factory letter. Thanks for your post . . . we're all anxious to hear more and see pictures.

Russ

5" K-38 Masterpiece. MAY HAVE BEEN I.S.P. issue. K302808 .
If not ,it was another agency issue ,as it was obviously carried by a l.e.o.

















Allen Frame

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NRA cert.instructor&R.S.O.

The earliest number is 272174 so it is questionable. Only a letter will tell. It could be a prototype.
DW

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"NUTS"

A side note to all this. You can bet your bottom dollar that there are more than a few of these guns that went out to commercial distributors. There are way to many out of sequence guns to suit me. 5" is a popular barrel length. What's the average length of a Victory barrel, 5"? I know I'm all wet and have no clue what I'm talking about. Or do I?
DW

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"NUTS"

Just to let everyone know, I went down to the store on my lunch break and I bought it. It doesn't look as nice as the one in the pictures posted previously, but it's still in pretty good shape. I'm not very good at grading, so when I get pictures up, you guys can tell me what condition it is in. It will probably be a day or two before I can get the pictures up. I've got a lot going on for the next couple of days.

It use to belong to an LEO. Kind of a neat story behind him too. The nephew of the LEO brought this gun in, along with an old Colt 45LC. The 45LC was the LEO's carry gun. The Colt had a broken grip that happened after he shot and killed two bad guys. Unfortunately he was also killed in this same shoot-out and when he hit the ground, the grip on the Colt was broken.

I will probably request a letter on this K38. It looks like it was built in 1954, according to the S&W handbook at the store.

Thanks for the help and I look forward to any more information you guys can give me.

Well, I had just enough time to snap a couple of quick pictures. I'll try to take better ones later on:

It sure looks original. Well, at least to me. There are some signs it may have been reblued. Only a letter will tell if came from the factory with a 5" barrel.

Nice find.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

I'm going to try and get a request for a letter sent off soon.

Is the form on the SWCA website the one that we're supposed to use?

Tapered barrel, Combat Masterpiece. I'd letter that for sure.
DW

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"NUTS"

Fascinating revolver. I also think it has been reblued; what makes me say so are the kind of flat look to the company logo (stamping should leave raised rims on the impressions, and unless polished off they will make for harder lines in photos) and the slightly rounded aspect of the frame edges. Pull the stocks and see if you have a date stamp like 12.68 (for month.year) on the frame. That would signal a return trip to the factory for rework, which might have included either a reblue or a barrel replacement, or both.

Is the serial number on the butt also seen on the back of the cylinder and on the flat underside of the barrel? If the barrel is unnumbered, it is probably a replacement.

Regardless of whether it shipped that way (and I suspect it did), it is a great gun now. A five-screw, five-inch Masterpiece -- that ought to make any collector or knowledgeable shooter salivate at the prospect.

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David Wilson

Very nice Masterpiece . . . congratulations and thanks for sharing!

The other non-MSHP/ISP 5-screw 5" was a heavy barrel that shipped in mid-1956 with a serial number approx. 28,000 higher than yours.

We're all anxious to hear what your factory letter says.

Russ

I'm 99% sure that all serial numbers match. I don't recall any that didn't when I checked it out earlier. You've got me questioning the barrel now, but I'm pretty sure that it matches.

I will check under the grips tonight when I get home. I had them off last night and do not recall seeing a date. I will look closer tonight.

How long does it usually take for a letter to get back?

Also, on the letter request form, what do I put in the "Target (or Special) Trigger, Hammer, Front Sight?" box? And should I put anything in the "Unusual (non-standard) Features?" box?

Thanks!

I would describe it as follows:

Model: 38 Combat Masterpiece (note 1)

Micrometer rear sight
Baughman front sight
High-Speed hammer
Standard trigger (note 2)

Special Features: non-catalogued 5” tapered barrel

Note 1: the factory referred to the 6” barrel with Patridge front sight as the K-38 Masterpiece and all barrel lengths less than 6” as the 38 Combat Masterpiece.

Note 2: the wide trigger is not a factory target trigger but a non-factory installed trigger shoe

Don’t forget to include the serial number and, if possible, include pictures.

Russ

Edit: I forgot to respond to the box question: Did you receive a box with your purchase? Here is an original box from one of the 1952 MSHP special order 5" 38 Combat Masterpieces. I suspect the box for yours would have been similar.