Price check: Pre 15 / Combat Masterpiece

[Jeff423]

I saw a shooter grade Pre 15 or Combat Masterpiece. (I don't know which is right). 4" with diamonds for $299.00. It's very tight mechanically but has some bluing wear on the high points / edges and a modest turn ring. I'm going by memory but I think the serial # starts with 118.

Any thoughts as to it's value?

Jeff

[DCWilson]

Originally Posted by Jeff423

I saw a shooter grade Pre 15 or Combat Masterpiece. (I don't know which is right). 4" with diamonds for $299.00. It's very tight mechanically but has some bluing wear on the high points / edges and a modest turn ring. I'm going by memory but I think the serial # starts with 118.

Any thoughts as to it's value?

Jeff

There should be a K prefix to a that serial number, though on the gun the letter may be separated from the numerals by several spaces. $300 is a decent price for a shooter grade gun, I believe, provided the action is sound and it passes the usual tests for timing, push-off, end play and so forth. I paid $400 for a high condition Pre-15 about a year ago, and I have seen them go for a little more since then.

It doesn't hurt to offer $250 and see if the seller comes down a bit. A functional combat masterpiece for $300 or less sounds like a good deal.

[Jeff423]

Thanks David,

I forgot: the serial # does start with K.

Jeff

[DCWilson]

Forgot to say above: The company called this model the Combat Masterpiece, so you won't go wrong using that name. That's what it said on the box the gun came in. Not the K-38 Combat Masterpiece or .38 Combat Masterpiece -- just Combat Masterpiece. (The smallbore version was called the .22 Combat Masterpiece to distinguish them.)

The Combat Masterpiece was designated the Model 15 when model numbers were assigned in 1957, so collectors and fanciers use the term "Pre-15" as a kind of shorthand for specimens that were produced in the seven years between its introduction and the numerical model designation. The company never called it a Pre-15, but everyone here will know what you mean if you use the term.