Model 14 no-dash 4 in. barrel

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Nascar Fan

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I picked up a 14 with 4 in. barrel and I see where they made some in 4 in. but was wondering how common the are. This old revolver has seen better day as it has been reblued and most of that is rubbed off. Grips serial # do not match. Serial is 338032.
 
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Is the full serial number K 338032? Are the barrel stampings centered or cut off toward the muzzle end, and does it have an untapered barrel with a wide rib?
 
The top barrel rib on a model 14/K-38 Masterpiece is wide, but the one on a model 15/.38 Combat Masterpiece is narrower.

S & W made intermittent runs of 4" K-38s and yours may be one, or it may have had the shorter barrel installed. It was probably made in 1958 but its official birthdate (and whether it is original) would take a letter of authenticity to confirm.

http://www.swhistoricalfoundation.com/swhf_letter.pdf
 
Waveski said:
What is the difference between a 4" m.14 and a m.15?
Click to expand...
Up until 1982, the Model 14 K-38 Masterpiece had the 6" barrel with a Patridge front sight as standard. The Model 15 .38 Combat Masterpiece had a 4" barrel and Baughman front sight, as standard.

Also, the Combat Masterpiece retained the tapered barrel throughout that period. Later, things changed, but I don't pay much attention to stuff that happened after 1982.
 
Nascar Fan, are the letters AFPG stamped anywhere on the frame? The odds are greatly in favor of their absence, but if they are there then this is a K-14 variant of some interest. AFPG stands for Air Force Premium Grade, and the reported serial number is in the neighborhood of known AFPG specimens.

I won't go on about something that is probably not the case, but if you search the forum archives for "AFPG", you will find several posts that lay out what makes these guns interesting.
 
JP@AK said:
Up until 1982, the Model 14 K-38 Masterpiece had the 6" barrel with a Patridge front sight as standard. The Model 15 .38 Combat Masterpiece had a 4" barrel and Baughman front sight, as standard.
Click to expand...

Ah , I forgot about the Baughman vs Patridge front sight when I asked that question.

Since I posted the question the OP provided pictures ...
a model 14 with 4" barrel and Baughman front sight sure is "15-ish".
 
Kansas City PD ordered 4" heavy barrels. Mine is in the K292xxx range. Does the OP's fall in their range?

GmFRLO3.jpg


Per Roy's letter on a different revolver, this gun is a Combat Masterpiece base on the Baughman front sight.

OdnV0eH.jpg


Bob
 
Last edited:
OP Nascar Fan shows us a 4" m.14 with a Baughman sight , unless I am misunderstanding something.
 
It appears original to me. I think it is worth a letter of authenticity to see if it had an interesting purchaser - see post #4 above.
 
I have a 4" Model 14-3 that lettered to July 1971. It was shipped to Dave's House of Guns in Dallas. It did indeed come from the factory with a 4"barrel.
Speculation is that every once in a while, S&W would turn out a batch of maybe 100 or so in this configuration just to test the market.
While they are scarce and unusual, they do happen. I've never noticed any particular special interest or value attached to these guns. They may bring a little more than a Model 15, but it won't be much.
 
Waveski said:
OP Nascar Fan shows us a 4" m.14 with a Baughman sight , unless I am misunderstanding something.
Click to expand...
In my Post #6 above, I emphasized as standard for each of the two models. Variations occurred from time to time. Sometimes they were for special orders, sometimes (perhaps) to test the market. We see un-cataloged variations frequently enough to know there are plenty of them out there. This would seem to be one of them, and a letter could be quite revealing.
 
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