2 out of 3 narrow rib masterpieces

[daddio202]

Most of us know that after WW2 S&W developed the K22, K32, and K38 Masterpiece revolver line. They started as narrow ribbed barrels until the end of 1950 they started making the heavier masterpieces with wider ribs on barrels but all 3 still having identical dimensions so target shooters would have no changes between the 3 calibers. I am sure I will be corrected on the history but I am just trying to lay out the jist of the situation. I have been able to add 2 of the 3 calibers to my collection. Both a K22 and a K38 Masterpuece from 1949. It will require some really good luck for me to find an affordable K32 to add, but for now I am content having 2 out of the 3. They are not perfect, having been shot but I am happy with the condition and complete originality of the 2 I found. The grips even number to guns but on the K38 a small sliver was knocked of the top of the horn on 1 of the grips. I included 1 picture of box showing the companion advertising. Thanks for looking and please feel free to share any of your sets or partial sets of masterpieces heavy or narrow ribs welcome!

 

[JP@AK]

That's a nice pair, daddio!

Here's a picture of my narrow rib K-38, shipped in April, 1949.

I don't have a picture of my narrow rib K-22, but it is in its original box and is slightly older than yours. It still has the one line address, and shipped in December, 1947.

One slight amendment for your info:

but all 3 still having identical dimensions so target shooters would have no changes between the 3 calibers.

Actually weight was the issue. Wider ribs, etc. were added to the barrels to make the weight exactly the same.

 

[raljr1]

I have a very nice "one line" k22, a wide rib k38 , and a k32 (kinda rough)...I have a second k22 and the latter 3 are all 1955-56 vintage... affordable and k32 dont go in the same sentence...i have been looking to upgrade mine with one from the same time period, but the cost is low end registered magnum range....ouch...you have a nice start to the masterpiece tri fecta
...save a few extra bucks each month and pass on a few 95% model 10s....one day that elusive k32 will find you...or if I find my upgrade, I will pm you about my "affordable" one...as long as you are ok with "used"

Robert

 

[RKmesa]

Very Nice!!! Congratulations.

 

[Green Frog]

I started with a K38 (all matching) that I got in a trade when actually my collecting interests lay elsewhere. About 25 years later, just as my interest were turning toward things S&W, I picked up a K22 at auction. Serendipitously they were both "narrow rib" guns from 1948, the year befor my birth. To say my search for a matching K32 was long and frustrating is putting it mildly!

I now own a "sorta" trifecta, having built a recreation of a 16-3 (heavy barrel, of course) around an original K-32 barrel and a Model 14-3. It may not be perfect, but I have my set of the important three Masterpieces. I guess I really should seek out a Model 53 to go with them, but that really hasn't become a priority for me.

The image below shows the trio with the K22 on the bottom, the K38 on top and the K32 with its heavier barrel and distinctive Baughman style front sight in between.

Froggie

 

[LEO918]

Here are my K-22, K-32 and K-38.

 

[glowe]

As noted above, the Heavy Masterpiece was developed in the K38 and then K32 and the 1st K38 Heavy Masterpiece was made on 2/4/49 according to my notes. I am certainly not a good enough shot to determine how much of an advantage the weight difference makes, but shoot my narrow rib K22 and K38 along side of my early K38 Heavy Masterpiece and they all shoot great!!

The gold box is for the Heavy Masterpiece and the picture shows how wide the barrel rib had to be in order to match the weight of the K22.

 

[NavySCPO]

The Masterpiece series is absolutely my favorites of all my Smiths, and of course the K32 is the hardest to find. Mine is not perfect, but it's the pride of my small collection. I saw a beautiful one sell recently on a well known site for $4675, far more than double what I paid for mine just last year.

K22 - 1953
K32 - 1955
K38 - 1949

Enjoy those beauties, and if the elusive K32 comes along, grab it if you can, since only 3,630 were produced over 26 years of production, they certainly will not be getting any less expensive.

 

[kscharlie]

Very nice, Daddio!

I just picked up my narrow rib K-38 about 6 weeks ago. And it was my first "birth year" gun too, 1949. So now I have the K-22 and K-38 Masterpieces in narrow rib and heavy barrel configurations covered. I will most likely never obtain a K-32, so will have to be satisfied with my 16-4. It "ain't" the same though.

The K-22s are both narrow rib models from 1947 and 1953 along with a 17-4 from 1979. The K-38s are a narrow rib from 1949, a heavy barrel from 1950, along with a 14-1 from 1961.

 

[raljr1]

And you may be getting that message sooner than later... just won an auction on a nicer example than my current k32.

Robert

 

[Keith Brown]

My only narrow rib K-38 Masterpiece, a four digit one liner. Bought off of GB with the modified hammer pictured, had intended to change it out but liked it so much just left it in.

 

[daddio202]

That is a real beauty Keith!! I would leave it too. Bunches of really nice Masterpieces pictured in the other posts too. Just to clarify I already did own a model 14 no dash 4 screw gun , so the wide rib variation of K38 I had. I just wanted a visually identical K38 to my early 1949 K22.

 

[Keith Brown]

Having matching sets for whatever reason we come up with is great fun. The K-38 Heavy Masterpiece is my favorite, have always shot it well and enjoy nothing more than a K-38 and a couple boxes of home cast and loaded wadcutters.

This is my favorite

 

[JP@AK]

My only narrow rib K-38 Masterpiece, a four digit one liner. Bought off of GB with the modified hammer pictured, had intended to change it out but liked it so much just left it in.

I believe I remember that one on GB. I watched the auction, but decided not to bid on it. I'm glad you got it and are enjoying it now.

 

[Keith Brown]

Hello Jack, the gun sold wearing a nice set of dished gold medallion prewar service grips, they went into storage. Had this set on the shelf and knew right away I wanted them on this gun. The downside was that the extractor didn't number match, and of course the original grips were long gone so it's just a shooter but that's what I wanted it for anyway. Perfectly timed and just scruffy enough to not worry about.

 

[Waveski]

Great era for case hardening colors - look at those hammers!

Someone please explain why the K38 has a taller front sight.

 

[Hondo44]

All calibers do not have the same bullet trajectory. Front sight height is determined by the cartridge, it's associated bullet weight and load.

 

[larryofcc]

Beings that this is a wide rib, it has very little collector interest. Best I could do for a poor boy, I picked this 10-1952 shipped K32 up on this Forum for $2,250 shipped. It's about a 95%+ revolver and is 100% matching including the stocks. Big Larry

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Well, if we are posting deplorable guns. I resurrected this poor baby out of Maine. It must have been a lobster boat gun because it had severe salt water or chemical corrosion and someone had cut an inch off its nose, I suppose to allow installation of a ramp front sight. It's a K-32 Model 16 from 1959.

Unfortunately, that's all the Masterpieces I still have.

 

[glowe]

Who did the restoration?