4 inch K38 with a Heavy Barrel

[Etalksalot]

I have a question if anyone knows anything about it. There is a Pre-Model 15 K38 at my local gun shop. I know the snub Mod. 15 has a heavy barrel but I thought all longer barrel 15's had the tapered barrel, but this one has a heavy barrel. It has adjustable sights and it says 38 S&W Special on the barrel. Just wondering how this could be and is it a rare find or do I just not know as much about the K38/Mod 15 as I thought? Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[murphydog]

Just to clarify...K-38 Masterpieces (usually 6" heavy barrels) became model 14s, and .38 Combat Masterpieces (usually 4" tapered barrels) became model 15s; the latter were generally not called "K-38s" (even though they are K frame .38s. Oh, the irony. )

That said, there are known small runs of 4" K-38s, and also 5" made for the IL State Police. A 4" may have been cut down from a longer barrel so photos would help, and a letter would confirm its originality.

 

[jpage]

The LAPD cut down most of their 6” model 14’s to 4”, during the 1960’s. I would guess many other agencies did the same.

 

[Jebus35745]

I have seen a few model 15’s with 4” hvy bbls at the Gun shows. There may have been some runs of them but don’t think the are anything special or rare. The Dayton Guns bring a premium but not really much more then a regular model 14. Larry

 

[murphydog]

Model 15-5s through -7s had heavy (model 14-like) barrels, but the OP thinks the one he saw is a pre-model gun. If only we had photos...

 

[Etalksalot]

Just to clarify...K-38 Masterpieces (usually 6" heavy barrels) became model 14s, and .38 Combat Masterpieces (usually 4" tapered barrels) became model 15s; the latter were generally not called "K-38s" (even though they are K frame .38s. Oh, the irony. )

That said, there are known small runs of 4" K-38s, and also 5" made for the IL State Police. A 4" may have been cut down from a longer barrel so photos would help, and a letter would confirm its originality.

I didn't know that about the pre-15,i had always thought they were called a K38 combat masterpiece, but that's probably from people online talking about them and calling them that. It has the sights of a model 15. I thought maybe a 4 inch pre-14 because I know they have made a few in that length, but it doesn't have the same sight at least as the longer pre-14. I don't have pictures yet, it's at the gun shop, they have it listed as a K38, that's it no more no less. I assumed it was a pre-15 because of the barrel length, but that was just an assumption. But it definitely has a heavy barrel. I asked to see it so I could verify what I thought I saw in the counter.

 

[Etalksalot]

The LAPD cut down most of their 6” model 14’s to 4”, during the 1960’s. I would guess many other agencies did the same.

My only thing I'm not sure about is the sight is the same as a pre-15, not the pre-14 and it looks like it came that way. Don't know if that helps.

 

[Etalksalot]

Model 15-5s through -7s had heavy (model 14-like) barrels, but the OP thinks the one he saw is a pre-model gun. If only we had photos...

Yeah, it was an after thought. It's probably still there at the shop, but it is a premodel something. There is no model number on the yoke. Definitely a heavy barrel but has model 15 sights. Definitely 4 inch barrel too. I'll be going back soon to make a payment on my layaway, I'll get pictures then. I know the guys there, I don't think they'll care if I take some pics.

 

[Etalksalot]

Sorry for late responses, I wrote this out and got busy for a few days and forgot all about it. I'll get some pics in the next few days. It's not in amazing shape, it's got some bluing loss and no original grips, definitely heavy barrel, definitely a premodel, just listed as a K38 by the shop, but they had my 64-2 I bought written as 642 which is a completely different gun as y'all know so I can't totally rely on that.

 

[Etalksalot]

It's sights look like the ones on this Model 15. Sorry, my pictures always seem to come up at weird angles.

 

[REVCHARLIE]

That barrel looks shorter than four inches to me?

 

[ParadiseRoad]

 

[Green Frog]

It's sights look like the ones on this Model 15. Sorry, my pictures always seem to come up at weird angles.

Could be your cell phone's camera function has a default orientation and you are holding it at a different angle from that. Don't ask me how I know about this possibility.

Froggie

 

[glowe]

First of all, I have to state that this era gun is way too new-fangled for me to have a great amount of interest in, but will share what little I think I know. There is not enough barrel there to determine if it was heavy or not, but it has a narrow rib, so appears to be a standard Model 15, 2". One reason it should not be a "pre-model" is that those stocks did not appear until around 1968-1969, unless they are not original to the gun. Looks like a 2" Model 15 K38 Combat Masterpiece, and yes that is the correct name for the revolver. (pg 212, SCSW4). Book states a 20% premium for a factory original 2".

 

[murphydog]

The OP wrote the “sights” on the gun he saw in the shop are like the ones in the photo; it is not a photo of the gun in question.

Still waiting for the real photos...

 

[glowe]

Now I got it. The question is why would the OP not get a picture of the gun in question? It is very confusing to old minds!

 

[BigBill]

There’s a k38 combat masterpiece 4” barrel pre 14 and a k38 target masterpiece 6” barrel pre 15 right? These are the smoothest actions ever made by s&w.

 

[JP@AK]

There’s a k38 combat masterpiece 4” barrel pre 14 and a k38 target masterpiece 6” barrel pre 15 right?

No. Not right. You have the model numbers reversed and the nomenclature slightly incorrect.

K-38 Masterpiece - 6" barrel (normally), became Model 14
.38 Combat Masterpiece - 4" barrel (normally), became Model 15

S&W never inserted "Target" before "Masterpiece" as part of the model name, despite what you may read in lots of "collector" books.

The 4" service models in .22 and .38 (Models 18 & 15, respectively) were not designated K-22 or K-38; just .22 Combat Masterpiece and .38 Combat Masterpiece. I don't have a clue why, since they were essentially the same gun as the K-22 and K-38, being different only in the style of sights, the barrel length and, in the case of the .38, the barrel profile. "Collector" books have ignored this distinction for a very long time, labeling the service models as K-22 and K-38, contrary to the practice of the company.

Now, look. You can call them anything you want to - no skin off my teeth. But since you brought it up, I thought I'd give you the straight scoop.

 

[BigBill]

I thought the k22 was called the target masterpiece and the k38 was called the masterpiece target?

 

[JP@AK]