Combat Masterpiece Stainless ???

[SRC201]

I just picked up a 4" stainless combat masterpeice. There is no model# in the usual spot under the cyclinder arm(?). Serial# is K1071xx. The gun is in all ways a model 67, but doesn't have the model #. It has 4 screws on the side plate. Obviously an older gun, but do I call it a 67 or a pre-67 or combat masterpeice or just "cool old gun". Thanks.

Any ideas on value for an old police duty guna s described with no rust or pitting and some light surface scratching??

 

[jspick]

It is probably flash chromed. I do not believe they made any stainless guns that early.

John

 

[ARMinSC]

Looks like 1951. Most likely refinished, hard chrome maybe? How bouts a pic?

 

[DCWilson]

The other posters are pointing you in the right direction. That is an early serial number for a Combat Masterpiece, and the great majority (I won't say "all," because I don't know) were blued. There are factory-nickel CMs from just a few years later, and there were nickel factory guns without adjustable sights produced in the very late 1940s. Some went to law enforcement agencies.

The odds favor your gun being refinished in nickel, but in S&W-land collectors learn early not to make blanket statements about what the company did or did not do.

Are the hammer and trigger nickeled, or do they show case coloring? If they are nickeled, that's a giveaway that the gun has had a non-factory refinish. The S&W protocol for nickel guns (even after a factory refinish) is to leave the hammer and trigger with the case-hardened colors.

Can you post a picture or two?

As a good-looking shooter (even refinished), and assuming the action and timing are sound, that's probably a $250-300 gun. If in fact it is wearing original nickel in good shape, it's a scarce variety that collectors would be interested in. You could go north of $400 for that, and maybe quite a bit north depending on how many collectors express interest.

EDITED TO ADD: And the first thing I should have said is "Welcome to the forum."

 

[SRC201]

Thanks

Thanks for the responses. Wow that was quick and thanks for the welcomes! The pistol was given to me by my boss (not a gun enthusiast), who got it as a gift when he came on the job in 1978 (from another non-gun enthusiast) who was about to retire, so the date makes perfect sense. I'll be able to find out if it was ever refinished. The gun is home right now, but the hammer and grooved trigger are blued. Also, the inside of the barrel has the same "white metal" color. I will post pics tommorrow night. It's got some wear to it and it just seems like this was the original finish, can't really articulate why though. Would a refinish "flake"?

Since my last post I called S&W and they said 1951 manufacture. Unknown model, unknown what original finish would have been. They said not to shoot +P out of it because of pre-model# stamping metal make up.

 

[SRC201]

Refinished!!!

Just found out from my boss...in the early 80's while on patrol...get this...THE BARREL FELL OFF! (As i said he's not a gun guy). It was sent out to be fixed and he had it refinished. He said it originally was blue. Oh well, the action and everything is very tight and nice! Thanks again for the help and as I figured you guys were right!

 

[mikepriwer]

I can tell you, with pretty much absolute certainty, that your gun is not
stainless steel.

I have one of the first 5 stainless steel prototype revolvers that
S&W made. They are in the late K390,000 serial number range, and
they are 4" Combat Masterpieces. The date is about 1960 . From this
early development work evolved all the stainless models, a few years
later.

Your gun is about 10 years too early . As suggested, its probably been
chrome plated. I suppose it could be nickel-plated, without seeing
pictures.

Mike Priwer