Just another 5 screw K38

[Shotguncoach]

These things just keep showing up....

A friend of a friend had his Father pass recently and is in the process of selling off the firearms that the family doesn't want. There was one lonely Smith in the mix that had belonged to his Grandfather and was described as a "long barreled .38 with adjustable sights".

The text conversation went something like this:

"The price is XXX"
"I'll take it"



Some green pieces of paper changed hands, some paperwork was filled out, and this little beauty came home with me.

She's an early K-series serial number with a one line "Made in USA", so I'm thinking 1947-ish. I'll get an email out to Mike and Don shortly to start the letter process and find out for sure.
Edit - I'm off by a year here. See Jack's post down the thread.

All the serial numbers match except for the stocks, which are numbered to an earlier gun.

 

[Shotguncoach]

It has obviously been carried and used, but was well cared for. The finish appears to be original. From what I understand, she spent most (if not all) of her life in New Mexico.

The front sight pin is still proud and the rear sight has had the square edges tastefully rounded. There are no factory return stamps. The chambers have just a bit of buildup that needs to be scrubbed out, but the bore looks pristine.

 

[Shotguncoach]

Inside, everything was clean but covered with a layer of old oil that was trying to turn back into dinosaurs. Somewhere along the way, someone who knew what they were doing was inside: the rebound spring has been shortened by 2 coils, the strain screw has been shortened, and all the places I would normally go have been carefully stoned. All I did inside the frame was clean and lubricate...

The only thing that needed fixing was a touch too much endshake. Our cylinder gap measured .003"-.009" with and without the wedge and the rear gauge was a bit larger than I liked. My buddy Lance from Triggershims.com helped out with a .004" endshake bearing that brought everything back to where it should be.

Dismantling and remantling the cylinder gave me a chance to clean the accumulated glock out from behind the ejector star and to verify that the 4th serial number matched as well.

Cleaned, lubed, and with the endshake fixed, the double action pull was 7 1/2 lbs, the single action pull was spot on 2 lbs, there was 50 ounces of hammer tension and no push off.

 

[Model19man]

Looks nice! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Shotguncoach]

I'm sure that the stocks that were on it are original, but since they don't number to the gun it doesn't bother me upgrade them slightly. The original magna's got rubber-banded together and put in a bubble bag in the back of the safe. Both stock panels have black washers - the shiny appearance on the right panel washer in the picture is a reflection from my bench lights.

I said a few incantations, and after performing the appropriate ritual dance and throwing a Rossi down the driveway, a set of non-relieved diamond target stocks rose to the top of the pile.

We'll give this pretty lady a chance to perform tomorrow at the range.

I have a full history of the previous (and I think original) owner, but I need to get permission to publish it before I put it all here. Some highlights are that his family dog was buried in Robert Oppenheimer's back yard (yes, that Oppenheimer) and that his next door neighbor was the firefighter who found Smokey Bear.

 

[JP@AK]

She's an early K-series serial number with a one line "Made in USA", so I'm thinking 1947-ish

Only 5 K-38s were assembled in 1947 and as far as I know none left the factory that year. Shipments started in February 1948.

I show K-38 Masterpiece serial number K23375 shipping in June 1948.

 

[schutz5]

Lucky charms!

 

[ameridaddy]

"...after performing the appropriate ritual dance and throwing a Rossi down the driveway, ..."
Snorting my Coke on the keyboard here, Boss.....

 

[Truckman]

I have a full history of the previous (and I think original) owner, but I need to get permission to publish it before I put it all here. Some highlights are that his family dog was buried in Robert Oppenheimer's back yard (yes, that Oppenheimer) and that his next door neighbor was the firefighter who found Smokey Bear.

A storied history, Len...May I assume that those details and the presence of the fishhook hammer have been safely deposited in the Smithalyzer?......Ben

 

[Shotguncoach]

Only 5 K-38s were assembled in 1947 and as far as I know none left the factory that year. Shipments started in February 1948.

I show K-38 Masterpiece serial number K23375 shipping in June 1948.

Thank you Jack! I'll post the ship date on this one when I get it.

 

[Shotguncoach]

A storied history, Len...May I assume that those details and the presence of the fishhook hammer have been safely deposited in the Smithalyzer?......Ben

Hi Ben! Unfortunately I've been paying more attention to my taxes and my garden than I have to documenting the collection, so I haven't really gotten past the initial setup. The rest of the country has "winter projects" that get done inside during cold weather....I have "summer projects" that get done inside during hot weather. That will be one of them.

 

[bullmack]

This K-38 that I have is very close to the one Jack posted. K23338 shipped June 1948

 

[Engine49guy]

Congrats !
The "One liner" K38 is a rare find .
I have come accross exactly one since getting bit by the SW bug,
Way back in 2011 at the SWCA symposium which was held in Orlando Florida, while cruising the tables and tables of guns I wanted I stumbled on a nice man that had two very interesting one line K target guns,
One was the K22 with Lerk I needed to fill a gap in my collection and while I wasn't interested in K38's (yet) the other one caught my interest because at that point I had never seen a one liner K38, pretty sure it also had the LERK as well but my memory is fuzzy,
Long story short I had enough to buy one.
In hindsight shoulda sold a kidney and bought that K38 as I've never seen another for sale.
Iirc the seller was a nice gentleman named "Lee" who hangs out here on occasion, he has an angry gorilla for a profile pic.

Anyway that's a great cornerstone for a K38 collection thanks for sharing it.

 

[boykinlp]

Congrats !
The "One liner" K38 is a rare find .
I have come accross exactly one since getting bit by the SW bug,
Way back in 2011 at the SWCA symposium which was held in Orlando Florida, while cruising the tables and tables of guns I wanted I stumbled on a nice man that had two very interesting one line K target guns,
One was the K22 with Lerk I needed to fill a gap in my collection and while I wasn't interested in K38's (yet) the other one caught my interest because at that point I had never seen a one liner K38, pretty sure it also had the LERK as well but my memory is fuzzy,
Long story short I had enough to buy one.
In hindsight shoulda sold a kidney and bought that K38 as I've never seen another for sale.
Iirc the seller was a nice gentleman named "Lee" who hangs out here on occasion, he has an angry gorilla for a profile pic.

Anyway that's a great cornerstone for a K38 collection thanks for sharing it.

Be careful about selling those kidneys! Strangely enough, I was only born with ONE! That’s the only reason I haven’t visited Las Vegas before. I’ve heard stories of people waking up in their hotel bathtub covered in ice and missing a kidney!
Larry

 

[Shotguncoach]

I prefer a center hold with the bullet hole appearing just on top of the front sight. Truman (the first name of the gentleman who owned this lovely lady) apparently like a 6 o'clock hold which meant that the sights were way high for me.

One shot, adjust the sights, two shots, adjust the sights, and Hey! Bob's your uncle.

This was at 50 feet, two hands, standing, slow fire. I guess she can stay.......