K 38 Questions

[Nerdsonice]

I just bought a K 38 masterpiece and according to the S&W blue book the serial number puts it into the year 1949. A buddy of mine who has more experience and knowledge had some questions regarding if that matches the way it should based on how the gun looks. The biggest reason for his concern is the wide rib along the top of the barrel (being a later design), and that the cylinder looks like a newer cylinder. The S/N on the bottom of the frame, the cylinder and under the barrel where the spindle sits when closed match up with each other. The S/N is K 77128 and it is a five screw
Thank you for taking the time to read and possibly help

 

[mh51]

According to the SCSW 4th edition, your pistol was made in 1949, and S&W began using the heavy barrel (wide rib) the same year. If it were mine, I'd call it correct and enjoy it.

 

[JP@AK]

The first K-38 Heavy Masterpiece (wide rib) carried serial number K66222 and it shipped on August 19, 1948.

Your K77128 probably shipped in 1949. I show four K-38s in the K757xxx range that shipped in the spring of 1949 (two in April, one in May, one in June). I own one of them that shipped in April.

K76068 (tapered barrel) shipped in May, 1949; K76490 shipped in July, 1949. That one is a Heavy Masterpiece. The four mentioned in the previous paragraph all have the tapered barrel. Heavy Masterpiece K78822 shipped in November, 1949.

So, in 1948, 1949, 1950, both style barrels were available and were shipped. The last of the tapered barrels were used up in 1952.

 

[JP@AK]

BTW, your K-38 has the target hammer. That was first used on K66198, and that revolver shipped in February, 1949.

 

[MrG5122]

I have a K7****. Wide rib. yours looks righteous to me.

 

[Green Frog]

I have one numbered about 11,000 below yours with all “skinny” parts (barrel, hammer and trigger). Your target model really makes the blood in my amphibian aorta race! Great find.

Froggie

 

[Targets Guy]

K77436 shipped 11/1949.

 

[Wrangler Rich]

K77436 shipped 11/1949.

That would be my birth month and year.

WR

 

[larryofcc]

#75735, shipped 5-49. Slim bbl. No target accessories. In gold box numbered to gun, 99% condition. Big Larry

 

[Targets Guy]

That would be my birth month and year.

WR

I'm pulling for you. The only way you are going to know for sure is with a letter.

K77777 (what a s/n!) shipped 1/1950
K80057 shipped 11/1949

 

[Nerdsonice]

Do you guys have any opinion on what you would call this percentage wise? Also do you guys think its reblued?

 

[Fullmetaljacket]

Looks like original bluing to me, nice soft satin blue, correct for that vintage. Hard to say with 100% certainty from the pics but the numbers stamped on the underside of the barrel in the first post have not been polished, they look nice and crisp. I vote original bluing.

 

[JP@AK]

Agree the finish is original.

Ditch the Goodyear grips, put some nice walnut on it and you will have a fine looking revolver.

 

[wheelgun610]

Do you guys have any opinion on what you would call this percentage wise? Also do you guys think its reblued?

Hard to assess the percentage of the finish from those two pics, but I don't see anything that makes me suspect it's been refinished. How does it look under the grips? I ask because rubber grips like those have a bad reputation for trapping moisture and causing rust. Even if there's no rust under them, they often leave marks on the finish that are hard to get rid of.

Mark

 

[Nerdsonice]

Agree the finish is original.

Ditch the Goodyear grips, put some nice walnut on it and you will have a fine looking revolver.

I have a set of aftermarket wood grips. Im looking for a set of magna grips with the screw hole.

 

[MrG5122]

Correct grips would be 'sharp shouldered Magnas'. They should have a diamond around the screw.

 

[JP@AK]

Correct grips would be 'sharp shouldered Magnas.

Yes.

Nerdsonice

What MrG5122 is referring to can be seen on the bottom revolver in this picture:

The shoulder drops off sharply toward the frame. It isn't tapered like the diamond Magna stocks used after 1952.

The upper gun is wearing the prewar style. It also has the sharp shoulder but the checking pattern is larger.