K32 Combat Masterpiece?!?!

Razfcc

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I’ve posted it before. But it’s been a bit. Thought I’d fire off a few pics before I send it in for a letter. If heard everything from “it’s definitely been cut,” “it’s a conversion” to “I think that’s a Combat Masterpiece.” Any Thoughts before I FINALLY force my lazy butt to find out the deal on this thing?B8AA07A6-7590-4E88-90A2-C064BDA784AB.jpg

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You are a patient man for waiting 6 years since your last post to request a letter. :)

Several very knowledgeable members posted about it at that time. From these photos it appears to be factory quality work but that is all I have to add.
 
Thoughts? You have a beautiful, useful gun. A letter might add information and value. I cannot see it hurting in any way. With S&W you never say never as to what the factory may have done.
 
I don’ know much about the 32’s as I don’t find them very interesting although I’m sure a use could be had for them outside of the old bullseye arena…the thing to me that seems odd, is that if this was a combat masterpiece, why doesn’t it have a tapered bbl like the 22 and 38 combat masterpieces of the era? Also, I have never even heard of a model 16 being marketed or sold as a combat master piece….I do know that in later years after the original combat masterpieces/model 15 was no more, that they made the model 14 available with a heavy 4” like on this .32 in this thread. I believe that it was still just named the model 14 target masterpiece…..A true tapered bbl 4” model 16 combat masterpiece would be very highly sought after although I am surprised if they ever existed that I’ve never heard or seen of any. I do have several of the 38’s and .22’s and love them. And I know the early-ish pre-underlug bbl model 16’s are highly sought after too for some reason I can’t understand…..either way, this is a pretty cool and probably modified .32 masterpiece…looking forward to the rest of the story if you do letter it. Cheers
 
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Variation
A small order of 4” guns with a red ramp front sight made
in 1959, believed to number less than 10.
Standard Catalog of S&W, 4th Edition, page 214. The Model 16 pictured above is not one of these.
 
When I look at the pictures, the setback of the sight from the end of the barrel is ore than I've seen on other target guns. Also, the side view of the front of the barrel looks as if a slotted screw holds the sight in place. I have not seen that on a S&W factory target revolver.
 
More photos of the front sight and ramp would be helpful. The ramp might be a King or Micro.

As far as the front sight not being mounted flush with the muzzle, here is a photo of the front sight of a low K80's serial number range K-32 sight. The barrel is 6" so is not a cut-down.
 

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I have a recollection of some really odd M16 being mentioned in a string about 10 years or so ago. IIRC, it was a very limited production, and I really think it was a 4" combat masterpiece variant. That recollection and a couple bucks will get you a cup of coffee somewhere.
 
Very nice gun, but the punch mark by ramp pin, the undercut front sight blade and the screw in the ramp body make me have my doubts as to factory. The muzzle not so much. I have a bunch of S&W revolvers and barrels I looked at most f them before I cut and crowned one. Thy are not all the same
 
Okay. I've held off saying this, but the serial number is way too high for it to be an original .32 Combat Masterpiece. Only a few were made and that very early on.

In addition, the barrel profile is wrong, as has been mentioned by others.
 
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