k38, 5" barrel ?

[markggtp]

I looked at a pristine K38, ser# 266xxx, this past weekend, with a 5" barrel, no police markings or anything, a really clean piece.
How uncommon are K38's with this barrel lenght?

Thanks, Mark

 

[mojave30cal]

Does the barrel measure 5 inches from the face of the cylinder
to the muzzle?

 

[k22fan]

No body knows but total production of early Pre-15 light barrel 5" Combat Masterpieces and later heavy barrel 5" Masterpieces is in the range of 2,000 to 5,000 revolvers. If it is model marked it likely is the heavy barrel style most famously used by Illinois State Police. Either way they are worth a pretty penny. however, get it lettered to prove it is original before laying out big bucks.

 

[stu1ritter]

But sometimes the letter just deepens the mystery. I have a 5" 14-2 that comes back reading "we cannot supply information concerning your Model 14-2 revolver, it is open on Smith & Wesson records". It was manufactured in the Spring of 1963 and that is all that is known. One of those that are "open on Smith & Wesson records". So, you never know.

Stu

 

[jsfricks]

That serial is too high to be part of the 356 cut down for the MSHP. I'm not sure about the ISP though.

 

[bgrafsr]

I consider myself lucky as I have a Missouri SP revolver.

 

[markggtp]

My error ser#

 

[markggtp]

my error ser# is k266xx, not266xxx, 1948, definitely measures 5" from cyl face, tapered barrel.
Mark

 

[linde]

my error ser# is k266xx, not266xxx, 1948, definitely measures 5" from cyl face, tapered barrel . . .

The 5" barrel length was never a catalogued item so all were "special ordered". Many were small batches for dealers who had a passion for unusual barrel lengths (especially the 5").

The two largest and most notable special orders were from the Missouri State Highway Patrol (5-screw Combat Masterpiece w/narrow rib & tapered barrel) and the Illinois State Police (4-screw K-38 Heavy barrel).

I know of no factory 5" serial numbers as low as your K266XX but with S&W anything is possible. Since there were no 5" barrel forgings, even the factory had to cut down a 6" barrel to produce a 5".

Does your have the Patridge target front sight or the Baughman ramp-style front sight. Pictures would be very helpful in attempting to make any more detailed comments.

Russ

edit to add: I presume that (K + 5 numerical digits) serial number came from the butt of the grip frame

 

[murphydog]

Closeup photos of the muzzle and front sight base would be helpful to see if the work was from the factory, or a gunsmith modification.

 

[H Richard]

This is an IL State Police 5" that shipped 7/3/57, not model marked, 4 Screw. It has later stocks as it was sent back for a full update in 1966 and the original stocks replaced.
It was a "duplicate" on S&W's books, (2 guns with the same number, the other gun shipped overseas). The S/N was verified by Linde from a ISP invoice.

 

[markggtp]

ser# on butt ,baughman ramp. Don't have any pics, just saw this at a show yesterday, the gun looks unmolested to me.

 

[linde]

ser# on butt ,baughman ramp. Don't have any pics, just saw this at a show yesterday, the gun looks unmolested to me.

The 5" barrel is relatively scarce and very desirable. The Baughman ramp suggests to me it was done by a professional . . . perhaps even on a return trip to the factory . . . particularly if there is a * after the serial number.

If you're comfortable with the price . . . go for it.

Russ

 

[Walter Rego]

For stu1ritter: This 14-2 5" was one of 25 5" K-38's shipped to a hardware distributor in Long Beach, CA in January, 1964. It is in the K551,000 range. I would guess though that the numbers of 5" K-38's manufactured after the ISP contract guns in the mid to late 1950's was small, probably just a few hundred as they don't seem to show up very often.
Edited to add a couple more photos showing the caliber rollmark location and muzzle close up