K38 combat masterpiece

[SmithNut]

Sorry, Hawg Rider, but Alan is right. The SCSW is incorrect. Catalogs, the All Model Circular, the box labels all said .38 Combat Masterpiece, never K-38 Combat Masterpiece. Only sometime after model numbers appeared in the late 1950s and only in ONE place did S&W ever use "K-38" Combat Masterpiece in its literature and that was on the spec sheet included with the Model 15 (and, I assume the Model 18 - "K-22," although I have not seen a spec sheet from that period for that model).

Hence the company's official name for the .38 and .22 Combat Masterpiece did not include the K-whatever. I know that Roy used it in Letters of Authenticity, so that gave some credence to the matter, but his use ran contrary to what S&W did for all the years from 1949ish until sometime after 1958.

I don't think this matter is worth any sort of fight. But, the record overall does show that the K-38 and K-22 labels are not correct for these models.

I guess it depends on what document the factory put out....

Hmmmmmmmm....

 

[glowe]

Model numbers came out in 1957-1958. Jack and I are referencing guns of the era of the OPs, early 1950s. We both said the "K" was added after Model numbered guns first came out. This is what makes following company model names difficult and inconsistent sometime.

 

[JP@AK]

I guess it depends on what document the factory put out.

That is the spec sheet I mentioned in my previous post:

only in ONE place did S&W ever use "K-38" Combat Masterpiece in its literature and that was on the spec sheet included with the Model 15

 

[JP@AK]

I have a small collection of Shooter's Bible and Gun Digest from the 1960s and 1970s. In every one of them, the editors used S&W nomenclature for the Model 15:
".38 Combat Masterpiece." in the Shooter's Bible;
"Combat Masterpiece" in the Gun Digest, with listings for both .38 Special and .22 Long Rifle.

The Model 14 is listed as a K-38 Masterpiece by both publications.

I'm convinced they were deriving this information from the All Model Circular put out each year by S&W. The spec sheet was ignored.

 

[YeshuaIsa53]

Trying out a photo box that is smaller than my needs, but here is my .38 Combat Masterpiece birth-year gun.

 

[Gun Relics]

Here' s mine from 1951 - love it!

 

[OldSmiths357]

Wow. Lots of comments that I have missed. Been busy all and out of town. Serial is K149031 for who asked. I would have to look at the gun when I get back from out of town about the “B” on the barrel.

Goal is to shoot it when I get back in town so hopefully this weekend or first of next week.

Next one I found that I need to look at is a 32 hand ejector with a 2 inch barrel. Seller states it’s from 1949.

 

[JP@AK]

Serial is K149031

It probably shipped in 1952. Here are a couple of comparable units:

K-22 Masterpiece K147732 shipped in June, 1952
.38 Combat Masterpiece K149824 shipped in July, 1952

 

[OldSmiths357]

It probably shipped in 1952. Here are a couple of comparable units:

K-22 Masterpiece K147732 shipped in June, 1952
.38 Combat Masterpiece K149824 shipped in July, 1952

Thank you for the info. Appreciate it.

 

[OldSmiths357]

Finally got to the range today and man, the ol girl shot very well. My first round at 10 yards with 148 gr wadcutters from 1970 in the first photo. I should have just stopped there. lol. The next photo, total of 49 rounds. Head shots were 10 and 15 yards. Body shots started at 7 all the way back to 40 yards. (Bottom of 8 inch circle)

 

[Fullmetaljacket]

That first target is a wall-hanger for sure.

 

[pasound]

Dead center bullseye on the first shot? I would have packed up and gone back home.