K38 Target Masterpiece

[SmithWessonand Me]

Can someone tell me how great these are, as I traded my SD40VE, for a 5 screw K frame which I was going to make into a speed steel gun, but my father, FORBIDS me to do so as it is the gun he always wanted so he owes me a gun (Tried to trade him for his Model 16, but said how much cash I had to give lol) anyways the guy I got the 5 screw off of has a K38 Masterpiece, so he says. Its a 6 inch barrel, and has the adjustable rear sight and its 38 special so I assume he is being truthful, but I want some opinions as my father wants to get it A) Cause you dont see them often and B) he owes me a gun. I have read that there damn near the most accurate factory pistol ever, but I dont see how they are anymore accurate then my Model 25 or 29 with 6 inch barrels but I dont know the specs on the gun. Anyways all info would be appreciated.

 

[DWalt]

A SN and some pictures would be a big help.

 

[JP@AK]

Hello
The K-38 was (and is) a very fine and accurate .38 Special target revolver. In 1958 they became the Model 14. You could do a lot worse than to add one of these to your lineup.
I'm not sure what "you don't see them often" means. They are widely available, as S&W made many of them. Of course, some variations are more difficult to find in high condition than others, but we don't know which one you are actually talking about. A serial number would help.

 

[DWalt]

It seems you are talking about two different revolvers. A K-38 and something else?

 

[paplinker]

Your father has good taste in guns, I would take his advise,

Also the M24 and M29 are N frames, the k38 or the M14 are K frame guns. You may have a frame preference.

 

[Jaymo]

So, you traded an SD40VE for a 5 screw K frame?
Good deal. Did the other party walk funny after?

K-38 Combat Masterpieces are damned fine shooting revolvers.
They were a perfect balance of everything you need, and nothing you don't.

 

[DWalt]

If a K-38 has a 6" barrel as you say, it's a "Masterpiece," (not "Target Masterpiece") or Model 14. The "Combat Masterpiece" (Model 15) usually is found with a 4" barrel.

No question that back in the day of bullseye target shooting popularity, the Masterpiece was favored by many competitive shooters in the centerfire stage. But there were also equivalent Colt target revolvers (such as the Officers Model Match), and those also had their staunch advocates. Both revolvers were finely made, and as a previous user of both in competition, I always preferred the superior balance of the Colt. There aren't too many competitive bullseye shooters around nowadays and those that still cling to the old ways don't use .38 Special revolvers anymore. My time as a competitive bullseye shooter ended over 30 years ago.

 

[Iggy]

If you get one, you will no longer have any excuses for flyers and large groups, cuz it ain't gonna be the gun's fault.

Trouble is, then you will need the matching K-22/Model 17 in .22 LR.

 

[STCM(SW)]

If you get one, you will no longer have any excuses for flyers and large groups, cuz it ain't gonna be the gun's fault.

Trouble is, then you will need the matching K-22/Model 17 in .22 LR.

You got that right!

 

[emptypockets]

For what it's worth I like mine and I'm looking to get another one. This is 25 yards benched with my reloads.

 

[OIF2]

Gotta love the K38. This one is a minty '51 with really nice Herrett's Troopers.
Bob

 

[JP@AK]

Okay. If you insist! Here are a few photos of some of my K-38s.

And a couple Combat Masterpieces as a bonus:

Yeah, you could say I like these!

 

[SmithWessonand Me]

Yeah the other party hadn't a clue, and my father had no problem reimbursing me, with this beauty. She has already been taken apart and marveled over, as I was more the impressed at the perfection of the gun. I slightly cleaned it up, and tuned it, but its such a jewel I want like a million of them lol.

We dont see many S&W around here as most everyone wants cheap ****. Heck my Model 29 and 25 are one of the few a ton of people have ever seen. I plan on getting another 14 when I get my FFL and use it as my base for a speed gun.

But without further wait here is my new K38 Masterpiece





It looks like someone put a regular trigger on it and put a real wide target show on it, which is going to disappear, and be replaced with a target trigger

SN is K668

Its a 1966 Model.

 

[aphelion]

Your 5 screw K frame is missing a couple of screws.

 

[SmithWessonand Me]

Lol I dont have it anymore, my father has it, I traded my 5 screw for a K38 masterpiece But here is some pics of the 5 screw





Thats the 5 screw that is now my fathers, and here is my collection thus far.



Left to Right is my Model 25, Model 29, Model 14, and Model 10. My model 10 has a set of Pachmyer Bill Jordan Grips and it gets toated around in a Bill Jordan Patrol Holster. The Model 14, well its going to get tweeked a little, and maybe a nice set of grips, nothing to gody, the 29 is getting a set of Bill Jordan wood grips, and a Jerry Miculek spring kit. The 25 its waiting on its Jerry Miculek Spring Kit and Grips.

 

[Green Frog]

SW&M, I'm surprised your Dad didn't try to glom onto the Model 14 to go with his Model 16! That's the way my Dad used to do me!! There were about as many K-38/Model 14s made as any adjustable sighted S&W, so you shouldn't have trouble finding another one (or more) but people tend to be pretty fond of them and hold onto them. The Schmidt PPC gun I told you about owning years ago was built on a Model 14 and so marked in the yoke, but from the standpoint of an all-out custom build with a rib there is no difference between a Model 10/M&P and a Model 14/K-38, so you might just as well buy whatever comes at the best price to you. Your planned action job will supersede any advantage of the K-38 over the more pedestrian M&P model. Sooooo, get whatever gun you can find that will be best as a starting point for you, and keep it hidden from your Dad, at least until it is in progress and too late for him to claim it! As always, stay in touch!

Froggie

 

[SmithWessonand Me]

Lol Dad bought the Masterpiece today from the same guy I got my 5 screw off of cause he owed me a gun, and i swore that I would wait and get a model 10 or another 14 to build into a PPC gun. But at this rate I will probably have my FFL soon and just get a K or L frame off Gunbroker and do my build. So everyone is happy. Was told to look for a L frame as its heavier and be a better build. I'll keep in touch Froggie!

 

[glowe]

.

But without further wait here is my new K38 Masterpiece

It looks like someone put a regular trigger on it and put a real wide target show on it, which is going to disappear, and be replaced with a target trigger

SN is K668

Its a 1966 Model.

I assume you are referring to a K668XXX serial number?? Is the trigger serrated? The gun looks original, complete with target hammer and proper medallion magna stocks. It is a Model 14 if serial number is in the 600,000 range and should have the model number stamped on the frame behind the yoke. As others have said, these are great shooters.

 

[aphelion]

Lol I dont have it anymore, my father has it, I traded my 5 screw for a K38 masterpiece But here is some pics of the 5 screw

OK, I was having a tough time following along.

 

[SmithWessonand Me]

We think the trigger was swapped out for a standard trigger so a trigger shoe can be put on it, which is wider then a target trigger pad. The grips are incorrect, as someone wrote on them M&P 4inch barrel, so I assume they were taken off another gun.

Yes the Serial Number (SN) is K668XXX, which I figured out is 1966 model. Its all original other then the grips, as I already had it all apart, and everything matches.