Looking for info on a 38 special
- Thread starter Tw24
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A K-38 Masterpiece from approximately 1949...A fine shooting iron...
...Ben
...Ben
mikeruns
Member
You are probably $200-$400 below its real value of $600 to $800.
Nice catch!
Nice catch!
Post number one told you what it is. There are no "model numbers" on anything made before the late '50s.
Trying to assign a dollar value to any object is really fruitless...When you obtained it, it was obviously worth whatever you gave up to own it otherwise you wouldn't have it...When you're ready to part with it, its dollar value is determined by its next caretaker (none of us will ever really "own" anything because at some point we must give up possession)...
Be less worried about whether you got a good "deal," and more concerned about your satisfaction on completion of the transaction...You said it shoots well, meaning it functions smoothly and accuracy is acceptable, therefore you got what you were hoping to come home with...When it comes time to part with it (you'll know when that moment arrives), be prepared by staying current on what others are receiving for similar products, and are giving up to obtain their next "I want"...
I know I get negative thoughts and comments about my rather vague philosophy when I display at gun shows, or just prowl the aisles for what catches my eye...As you can see by the enclosed photo, my displays will never show a dollar value with my guns, rather a card with all the pertinent info I have about it...When someone asks "how much," I can quote a figure in dollars to represent how I value it in that respect...If the inquirer wants to own one of mine, the discussion can progress (or sometimes regress) from that point...
Most of the casual lookers will proceed to the next table where others are only there with the purpose of going home with fewer guns and more pocket money...I'm not there because I have to sell my possessions to keep the wolf away from the door, I just like talking S&W, and practicing the art of the trade...And dollars are merely a trading medium in any transaction...
Take my philosophy for what it's worth to you, I don't charge for it...
...Ben[Edit: Sorry about the horrible photo quality, cell phone cameras and gun show lighting through glass has it's limits...]
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Late 1949 or early 1950 would be a pretty good guess for the ship year of your K-38 Masterpiece. K78822 shipped in November, 1949; K78197 shipped in February, 1950.
I like your the way you think BEN .but i usually have sellers remorse ,never buyers remorse though.
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Me too, I regret not having every gun I ever previously owned...All 18,000 of them if I include those from two previous businesses...
...Ben
Yw your K38 Masterpiece appears to be in great condition from the few pictures you provided. You did great at $400.
Welcome to the Forum, Tw24! +1 to 19leben's comment...you did great at $400 for a minty K38 Masterpiece. The K38 Masterpiece was part of a trio of very accurate target revolvers: the K22, K32, and K38. Did you happen to get the original box with the revolver? If so, that would greatly increase the value. However, you acquired an excellent revolver in very nice condition. I hope you will take it to the range and shoot it. It could be the start of your S&W collection! Enjoy!
I respect this view. While there is nothing wrong with being curious about the “going rate” for a particular firearm, when this devolves into a quibbling contest I often think of Oscar Wilde’s definition of a cynic: “ A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.”
When one has been bitten by the collector bug, “value” gets very complicated very quickly. While I will not buy a firearm unless I value it more highly than the cash I’m trading for it, whether or not someone else agrees with that valuation isn’t all that relevant.
While I do own guns that I got for what I consider to be a bargain price, the ones I prize most highly are those I had to dig a bit deeper for. I’m a deeply flawed human, so I’m sure there is some degree of justification going on, but the reason I “overpaid” is because I *really* wanted it. Which I suppose means I didn’t “overpay” at all.
But, to be fair, “collecting” is not a rational behavior. Color me crazy, I suppose.
Very well said...
...Ben
I'll have a price on most of the guns in my case. Of course, people always want to know the price of the one that is not marked. Human nature? Perhaps.
BTW OP, good looking K38 Masterpiece. Run some 148 grain wadcutters through it. You might be amazed.
BTW OP, good looking K38 Masterpiece. Run some 148 grain wadcutters through it. You might be amazed.
Thanks it will be shot I live in rural Ohio not many ranges we just shoot in the back yard I really enjoy shooting old revolvers
beagleye
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Good score! The earlier valuation of $600-800 seems right to me. Being a trader without a license is illegal. Being a smart collector and noticing a good deal is fun. But it seems to trigger some sensitivities. I don't know why.
