Model 14, 15?
- Thread starter WVfishguy
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BUFF
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
In theory, the Model 14's have 6 or 8-3/8 inch barrels and Patridge front sights, while Model 15's have either 2 or 4 inch barrels and ramp front sights.
However, over time, S&W made shorter M-14's and longer M-15's, so you can't always say for sure.
However, over time, S&W made shorter M-14's and longer M-15's, so you can't always say for sure.
And the 15 usually has a tapered barrel, while the mighty 14 has a "straight" barrel.
WVfishguy,
Sorry to say that there are so many exceptions to "conventional wisdom", that the differences are not easily detailed, at least to the point that one can take them to the bank.
For most of us, the M15 represents the shorter barreled version of the K38, while the M14 represents the long barrel version. However, without the context of vintage/era, there are so many exceptions that are found that it becomes confusing to folks that are fairly new and trying to get a quick grasp on the two models. Some folks like to say the sights differ, some the barrel length and taper, some say the rib width, some say the finish factors in, the reality is that both models vary from the accepted norm so as to keep us off balance
Here is an old post I put together that attempted show the exceptions.
Pretty tough question to answer without benefit of "vintage".
Generally speaking we think of barrel length and sight configuration and barrel taper, but there are so many exceptions that one needs to almost put a stake in "time" in order to answer.
For instance, the Masterpiece is generally thought to have a straight (non-taper) barrel, and that's generally true, but the very first models had a narrow ribbed barrel that did, in fact have a taper. Then, we think of the Combat Masterpiece as having a taper, but after the mid 90's those were deleted and became straight barrel.
Then, we know that the M14 had the longer barrel versions, the M15 the shorter, but when the M14 was removed from production in the early 80's, the longer barrel lengths were added to the M15 line.
Both did have 5" versions, and they did differ due to taper/non-taper.
For some of us that have been around these guns for years, it seems simple, but the exceptions and production interuptions have made it tough to explain.
Here are some generalities, just to confuse things.
The M14 was the longer barrel model (6" and 8 3/8"), except for those special production runs that were made in 4" and 2 1/2")
The M14 had the straight barrel, except for those early guns that had tapers.
The M14 had patridge front sights, except for those that had ramp (generally the 4" and 5" special production run guns).
The M15 was made in 2" and 4" barrel lengths, except those made with longer barrels...
The M15 had ramp front sights, except for the mid/late 80's guns made when the original M14 had a brief hiatus from production, those had patridge front sights.
The M14 generally had a wide rib barrel, except for the early guns that had a narrow rib.
The M15 had a narrow rib, except for those made in the mid/late 80's when the M14 was out of production for a bit, as well as those in the mid 90's when the taper was deleted and the gun had a wider rib.
The M15 was regularly offered in blue and nickel finishes.
The M14 was made in blue, except for a very few that were made with nickel finish (special production).
Oh, yeah, the mid/late 80's long barrel M15's had the same overall appearance to the M14's that they replaced, except for the length of the front sight base....
The barrel ribs on the M14 and M15 (and Masterpiece/Combat Masterpiece versions) had barrel rib serrations, almost always. The exceptions were the 4" Dayton M14's made in the late 60's, these had an extra heavy barrel from the M10 HB line, and the topstrap was matte, but not serrated.
When the M14 was shipped with magna grips, it had square bottom grips (exception was many of the Dayton guns ), while the magna equipped M15's had the modified Magna (PC) grips in later years (I'm sure there are exceptions for early guns as well!).
The M14 was offered in a SAO version, the M15 was not. There are examples of DAO M15's out there, but these would be special production if original, but I've not personally seen one documented.
Both the M14 and M15 was only offered in square butt gripframes, with the exception to the late 90's M15's and the full underlug M14's starting with the M14-6 engineering change and extending into the -7.
All this info taken into account, it's pretty easy to sort it out.
The best thing to do is get as much vintage material you can and study the information to get a feel for the two models.
Sorry to say that there are so many exceptions to "conventional wisdom", that the differences are not easily detailed, at least to the point that one can take them to the bank.
For most of us, the M15 represents the shorter barreled version of the K38, while the M14 represents the long barrel version. However, without the context of vintage/era, there are so many exceptions that are found that it becomes confusing to folks that are fairly new and trying to get a quick grasp on the two models. Some folks like to say the sights differ, some the barrel length and taper, some say the rib width, some say the finish factors in, the reality is that both models vary from the accepted norm so as to keep us off balance
Here is an old post I put together that attempted show the exceptions.
Pretty tough question to answer without benefit of "vintage".
Generally speaking we think of barrel length and sight configuration and barrel taper, but there are so many exceptions that one needs to almost put a stake in "time" in order to answer.
For instance, the Masterpiece is generally thought to have a straight (non-taper) barrel, and that's generally true, but the very first models had a narrow ribbed barrel that did, in fact have a taper. Then, we think of the Combat Masterpiece as having a taper, but after the mid 90's those were deleted and became straight barrel.
Then, we know that the M14 had the longer barrel versions, the M15 the shorter, but when the M14 was removed from production in the early 80's, the longer barrel lengths were added to the M15 line.
Both did have 5" versions, and they did differ due to taper/non-taper.
For some of us that have been around these guns for years, it seems simple, but the exceptions and production interuptions have made it tough to explain.
Here are some generalities, just to confuse things.
The M14 was the longer barrel model (6" and 8 3/8"), except for those special production runs that were made in 4" and 2 1/2")
The M14 had the straight barrel, except for those early guns that had tapers.
The M14 had patridge front sights, except for those that had ramp (generally the 4" and 5" special production run guns).
The M15 was made in 2" and 4" barrel lengths, except those made with longer barrels...
The M15 had ramp front sights, except for the mid/late 80's guns made when the original M14 had a brief hiatus from production, those had patridge front sights.
The M14 generally had a wide rib barrel, except for the early guns that had a narrow rib.
The M15 had a narrow rib, except for those made in the mid/late 80's when the M14 was out of production for a bit, as well as those in the mid 90's when the taper was deleted and the gun had a wider rib.
The M15 was regularly offered in blue and nickel finishes.
The M14 was made in blue, except for a very few that were made with nickel finish (special production).
Oh, yeah, the mid/late 80's long barrel M15's had the same overall appearance to the M14's that they replaced, except for the length of the front sight base....
The barrel ribs on the M14 and M15 (and Masterpiece/Combat Masterpiece versions) had barrel rib serrations, almost always. The exceptions were the 4" Dayton M14's made in the late 60's, these had an extra heavy barrel from the M10 HB line, and the topstrap was matte, but not serrated.
When the M14 was shipped with magna grips, it had square bottom grips (exception was many of the Dayton guns ), while the magna equipped M15's had the modified Magna (PC) grips in later years (I'm sure there are exceptions for early guns as well!).
The M14 was offered in a SAO version, the M15 was not. There are examples of DAO M15's out there, but these would be special production if original, but I've not personally seen one documented.
Both the M14 and M15 was only offered in square butt gripframes, with the exception to the late 90's M15's and the full underlug M14's starting with the M14-6 engineering change and extending into the -7.
All this info taken into account, it's pretty easy to sort it out.
The best thing to do is get as much vintage material you can and study the information to get a feel for the two models.
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Buff,
You know that the factory never called the M14 the "Target Masterpiece", right?
Unfortunately that's printed in the SCS&W, but I've never seen any factory documentation confirming that name, it's just simply the K38 Masterpiece. The only exception to that is for a short time - prior to model numbering - when they were making both the narrow rib and heavy rib versions concurrently, the heavy/wide rib model was called the "Heavy Masterpiece".
You know that the factory never called the M14 the "Target Masterpiece", right?
Unfortunately that's printed in the SCS&W, but I've never seen any factory documentation confirming that name, it's just simply the K38 Masterpiece. The only exception to that is for a short time - prior to model numbering - when they were making both the narrow rib and heavy rib versions concurrently, the heavy/wide rib model was called the "Heavy Masterpiece".
I have a K-38 6" that was maybe mfg in 1952 if one goes by the ser # range in the Std Catalog. I have a gold box with it but can't tell if its the original box because I can't read the markings on the bottom. Anyway, the end of the box has printed on it "K-38 Masterpiece, Blue Finish, 6-Inch Barrel", while the opposite end has an old label that appears to be original to the box that says "38 Combat Masterpiece". Were there any short boxes for the short barrel versions?
