My "new" Missouri Combat Masterpiece

[JP@AK]

Hello Gents!
After a few years of pining for one of these, I managed to get my hands on one of the 365 Combat Masterpiece revolvers with 5" barrels that were made up for the Missouri State Highway Patrol in the early 1950s. Many thanks to a Forum member who was willing to sell me this gem. I'm also thankful to fellow SWCA members, Shawn and Russ, who assisted me in learning more about these wonderful revolvers.
This revolver, of course, shows the honest wear you would expect from a well-used duty gun. But it is a rare piece and I am very happy to have it join my collection of postwar K target frame revolvers.
This revolver shipped along with 224 other CMs to the MSHP on October 3, 1952. In 1976, it was purchased by the officer who had carried it, when the department switched to the Model 66. When it was shipped to me recently, it was packaged in a Model 66 box carrying a serial number that shipped in 1976. Clearly the officer was given the box with the gun when he purchased it from the MSHP.
Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure.

It's hard not to love the "fishhook" hammers!

Finally, here is the MSHP revolver with a Model 15-2 for comparison with the standard 4" barrel.

I'm a pretty happy camper right now!
Jack

 

[824tsv]

Looks nice Jack,
Does it have any agency markings?

 

[JP@AK]

Does it have any agency markings?

Nope. Apparently the Missouri Highway Patrol didn't do that - at least in this era. I've seen photos of others of these special CMs and none have been department marked.
Jack

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

The grips show wear, but are in good shape for a holstered duty weapon, especially if it was worn in a car. Do they number to the gun?

 

[Retired W4]

That is a really nice, well used and well cared for revolver. Thanks for sharing.

 

[S&W ucla]

Welcome to the club! I finally got one earlier this year. Mine shoots great too! Russ and Shawn are the experts on these (even won an award for a MSHP display at the SWCA annual meeting!) and mighty fine folks as well. Congratulations, that 5" K-frame is just perfectly balanced to me. Enjoy!

 

[JP@AK]

Do they number to the gun?

I need to check. What I am certain of is they were on the gun when it was bought from the MSHP in 1976. What happened before that, I can't say. I'm hoping to get some maintenance records on it. I do want to give the gun a thorough cleaning soon. When I have the stocks off, I'll look and get back to you.
I will say that the stocks actually show more wear than is evident in the photos.
Jack

 

[shawn mccarver]

Jack:

Your S&W Pre-Model 15, MSHP variation Combat Masterpiece with 5 inch barrel, Serial Number KXXXXXX, shipped from S&W on 10-3-1952. It was billed through Shapleigh Hardware Co. of St. Louis, MO, an S&W distributor at the time. It was, however, direct shipped to the Missouri State Highway Patrol in a shipment of 225 revolvers. This was the second of four shipments totalling 365 revolvers, which was enough to equip each officer with one of these revolvers, with a very small number left over for coverage in the event of repairs, or for whatever reason. Your revolver was first issued to Trooper H. I. Rhodes on 10-9-1952. On 3-30-1965, your revolver was returned to stock and reblued. On 5-6-1965, it was issued to C. M. Price. It was returned to stock on 12-14-1976 at which time it was traded, through B. E. Hodgdon Co., who handled the trade-in of the MSHP revolvers and their subsequent re-sale to troopers, through then Sgt. Roy Bergman (later Captain Roy Bergman, Commanding Officer of Troop F), the Patrol's firearms training officer and armorer at the time.

Congratulations on your new acquisition!

Best regards,

Shawn McCarver

 

[JP@AK]

Thank you very much, Shawn! Great info to have.
I find it interesting that it was returned to stock on the 14th of December, 1976. According to the invoice provided by the seller, the trooper who purchased it through Sgt. Bergman was the same C. M. Price you mentioned as having had possession since May of 1965. By the time he bought the gun, he was a Lt., apparently with F Troop. At least that is what is written on a piece of paper taped to the top of the Model 66 box. The invoice says that Sgt. Bergman transferred the revolver to Lt. Price on December 21, 1976, just one week after the gun was returned to stock.
I love this stuff!
Regards,
Jack

 

[linde]

Congratulations Jack . . . I'm pleased it went to a good home . . . enjoy.

And thank you Shawn for sharing its history . . . knowing the names of those who carried it is one of the really neat things about owning and preserving these unique Masterpieces.

Russ

 

[shouldazagged]

Great back story and a fine old gun. Keep us posted after you've cleaned and shot it.

 

[jimmyj]

Hi;
Interesting revolver.
Question: Why would an Agency order/purchase a Model 15 (Combat Masterpiece)with a special 5" barrel when the same revolver Model 14 with a six inch barrel (K-38 Masterpiece) was a regular factory offering?
Duty holsters in that era was for 4" or 6" barrels. Not only did the agency pay more for the special barrel length (5")?? but most likely paid more for the special run of duty holsters for a 5" barrel ??
As a added note-I have carried both 5" and 6" barrel service revolvers and one carry the same as the other. I never understood agencies love for 5" barrels but a number used 5" barrels (FHP, DPD,etc)

 

[shawn mccarver]

Hi;
Interesting revolver.
Question: Why would an Agency order/purchase a Model 15 (Combat Masterpiece)with a special 5" barrel when the same revolver Model 14 with a six inch barrel (K-38 Masterpiece) was a regular factory offering?
Duty holsters in that era was for 4" or 6" barrels. Not only did the agency pay more for the special barrel length (5")?? but most likely paid more for the special run of duty holsters for a 5" barrel ??
As a added note-I have carried both 5" and 6" barrel service revolvers and one carry the same as the other. I never understood agencies love for 5" barrels but a number used 5" barrels (FHP, DPD,etc)

Most, if not all of the people directly involved in the decision are now deceased. However, it is thought that they did so because the Missouri State Highway Patrol had a long history with 5 inch barrels. When the agency started in 1931, their first issue revolver was the M&P with 5 inch barrel. That was followed by 5 inch Colt Official Police revolvers, then 5 inch S&W Heavy Duty revolvers. The 5 inch Pre-15 Combat Masterpiece was next. When the authorized strength of the Patrol was increased and additional troopers hired, they started buying 4 inch Combat Masterpiece revolvers. It is a guess, but most of us feel that they needed revolvers for the new troopers entering training quicker than S&W could cut longer barrels off. Thus, they bought the standard off-the-shelf model.

Thus, from 1952 until 1976, MSHP had the 5 inch Pre-15s originally purchased, as well as additional 4 inch Combat Masterpiece revolvers as the patrol grew. Thus, some troopers carried the 5 inch and others carried the 4 inch. They always used 5 inch holsters for uniformity and ease of inventory, so a 4 inch would be carried in a holster for a 5 inch revolver.

The 5 inch balances very well, and that barrel length was probably more popular than you realize during that era. If you shoot one, you will see how much better.

MSHP duty holsters were custom made by Dehner's of Omaha and they will still make the 5 inch "Missouri Style" if you ask and it is the same price as all of their leather goods are custom made to order. It actually takes less leather for a 5 inch than a 6 inch, although the difference is negligible.

That concept is unheard of today where the holster body is cut by an expensive die at most of the big leather goods makers. A hand made holster, however, can be cut to any length just as easily. Thus, it was always the same price. Issuing one length simplified inventory control, however.

It is also unclear that MSHP paid more for these 5 inch guns - they may have - but it has also been theorized that S&W used the tapered barrel K38 barrels that were left over from the original 6 inch tapered K38s that were still sitting in inventory unused after the K38 Heavy was introduced. It may have cost less in those days to cut a 6 inch than to make brand new barrels. S&W may have simply wanted to use up the inventory. Who knows?

The price was so low by today's standards, that it certainly does not seem like they paid much, if any, extra for the 5 inch guns. MSHP paid $47.77 each for the June 1952 shipment (50). The price changed to $53.35 per revolver for the revolvers in the two October 1952 shipments (285). The revolvers in the 1953 shipment were purchased for $47.19 each (30). Very odd, as the two smaller shipments were priced lower than the larger shipments in October 1952.

 

[Biggfoot44]

In the '50s 6in bbls were still semi-common , admittedly by the '70s were becoming anachronistic.

 

[model70hunter]

Awesome revolver. Great input by Shawn.I grew up in Missouri and remember the holsters were longer, I thought they were a 6".

 

[bjornolf]

Congrats, JP. Awesome acquisition.

 

[jkmo]

I went thru the MSHP academy in 1979. They did the state mandated training for smaller departments around Missouri. Bergman was a Lt. then and a conducted the firearms training. He was also a heck of a shot. They said he shot the FBI course somewhere, maybe Quantico and had the highest score ever. He slicked up this rookies 4 in 19-4. I can still see him reducing the mainspring with an old stone. I used that gun to set a record for highest score ever in the recruits class and shot it hard until the forcing cone split. Nice memories

 

[JP@AK]

The grips show wear, but are in good shape for a holstered duty weapon . . . Do they number to the gun?

Well, I got the old girl thoroughly cleaned up now and (obviously) had the stocks off. They do not number to this revolver. In fact, they point to a K frame revolver that shipped in 1964.
I'm thinking that when Trooper Rhodes turned this revolver in for maintenance in March, 1965, the armorer who worked on it put these stocks on instead of the originals, which may have been well worn by that time. We have to remember that the MSHP was a working police agency. They were not too worried about how changing the stocks might affect some goofy collector (like me) 40+ years later.
Anyway, I'm obviously still very happy to have this historic Combat Masterpiece, incorrect stocks or not!
Jack

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

The last several K guns I have bought with diamond magnas, did not have stocks numbered to the gun, but yet, the stocks were in great shape, so I counted myself ahead of the game when I thought about what the originals might have looked like.

 

[H Richard]

Now you will need to set your sights for an IL State Police 5" with the heavy barrel. Linde and Shawn can fill you in much better than I can, but this one was from a shipment 7/3/57, and was returned to the factory for a complete refurbish in 1966 by the trooper who used it in competition. It was used very little after that. The stocks were evidently replaced in 66 by the factory, but I have subsequently replaced them with some non relieved targets to more accurately reflect the vintage.