S&W 14-3 Single Action Only

[470Evans]

I've had this gun in my safe for years and recently took it out to look it over. I understand that in addition to the factory offering these guns with the single action option that you could also buy a kit and retrofit your gun.

Per Roy's letter this one was made in the factory as a single action in 1973. I believe the grips are replacements but they feel better to my hand.

What is the desirability of these guns?

 

[Narragansett]

Well, as far as being desirable, yours looks to be in very nice condition. Being SAO, I am sure has some value as a premium, not sure how much. I really do not know how many were made.

From my perspective, I would not pay a premium, unless I was a collector, because a SA/DA standard action will do both

Very nice example though

 

[silverstateS&W]

dont know abiut value but interesting i worked in a sporting goods store from 75-79 and when one came in we thought it was broken.!
Larry in Reno

 

[6string]

Value and desirability is very subjective on this one.
Some folks don't see the sense in it. Perhaps they're DA shooters only? Whenever the topic arises, they say stuff like wanting to have both options (SA DA), etc.
The niche group of target shooters once favored them for the Bullseye course of fire. But, that group moved on from revolvers some time ago, preferring to use their .45 for both the CF and .45 course.
The rapid fire portion of the Int'l CF Match involves shooting Duel style. On signal you raise the gun from 45 degrees, fire a single shot, then lower the gun. Just about everyone, if using a revolver, cocks the hammer with the weak side hand and await the signal for the next shot. So, no advantage there.

The real demand for this was from the 1930s to the 1950s, when custom gunsmiths made these conversions. By the time S&W got in on the act, it was probably too late.

Yours is a very nice example!

 

[Bullet Bob]

Mine is my favorite K-38, and that's saying something. I value it very highly, but not in monetary terms.

 

[Housepuss]

S&W 14-3 SAO

My one and only M14 SAO is a 14-2. It left the factory in 9-1964
Roy's letter says it's a factory SAO and has the exact same
description as yours and shipped to Charles Greenblattt Inc of
NYC, just like yours was.

Very nice shooter but then again so are all of my M14's.

Regards,
Dick

 

[Inland7-45]

Beautiful K-38. I just picked up a 14-3 from 1969. Also have a 17-3, 18-3 from 1972 as well as an early no dash model 67 and a model 64 from the end of the pinned barrel era. They are all great guns with one thing in common. The S&W K frame has what is arguably the best DA pull of any revolver. None of my K guns have the single capability removed but I never fire them single action either. The same goes for my J-frame guns and Colt Cobra. My 1917 Colts and mid 1960’s Colt have fairly heavy DA pulls so O do most of my shooting SA with these guns.

I still have my collection of S&W catalogs and add copies from the 40’s through the 70’s. My 1967, 1968 and 1971 catalogs show a separate photo and specification line for K-38 Masterpiece Single Action. The SA only feature added $10 to list price for 1967, $11 for 1968 and $13 for 1971.

I this were my gun I would load up a bunch of 148 gr wadcutters with a mid range charge of Bullseye or Unique and enjoy some slow fire time at an indoor range.

Congrats on such a nice find

 

[M29since14]

They’re not terribly uncommon. Desirability is almost certainly the opinion of a prospective buyer. I wouldn’t expect to get a premium for mine, and it has the original hammer and a DA/SA hammer, too, which has been fitted and is fully functional.

The stocks on your gun look to be correct. I can’t recall whether my gun came with target hammer and trigger. I’ve never fired mine. It came to me in rather unfortunate circumstances and I haven’t had the heart to sell it on down the road. The ones I have fired were nice guns but I am not enough of a trigger connoisseur to tell any practical difference between them and an ordinary K38/M14 used in single-action mode.

 

[Moo Moo]

We get quite a few SAO Model 14's here in Australia used to compete in the International Sporting Sports Federation (ISSF) "Centrefire Match". This consists of 30 x Precision shots and 30 x Duelling shots as mentioned above by 6String.

One of my Model 14's is set up for the CF match and is SAO.

I myself would like to know how can you tell the difference between a Model 14 Factory SAO (other than a letter), a OEM SAO kit, or a Gunsmiths own SAO modification? Thanks.

 

[rct269]

The primary (PRIMARY) advantage to be had, assuming you're one of those rare birds who can shoot as well as your gun can; and can shoot as the best of the best snipers (between heartbeats, or so I'm told) is to be found in the original name-----to wit: The SHORT ACTION Single Action K-38. The bottom line here is there's the long actions of the pre-war revolvers, the short actions of the post war revolvers, and the even shorter actions of the SHORT ACTION Single Action K-38's-----------and shorter actions are faster/quicker actions---quicker lock times.

I measured all of this back when I had the hardware to measure (which I no longer have)----and no longer remember with the degree of accuracy required to utter definitive statements, but best recollection has the SASA K-38 at 20% quicker.

It's easy enough to do the measurements (best done with a machinist rule----or any with tenths to simplify the math): Simply measure from the business end of the (cocked) firing pin to the vertical surface of the frame in the cutout underneath the rear sight----the post-war micro adjustable sight. (Comparing measurements of pre-war and post-war items gets you into apples and oranges.)

As to values, my SA/SA K-38 (aka as a Model 14-3) shipped November 6, 1972 sold within the last three years for $910, thereabouts. It was as new, in THE box. Other K-38's from my collection, in comparable condition but w/o box went for $890 (narrow rib/5 screw) and $950 (wide rib/5 screw).

Ralph Tremaine

 

[M29since14]

… I myself would like to know how can you tell the difference between a Model 14 Factory SAO (other than a letter), a OEM SAO kit, or a Gunsmiths own SAO modification? Thanks.

The end label of my gun’s box says “SA” on it.

 

[rct269]

The difference I recall is no difference between a SA/SA factory gun and a regular gun fitted with the conversion kit. As to a gunsmith's (or your) conversion, I suspect they simply remove the DA sear. The result is a SA only gun, but it is not a Short Action Single Action gun; and therefore has no advantage.

Ralph Tremaine

 

[chief38]

Only speaking personally of course, but I am not a fan of a single action only or double action only revolvers. I like the choice and see absolutely no reason for either. If you want to shoot a normal revolver double action - then just pull the trigger. Single action shooting, just cock it first then pull the trigger. Why it needs to be a dedicate solely to one or the other is beyond me.

Others may not agree and that is their privilege, however I personally would either not buy one and if I inherited one I'd convert it back to SA/DA.

 

[Green Frog]

I am not in my finest memory mode, but I can only recall The K-38 being set up for target shooting in SA only, with no mention of 22s or 32s nor of any N frame factory SA models. Is this correct?

Of course it would be a simple matter to install that SA parts kit in my stash into my faux Model 16-3.

Froggie

 

[rct269]

I am not in my finest memory mode, but I can only recall The K-38 being set up for target shooting in SA only, with no mention of 22s or 32s nor of any N frame factory SA models. Is this correct?

Of course it would be a simple matter to install that SA parts kit in my stash into my faux Model 16-3.

Froggie

The K-38 is the only one I know of also---probably due to its popularity for use in Bullseye centerfire competition-----before the auto-loaders took over.

Ralph Tremaine.

 

[jcelect]

SAO

As stated above, any S&W can be made to operate SAO by removing the DA sear. However, a gun from the factory or one built from the kit has a hammer that is not cut for the DA sear.

Note the front face of the hammer, no DA sear cut!
jcelect

 

[Moo Moo]

Thanks for the info. I'll check out mine shortly.

I believe the reason for the SAO triggers for shooting ISSF Centerfire is to help get the trigger weight down to around the 1000 grams limit.

 

[ordnanceguy]

470:

The subject of the Single Action Only Model 14 K-38 Masterpiece revolvers has come up on the forum in the past with some regularity. Here are some earlier threads on the subject:

K-38 SINGLE ACTION

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...tion-mod-14-a.html?highlight=Single+Action+14

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...1-factory-sao.html?highlight=Single+Action+14

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...erpiece-value.html?highlight=Single+Action+14

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...e-action-only.html?highlight=Single+Action+14

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...ferent-action.html?highlight=Single+Action+14

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...on-model-14-a.html?highlight=Single+Action+14

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...o-value-today.html?highlight=Single+Action+14

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1961-1980/611344-14-3-sao.html?highlight=Single+Action+14

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...e-action-only.html?highlight=Single+Action+14

And to answer your direct question, yes, the SAO Model 14s have a small but devoted following and are considered to be a very desirable variant of the K-38 Masterpiece.

I hope this helps you.

Regards,
Charlie

 

[YeshuaIsa53]

Model 14-3 Single Action

99%+ ANIB with tools and lettered

Nothing like a breath of fresh air!

 

[hkcavalier]

I won an as-is auction for a used-but-nice 14-3 last month, and when I went to my local FFL I found that --- sure enough --- it's an SAO gun. Due to the rules here in WA I have to wait to bring it home and open it up to see what the hammer looks like. If it looks factory I'll spring for a letter. If it's obviously an aftermarket job, I'll almost certainly convert it back to DA/SA.