New K-38

[Mustang]

A few months ago I acquired a K-22 revolver in order to satisfy an interest in 5-screw S&W revolvers.

That may have been a mistake! Now I'm obsessed with getting more 5-screw S&W's. Today I glommed a K-38 at an on-line auction. It looks like it is in pretty good condition and came with a box. The auction pics can tell the tale...

[smle-man]

Wow! Very nice. Love those old Smith revolvers.

[VegasND]

Nice - you've got the idea, congratulations on the acquisition. I'm always on the look out for another nice C&R revolver to add to my accumulation.

The ones I buy are usually shooters - not collector quality so I don't call it a 'collection'

That K38 will probably be a great range companion; be sure to post your impressions after you get a chance to shoot it.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Wow! Very nice. I prefer these over modern revolvers any day.

[highpower]

Nice catch! I have a 1950 vintage K38. I have been looking for the third part of the holy trinity, a K32 Masterpiece but no luck so far.

[Mike Armstrong]

A great buy! Those K-Masterpieces are truly among the best-made US handguns! I have only two now, an 8 3/8" M48-2 .22 WRM and a 6" Model 16-4 32 H&R Magnum. Not really collectors items but great shooters. A K-38 with match target wadcutters is a great small game gun, too--kills 'em dead but doesn't ruin much meat.

Real K-32 Masterpieces are VERY hard to find; they just didn't make many and many ended up in S&W collections. Even 16-4s are hard to come by now. When I bought mine, it had sat in a gunshop unsold for over 2 1/2 years, and the price was right....

[Mustang]

Wow! Very nice. Love those old Smith revolvers.

Wow! Very nice. I prefer these over modern revolvers any day.

Thanks, guys. More pics and a range report after it arrives and gets out of jail.

[Mustang]

Nice - you've got the idea, congratulations on the acquisition. I'm always on the look out for another nice C&R revolver to add to my accumulation.

The ones I buy are usually shooters - not collector quality so I don't call it a 'collection'

That K38 will probably be a great range companion; be sure to post your impressions after you get a chance to shoot it.

I definitely will shoot this...and let you know what my impressions are.

[Mustang]

Nice catch! I have a 1950 vintage K38. I have been looking for the third part of the holy trinity, a K32 Masterpiece but no luck so far.

A great buy! Those K-Masterpieces are truly among the best-made US handguns! I have only two now, an 8 3/8" M48-2 .22 WRM and a 6" Model 16-4 32 H&R Magnum. Not really collectors items but great shooters. A K-38 with match target wadcutters is a great small game gun, too--kills 'em dead but doesn't ruin much meat.

Real K-32 Masterpieces are VERY hard to find; they just didn't make many and many ended up in S&W collections. Even 16-4s are hard to come by now. When I bought mine, it had sat in a gunshop unsold for over 2 1/2 years, and the price was right....

Thanks, guys. I'm also looking for a K-32, but fear that you both are right...finding one, at a decent price, will be a matter of dumb luck.

I do believe that the S&W revolvers from the 40's and 50's were probably some of the finest ever made.

[Enfield47]

That one looks to be in great condition, congrats!

[Mustang]

Thanks, Enfield. Better pics and a range report when it arrives.

[SVT-40]

Love the gold box...you don't see those very often any more. very elegant revolver.

[Mustang]

Love the gold box...you don't see those very often any more. very elegant revolver.

Thanks, SVT. I've got something for S&W revolvers, maybe from having carried them for so long. But the 1950's vintage revolvers are really special.

I spoke with the guy at the shipping company and he reassured me that he understands the value of the box and would pack it and the revolver with special care. Coincidentally, he is the guy who packed the K-22 that I got several months ago (even though it came from different auction house) and he did a fine job on the K-22.

[Mustang]

The K-38 arrived at my FFL today and started the 10-day "cooling off " period. I gave it a good look-see and it is in great shape. There is very little wear on the bluing, no scratches on the metal, a few scratches on the grips. It almost looks like it was left in the box and fired very little.

The box is also in good shape and has the correct serial number written in grease pencil on the bottom. There is no paper label on the box ends, but one in the inside of the box top. The brown grease paper is still present, although a little tattered.

As I said, I'm betting this revolver spent most of its life in the box, wrapped up in the grease paper in the bedroom closet. I'll post pics when the "cooling off' period has ended.

[Mustang]

I can't bring the revolver home for another week, but I did bring the box home...