Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Help IDing this s&w

Can anybody assist me in identifying this s&w 38? I think it might be a 15-3

Additional photo:

It’s not

Looks like a pre number K-38 Target Masterpiece, should have SN marked on the the cylinder, under the barrel on the flat, on the frame, and inside the stocks. Nice S&W.

In those days the stocks were exactly fitted and finished to the individual gun. It was almost the last step of production before the blueing. When they came back the carefully put away and serial numbered stocks were taken from little drawers placed in a type of closet placed on wheels and mounted the the mother-gun.

Yeah, pre model 15. The hammer says it's a 4 or 5 screw. A pic of the other side would be a bit more telling.

It’s a post war K-frame made before 1955, K-38, I think. The pictures are small and fuzzy. Looks to be in pretty nice shape. If it has been taken care of you will find it very accurate and a pleasure to shoot.

Pre model number 17, the 15 is the K-38 Combat Masterpiece with the 4” barrel.

I think you're right that Smith called the 4" K-frame .38 Special revolver with adjustable sights the Combat Masterpiece. It later became the Model 15.

I think the 6" version of that gun was called the K-38 Target Masterpiece, and became the Model 14. It was a target revolver, and it had two cousins: the K-22 in .22 LR, which became the M-17, and the K-32 in .32 Smith & Wesson, which became the Model 16.

But anything is possible with S&W.


Okie John

Looks like a 14 or pre-14. (K38)

Yeah, a pre 14, I get them backward sometimes. Same with the K22's.

Just trying to help, incorrect info ain't much help is it.

I vote with the majority. It's a K-38 Masterpiece, aka 14 or pre-14.

I had a brain fart, a pre Model 14 not a pre Model 17 duh….