Recent Aquisition S&W 38 Special CTG

AOM1Carbine · 10-14-2009, 10:21 AM

My father was a auxillory police office for a local town for many years and recently has given this gun to me. A Smith and Wesson 38 Special CTG....He has never fired it in all the years he owned it. Is there anybody that can give me so good information on this handgun it has adjustable sights and a 4 Inch barrel with the letter K in the serial number?

Its a beautiful gun I was looking for an estimated production date and value....also can it handle +p loads?

Thanks

ke4sky · 10-14-2009, 10:55 AM

The K prefix before the serial number indicates this is a transitional .38 Hand Ejector model with the post-war short action made prior to stamping the model designator in the yoke cut of the frame and before introduction of the "new style" hammer block. Your revolver was assembled in 1954 and is NOT +P rated.

Hammer Down · 10-15-2009, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AOM1Carbine

My father was a auxillory police office for a local town for many years and recently has given this gun to me. A Smith and Wesson 38 Special CTG....He has never fired it in all the years he owned it. Is there anybody that can give me so good information on this handgun it has adjustable sights and a 4 Inch barrel with the letter K in the serial number?

Its a beautiful gun I was looking for an estimated production date and value....also can it handle +p loads?

Thanks

Hello
When Civilian Gun production resumed after World War II, S&W changed the hammer Block assembly which Prompted The K-Prefix on K-Frame revolvers and an S-Prefix on Post-War -N-Frame revolver's.. Previous K-Frame revolver's had a hammer mounted block and sadly one failed on a Navy ship , as a sailor dropped his World War II victory Model, and when it hit the ship steel deck it discharged Killing the sailor, Prompting a Madatory recall from the Springfield Armory of all Previously released Victory models to get the new modified hammer block installed, and these revolver's were then stamped with a small V Prefix on the left upper rear frame area of the revolver after this change. The Post-War examples also had the new short throw actions as well. With Your Father's revolver having a 4" Barrel it sounds like a Model 15 or Pre-15 Known as The Combat Masterpiece. This gun is the shorter barrel version of the famous K-38 Target Masterpiece model that had a 6" barrel and Patridge front sight blade. Your's will have the Baughman style quick draw ramped sight blade which prevented snagging when drawing it from a holster. Tooling up was as a Little slow after the War, and this model came Three Year's after they resumed production so They made them from 1949-1999 but before 1957 they were called a Pre-15 which had a six Groove back strap and was a Five screw gun and after 1957 they started stamping the crane area with the guns model number, which later became a Ten Groove back strap starting with 15 which changed to a Four Screw Model, then as design changes were made they got a dash series stamp in the crane area as 15-1, 15-2 and so on, and they Became a Three screw gun after 1962 or so. To tell when it was from I would need to have a serial number. I have a bank of serial numbers to reference with on shipping Dates but to be precise you would have to share it with me. If you prefer just PM me a Partial serial number of your Dad's gun leaving the last number an X prefix. That way I can look it up for you, and his serial number remains unknown only to you. An estimate of value can not be determined until I know when it was made as the earlier ones are a Lot Higher in collector Value and sell for a lot more in the open Market, compared to the newer models. It sounds as though this revolver either has never been shot or shot very little if your dad got it issued to him new. It is perfectly safe to fire Plus-P ammo in that frame size it will not hurt a thing. Below is a Model 15-4 from the Mid 1970's. They came in either Nickel or Blued finish's. I hope this helps, Hammerdown

SightNSqueeze · 10-15-2009, 08:31 AM

Thanks for the details Hammer Down. It sounds like a Model 15 that a fellow officer had when I was in law enforcement. It was a ".38 only" and he used it in 4" service revolver competitions. It was a smooth and accurate revolver.

AOM1Carbine · 10-15-2009, 01:04 PM

Thats definilty the gun hammerdown but its in the blued finish and its absolutly FLAWLESS

the cylinder is real tough to come out as well once you press the release is this a matter of lack of lubrication or just lack of use?

AOM1Carbine · 10-15-2009, 01:06 PM

and he was an auxillory so he bought his own, new in the box

Hammer Down · 10-15-2009, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AOM1Carbine

Thats definilty the gun hammerdown but its in the blued finish and its absolutly FLAWLESS

the cylinder is real tough to come out as well once you press the release is this a matter of lack of lubrication or just lack of use?

Hello
Yours is A Three screw Gun made in 1972. It needs to be Lubricated properly to end the hard Opening problem... Hammerdown

AOM1Carbine · 10-15-2009, 09:21 PM

Thanks!

Bookman · 10-15-2009, 10:01 PM

There's a screw on the righthand side of your S&W revolver, forward of the trigger, below the opening in the frame. Loosen and remove it and the whole cylinder/crane assembly will slip right out the front. Nothing else will come loose.

Clean all the gunk out, oil the parts, and your revolver will operate smoother.

AOM1Carbine · 10-19-2009, 11:35 AM

Hey Bookman that helped alot it swings out perfectly now

Bookman · 10-26-2009, 09:08 PM

No problem, AOM1Carbine. Been there, done that.

Canuck Shooter · 11-05-2009, 10:01 AM

Hammerdown, you help me considerably in the past with my K-22 (circa 1948), I am currently looking a another Smith a 38 special, serial # K219XXX, 5 screw, s/ns on the butt, grip panel, extractor, cylinder, and also the underside of barrel. Could you please fill me in on any info like date of manufacture, and value (looks in real good shape). It seems that I'm starting to get addicted to these S&W revolvers.
Thanks in advance.

Hammer Down · 11-05-2009, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canuck Shooter

Hammerdown, you help me considerably in the past with my K-22 (circa 1948), I am currently looking a another Smith a 38 special, serial # K219XXX, 5 screw, s/ns on the butt, grip panel, extractor, cylinder, and also the underside of barrel. Could you please fill me in on any info like date of manufacture, and value (looks in real good shape). It seems that I'm starting to get addicted to these S&W revolvers.
Thanks in advance.

Hello Canuck
Is it a fixed sighted revolver ? if so that one was called an M&P or Pre-10. If is has Target sights and a 6" Barrel it is called a K-38 Target Masterpiece. If is has a 4" Barrel with adjustable sights it will be a Combat Masterpiece or Pre-15. I need to know more about the gun model to tell you it's worth, but it would fall into this range and year 1954-K-210096--K--231255 . I hope this helps, Hammerdown

Canuck Shooter · 11-10-2009, 07:30 AM

Hammerdown, I had another look at the K-38, it has a 6" barell with adjustable sights, also it is S/Ned inside the right grip panel. Hope this helps you to ballpark a fair value.
Thanks in advance.

10-14-2009, 10:21 AM	#1
AOM1Carbine Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Connecticut Posts: 31	Recent Aquisition S&W 38 Special CTG My father was a auxillory police office for a local town for many years and recently has given this gun to me. A Smith and Wesson 38 Special CTG....He has never fired it in all the years he owned it. Is there anybody that can give me so good information on this handgun it has adjustable sights and a 4 Inch barrel with the letter K in the serial number? Its a beautiful gun I was looking for an estimated production date and value....also can it handle +p loads? Thanks

10-14-2009, 10:55 AM	#2
ke4sky Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 104	The K prefix before the serial number indicates this is a transitional .38 Hand Ejector model with the post-war short action made prior to stamping the model designator in the yoke cut of the frame and before introduction of the "new style" hammer block. Your revolver was assembled in 1954 and is NOT +P rated.
	1 members found this post helpful.

10-15-2009, 08:31 AM	#4
SightNSqueeze Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Intercoastal Sea Islands, SC, USA Posts: 2,725	Thanks for the details Hammer Down. It sounds like a Model 15 that a fellow officer had when I was in law enforcement. It was a ".38 only" and he used it in 4" service revolver competitions. It was a smooth and accurate revolver. __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Was "Your" Voice Heard Today? NRA-ILA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

10-15-2009, 01:04 PM	#5
AOM1Carbine Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Connecticut Posts: 31	Thats definilty the gun hammerdown but its in the blued finish and its absolutly FLAWLESS the cylinder is real tough to come out as well once you press the release is this a matter of lack of lubrication or just lack of use?

10-15-2009, 01:06 PM	#6
AOM1Carbine Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Connecticut Posts: 31	and he was an auxillory so he bought his own, new in the box

10-15-2009, 09:21 PM	#8
AOM1Carbine Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Connecticut Posts: 31	Thanks!

10-15-2009, 10:01 PM	#9
Bookman Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: 10 paces south of Canada Posts: 836	There's a screw on the righthand side of your S&W revolver, forward of the trigger, below the opening in the frame. Loosen and remove it and the whole cylinder/crane assembly will slip right out the front. Nothing else will come loose. Clean all the gunk out, oil the parts, and your revolver will operate smoother.

10-19-2009, 11:35 AM	#10
AOM1Carbine Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Connecticut Posts: 31	Hey Bookman that helped alot it swings out perfectly now

10-26-2009, 09:08 PM	#11
Bookman Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: 10 paces south of Canada Posts: 836	No problem, AOM1Carbine. Been there, done that.

11-05-2009, 10:01 AM	#12
Canuck Shooter Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 5	Hammerdown, you help me considerably in the past with my K-22 (circa 1948), I am currently looking a another Smith a 38 special, serial # K219XXX, 5 screw, s/ns on the butt, grip panel, extractor, cylinder, and also the underside of barrel. Could you please fill me in on any info like date of manufacture, and value (looks in real good shape). It seems that I'm starting to get addicted to these S&W revolvers. Thanks in advance.

11-10-2009, 07:30 AM	#14
Canuck Shooter Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 5	Hammerdown, I had another look at the K-38, it has a 6" barell with adjustable sights, also it is S/Ned inside the right grip panel. Hope this helps you to ballpark a fair value. Thanks in advance.