S&W .38 Target Revolver

MG1890

What model would be the most accurate, long barreled .38 Special S&W revolver? Model 27? What are the smaller frame, 8-3/8" or longer models? .38 Special; .357 Magnum not necessary.

Looking for the ultimate .38 paper puncher.

Thanks!

savage170

Model 14 that I have is very accurate 6" barrel on that one. They're available with a 8 3/8 barrel and rare but if you like a full lug there is few of them too.

charliemeyer007

27's are sweet N frame 357. I bought a new K-38 6" for my dad. After he died I gave it to my niece. I worked it over before I gave it to dad. Very nice pistol to learn to shoot with. Model 14 are easier to find.

Added the K-38 was before the model# And yes they will shoot better than most people can hold them.

perry shooter

Most accurate [?] look what the Bulls-Eye shooters use . Most K38 target model 6 inch barrel . You may need a pistol smith to check Cylinder with Range rod to make sure all 6 chambers are centered to barrel forcing cone. plus chambers are correct size. I am OLD SCHOOL and my opinion is some of the older guns had better Quality control
over cylinder chambering and fourcing cone

CapnMidnight

I agree with Karl, it's real hard to beat a K 38 Masterpiece, or early model 14. Most of these will shoot straighter than you can shoot.
W.D.

MG1890

OK, you learned gentlemen are confusing me.

My book says a model 14 is a K38.

Model 15 is a Combat Masterpiece.

Is there a difference? Some of your answers seem to interchange the model name vs. model number..

Ah ha.... the ramped front sight. Also, they are both "masterpieces", combat vs. target.

The PPC revolvers may be in my future, but for now I want a gorgeous blued Smith. Thanks all for your help!

PS - the reason for the .38 revolver is for places where the grass is too tall to find .45 ACP brass!


All right. Questions have been answered by some obviously very knowledgeable people, and I thank you. I will be watching the fall NY gun shows for a 95% condition model 14 with 6" barrel, target hammer and target trigger. Sounds like this is what I want.

rufe-snow

quote:Originally posted by MG1890
OK, you learned gentlemen are confusing me.

My book says a model 14 is a K38.

Model 15 is a Combat Masterpiece.

Is there a difference? Some of your answers seem to interchange the model name vs. model number..


Photo below is of a Model 15. Note the ramped front sight, and 4" barrel. These are the main differences between Models 14 & 15.

Mk 19

If your looking for a good paper puncher you can find a PPC gun for a decent price, here are a couple:

http://www.GunBroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=440382006
http://www.GunBroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=441339956
http://www.GunBroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=441236490
http://www.GunBroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=440871899

The other way would be a full custom build, I am about to send a 357 Blackhawk into Bayside Custom Gunworks for a full Franken-Ruger build, it is a fully free floated barrel that is held in a extended shroud, that way the pistol can be used on a rest without changing point of impact, it will be a perfect 300 yard gong ringer. Here is a little info on the build:

http://www.baysidecustomgunworks.com/
http://bcgunworks.freeforums.net/thread/45/franken-ruger

savage170

The model 14 is also known as the k38 target masterpiece and the model 15 the k38 combat master piece

geeguy

Interesting topic: I own several model 14's and was always under the impression that the difference between a Standard model 14 and a K38 (also printed as a model 14)was the wide trigger and hammer.

One of my 14's (all are 6") has the ramped sight without the wide trigger and hammer, and another has the standard sight with the wide trigger and hammer, another with the ramped sight and the wide trigger and hammer. I'm pretty sure these have never been modified (don't have the original boxes).

I would be interested in additional explanation of the difference.

Thanks for the info Hawk. To add, I have had several "good" Bullseye shooters use two of my 14's with no modifications and my 158 gr. lead reloads and they scored 286 of 300 first time with both guns, so they are a very accurate gun from the factory.

Hawk Carse

S&W is very inconsistent about their model designations.

When I was growing up into guns, a Model 14 was commonly known as a K38 and was distinguished by a 6" barrel and Patridge post front sight. Masterpiece was a catalog term nobody I know used in conversation. And the transition from the original post war Masterpiece to the Heavy Masterpiece with all calibers weighing the same was complete about the time I was old enough for a Daisy.
Yes, there is an 8.375" version. I don't like the balance.

Model 15 was the Combat Masterpiece, with 4" barrel and Baughman ramp front sight. And we called it the Combat Masterpiece.

In later years, S&W got to messing with their revolver configurations and I have seen 4" M14s with wide rib and post or ramp sight; and 6" M15s with narrow ribs and ramp sights.

Narrow triggers and small pad hammers were standard, wide triggers and hammers were regular options on all versions.

So don't depend on nomenclature, look at the individual gun and be sure it is what you want to shoot.

beantownshootah

To (re-) answer the question, I think the model 14 is the one people use most for .38 target competition. That's the one that has held (and probably still holds) all the centerfire accuracy awards, and probably the one you want.

Model 27 can also be highly accurate, as can any number of others (EG Smith 19, 66, 686 etc), but the conventional wisdom is that purpose-built .38s will be more accurate than .357s shooting .38s. In practice, so long as you have a good individual gun, I think any of these will shoot better than 99.5%+ of individual shooters. While equipment does matter, I think you're going to have to a pretty high level shooter before (say) the difference between gun models is going to create a difference in your group size.

As already mentioned, main difference between model 14 and 15 is that 14 uses a target-type "Patridge" sight and 15 has a ramped "combat" sight (that doesn't snag on draw). For pure indoor target use, target sight is probably best. For more "mixed" use (ie hunting, defense, practice, AND target) the ramp sight might be preferable. Either one is going to be a *LOT* better for precise shooting than the typical fixed sights on other Smith .38s.

You didn't ask, but on barrel length, contrary to what might be termed "popular opinion" having a longer barrel does NOT always mean more accuracy. A longer barrel will put more weight out front, change the balance of the gun a bit, and reduce muzzle flip. Those could be advantages depending on what kind of shooting you're doing.

Longer barrel potentially means more velocity, though that's NOT necessarily an advantage in terms of accuracy. In fact, with really slow moving bullets (like .38 target wadcutters), longer barrel means longer "dwell time" of the bullet within the barrel potentially REDUCING accuracy.

Longer sight radius with a longer barrel can mean increased potential accuracy, especially if you're shooting from a rested position. On the other hand, if you're NOT shooting off a rest, a longer sight radius typically introduces more "wobble" into the sight picture. Many shooters find this distracting, and in practice, they actually don't shoot any better. . .or even shoot worse. . .with longer barrel guns.

For this reason, many match bullseye shooters still prefer 5.5" barrels over 7.5" ones, even if when they can use the longer barrel.
Personally speaking, I find that I shoot a 6" gun better than a 4" and better than an 8" one. I prefer a 5.5" over a 7.5".

Obviously, there are individuals who prefer the longer radius. The point is, this can vary from shooter to shooter, and you shouldn't assume that you HAVE to have the "Dirty Harry" 8-3/8" barrel for max accuracy. You're probably best served trying different things, and seeing what works best for you.

Edit: Just responding to what Hawk Carse said above. Yes, if you can find one of these with the wide "target" triggers and hammers, those are probably preferable. Wide hammer, obviously, doesn't make the gun any more accurate, and it can make the gun more snag prone when drawing, but its a little bit nicer on the thumb when cocking the gun (say) 200 times in an afternoon. Wide trigger spreads out the trigger pull weight over more of the finger, making the pull seem (but not actually be) a bit lighter.