This coming from a middle-aged guy with perfect vision, but black-on-black metal iron sights are difficult to align under the best of circumstances. While as a whole this Model 14 revolver is a sweet shooter, one area in which it falls short and is traditionally my only gripe with classical Smith & Wessons are the sights.
Fortunately for us, if you want to scratch that nostalgic wheelgun itch, Smith & Wesson does still produce 14 different revolvers through their Classic series (just no Model 14 at this time). Smith & Wesson used to make brand new manufactured versions recently dubbed a “ Model 14 Classic” which began in 2009, but even those have been discontinued. If you remember earlier in the spec list there were 4 engineering changes to this wheelgun so this specific one was manufactured closer to the tail-end of production likely some time in the 1970s without having a Letter of Authenticity from Smith & Wesson to be definitively sure.įor anyone who might be smitten by this revolver, you, unfortunately, will have to hunt down a used one if you want to add it to your collection. I affectionately call this revolver a K-38 Target Masterpiece, but it actually is a newer variant and it is a Model 14-3. After 1957 they switched to a more simplified numeric naming system and this revolver became the Model 14. Up until 1957 Smith & Wesson liked to name their revolvers with “K name” designations (think K-22 Masterpiece, K-38 Target Masterpiece, etc). If someone were to have in their possession a single-action only variant in higher quality, it could be valued as high as $1,500 nearly triple that of the example we will look at today.įor those who are thinking that this revolver looks suspiciously like a Model 14, you are absolutely correct. This example of a K-38 Target Masterpiece is likely around 80% condition and quality (my subjective opinion only) which places it solidly around $600 – $700 in value. There was an extremely small batch of K-38 Target Masterpiece revolvers made to be single-action only in 1961-1962 and they command a premium for collectors. Barrel Lengths: 6” (1947 – 1981), 8 3/8” (1959 – 1981)īy its appearance, you can correctly guess that this is a double-action/single-action revolver allowing the shooter to choose how they would like to fire the six-shooter.Sights: Black Blade Front Sight with Windage/Elevation Micro-Adjustable Black Rear Sight.The very basic specifications for this wheelgun as presented by Smith & Wesson can be read below:
Before the explosion of polymer semi-auto handguns we currently see today, revolvers like this K-38 Target Masterpiece were as common as could be at any firing line.
For target shooters throughout the 1950s – ’70s, this wheelgun was a popular option for league shooting and simply a more accurate choice for recreational shooters of all types. 38 Special cartridge for target shooting. In this week’s Wheelgun Wednesday, we take a look at an older vintage Model 14 revolver from Smith & Wesson more commonly referred to by collectors as a K-38 Target Masterpiece chambered in the venerable.