Did all 5 screw pre 29's have the cole bottle grips? When did the diamond target with small football cutout begin on the S serial number guns ? Were they the target grips for the pre 27? Thanks

Take a look at Bill Cross's information in the expert commentary section.All 5 screw pre-29's would have GA target (Coke Grips)I think that the standard diamond target began in the mid sixties and ran until the diamond was dropped in 1968-69.The pre-27 would have diamond Magna grips as standard.Many people would swap grips so any photo's of the gun in question would be helpful.

All pre 29's, 29's and 57's came with "cokes" until the '67-'68 time period. The standard diamond targets were available on other N and K frame guns starting about 1950 or thereabouts, and continued in production along 'side the "cokes" until the same '67-'68 time frame, when all targets went to the football relief style without the diamond around the screw escutcheon.

You can also check out the sticky at the top of this section.

give the man a cigar.

I am sure it is in the sticky, but as early as 1960-61 the profile of the "coke bottle" or palm swell became less and less pronounced until it was almost non-existent by the time it was dropped. Also at about the end, the broad checkering pattern that helps us identify cokes became more like the football relief diamond targets.

A rule of thumb is that pretty much all 29's and 57's shipped with cokes from 1956 to 67-68.

Would then the non-relieved diamond targets which pre-dated the Cokes be more scarce that Cokes? If I understand correctly, the non-relieved targets were in use from about 1950 to 1956? Were Non-relieved targets also supplied on 29's ?

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Richard
To my knowledge non-relieved targets were never offered on the 41 and 44 magnums. They could have been ordered as an accessorie or as special order original equipment on any N-frame from about 1950 to 1956. This includes even the Highway Patrolman's. When the 44 magnum was introduced in 1956 IIRC the new palm swell style of relieved target grip (cokes) was also intro'd on the new gun to enhance it's feel. Of course contrary to some belief the early relief was not intended for use with speed loaders, but to help in the ejection of empty cartridges. The speed loader cut was not intro'd until the mid 80's with the advent of the -3 engineering change.

To follow in the same line, the 57 which was introduced in 1964 was the first new Model and Caliber to go public since the 44 magnum. I am sure that Smith felt it needed something special so they also came standard with coke bottle grips. Smith also guzzied up the presentation case on the 57, using blue velvet cloth as opposed to flocking.

An interesting note...it is often thought common knowledge that Smith did not number target grips to the gun. This is not altogether true, as some of the target model guns (1950's & 1955's) ordered with target grips had numbered grips...go figure.

Diamond target stocks (no relieved area on the left panel) and coke bottle stocks are about the same when it comes to availablity, although coke bottle stocks were manufactured for a couple of years longer than regular target stocks. The rarest diamond targets are those made of rosewood or Goncalo alves, rather than walnut.

I believe the slight coke bottle profile of target stocks used on the 44 Magnum was an "artifact" of the manufacturing process. If S&W specifically made these stocks with a palm swell, they would have advertised the fact, and they did not.

Bill

What are the proper stocks for Model 1955, SN S1657xx. Cokes or diamond targets?

McGivern...the 1955 Target Model 45 was always standard with diamond target stocks made of walnut. This model was never cataloged with coke bottle type target stocks. Your revolver dates of 1956 and would have stocks without the relieved area on the left panel (like those posted by H Richard).

Bill

Thanks, Bill
Mine has A beautiful set of diamond targets, but they have the football cutout. Could they be correct?
Don