My S&W Transition 44 Target Revolver.

As an aside in a recent thread, I referenced my small group of S&W postwar transition N frame guns. Included there was my transition target 44 Special model. A member requested more information concerning it. Although I previously posted the below photos as a part of introducing myself as a new member to this forum, I decided to now respond to that request in this new thread dedicated to that revolver.

This 44 revolver I acquired almost 20 years ago. I would relish relating in detail my years of searching for one; the golden moment of locating a specimen and of beating the dealer’s price down at that. Well… The truth is that when I acquired it, neither I nor apparently the dealer had any idea that it was anything uncommon. Indeed, it was some years later that I first learned of the term “transition” as applied to guns of the early post WWII era.
The revolver pictured is in the serial range S71xxx. I apologize both for the quality of the photos and also for the glaring lack of more detailed ones. They were made for insurance documentation rather than for providing collector information. One of these days I hope to re-photo my modest collection in detail. Until then, these photos are the best I have to offer.

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No need to apologize about anything re: this revolver! It's as good a story, actually better than the scenario. The real excitement is always when you find you had something more than you thought when you bought it! What a clean package with original stocks #'d to the gun I presume.

Looked pretty straight forward since it had the box marked 1926 Model 44 Target. Did you know that it was a post war model and what the S prefix to the serial # meant when you bought it? That's what adds to the excitement of collecting Smiths; you may correctly identify a model but the full significance from the collecting standpoint of what you have adds another whole level of identity.

It has all the earliest features of the Transition models, one line Made in USA, pre war long throw hammer, barrel ER knob, and double hourglass thumbpiece (is it relieved under the checkered pad?) If so, a true pre war part. If not, the very 1st post war style.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

ISKRA, nice gun and very scare and rare. A lot of them appear in the S71xxx ser. # range. I have one that is S71393. Send me a PM and let me know how close yours is to that one. I have a letter on mine that may help to date yours. Mine is a shooter grade but I am blessed to have it as many collectors have never seen one. Mine was labeled as a 50 Target. Information and knowledge is a wonderful thing.In the condition that yours is in would make it a 5 figure gun in value. Not many around in that condition. The box is interesting. Does it number to the gun ? All the info I have is that they came in a maroon box with an overstamp "Target" on the end label. Yours may prove counter to that.

Thanks for sharing.

I asked the question in the other thread. It would seem that some pretty interesting and strange variants are found in the S71,000s. I've heard others comment on it, too. Some speculation even that it was a reserved sequence for some guns.

My S71,670 is also a 3rd Model Target, but a 4" gun. Some of those surfaced 8 or 9 years ago, and its one of those odd coincidences. Right after I found and bought mine I was walking the aisles of the big Louisvlle gunshow and saw another just like it. Wish I'd bought that one, too. But as those of us who grew up poor often do, we don't know if we really need two. But I at least wish I'd stopped and looked long enough to get the full serial. I do remember it was an S71,000s, but not one above or below mine (I like matched pairs.)

Speculating, I'm going to suggest S&W got to the point where they were seeing pent up demand for 44s, but not to the point where they could drop everything and just build M1950s yet (besides, it wasn't 1950.) So they did the easiest thing to sell a bunch of guns, they just knocked out a bunch of 3rd Models. Now we're starting to see they made them in different barrel lengths in that number sequence/time frame.

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Dick Burg

Beautiful example ! Thank you for the photos !
I have a pre-war 6.5" Target but would love to stumble on a transitional gun as nice as yours !

Jerry

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.38/44 Outdoorsman Accumulator

Beautiful revolver, iskra. Back in the early 70's, I owned a 38/44 Outdoorsman serial #S71644 and stumbled upon a 44 Target #'d in the S716XX serial range. If I recall, it was numbered within 25 of my 38/44. It was priced at $650. I passed because I wanted a 1950 Target 44. Isn't hindsight a wonderful thing?

I appreciate the kind comments information and observations concerning my 44 transition target revolver. A few specific replies allowing for perhaps some esoteric extrapolations.

Hondo44 – Thanks for the interesting remarks! Regarding your questions: The nuance of the “S” serial prefix as part of an N frame transition ‘package’ was largely under the radar for me. Most specific information and knowledge that my particular target 44 was uncommon came to me only after acquiring the current edition of the Standard Catalog. The “double hourglass” style identifier is a term/concept that remains beyond my simple comprehension. The stocks are as I acquired the gun, but I do not recall ever looking to determine if they were numbered to the gun and such is not presently feasible.

50 Target - Thanks for the insights and valuation. I find NO markings anywhere on the gold box accompanying my 44 target transition as to SN. I have an example of the maroon box only associated with a mint 4” 38/44 Heavy Duty model. I cannot be sure in any way that the gold box pictured is the matching and original number. Nor do I know how to determine that it is correct. From your general observation, it may well not be correct to my gun. Perhaps if these gold boxes so marked are themselves uncommon, Occam’s razor might lend an inference that it is correct. I would think that simply a single example such as mine should not overcome any well documented facts to the contrary.
RBurg - Thanks for your request which gave rise to this thread with the many informative results. I’m quite surprised to learn that there existed a four inch barrel version of the transition target. It must be considered the rare of the rare! I would enjoy viewing some photos of it. Regarding the apparent lack of production numbers of the transition models, I think it likely they were children of a parts surplus on hand. Perhaps otherwise, these variations might never have existed. Smith simply used what they had available until stocks were relatively exhausted. As evinced by production numbers, none of the 44 target models from the Triple Lock through the Fourth Model were big sellers. If anything, they were simply niche guns which fact makes them more sought after as collectible. I’ve largely shunned ‘hot’ collector items and simply collected what appealed to me personally. The smith 44 specials are central to my desires.
Your point about missing an opportunity may seem sad. Yet it is really smarter and seemingly more sophisticated than my predilection toward the inane position: ‘if one is good, two must be better’. I have never acquired a gun strictly for profit, but of course it’s a nice validation, particularly if accounting to a spouse is required.
A final ironic point here is that through my many years of collecting guns, I always maintained that for most, they were not particularly good investments. Intrinsically valuable, they take up space, are subject to physical deterioration , require security measures, are subject to the range of casualty losses, are susceptible to prolific regulatory impingement and finally some measure of social responsibility attaches for preventing them falling into the wrong hands. Yet now as I weigh my diminished investment portfolio and view the Eurozone sovereign debt debacle, my modest collection has acquired more of an investment grade perspective by default.

GLL - Thanks for the comments. I wish that I had a Second Model target! I just missed one a long time ago and don’t recall actually viewing any since for sale. I‘ve never been one to buy other than in a direct sale, but I believe that a couple were offered by a fellow who used to do a mail order business featuring nice to exotic Smiths and Colts. As I recall, he was in Castroville, California.

Stroker - Thanks and from much personal experience I do agree that hindsight is indeed wonderful. Anyone who has been any kind of a player in any market knows the feeling of having missed at least a few golden deals. But perhaps too easy to lament what might have been. The real question is whether the decision was a fair and reasonable call at the time. I've both missed my share and also even more have parted with guns that I should have kept. In the instant case of these 44 transition target models, based on the reported number of ‘sightings,’ not to mention owners, I suspect that there are more out there than is presently supposed. Interesting to me, I have a page from a 1949 Stoeger catalog reflecting this model for sale. Of course in those days, the ad copy may have been a year or more old. Still interesting to conjecture is the likelihood that they were still generally available to that date.
Reiterating the most important message I have to convey: A big thanks to all who participated here.

Thanks ISKR,
Picked up some nice guns at the old Castroville gunshop. Unfortunately it has changed ownership and become a "Black Gun" store now. Nice old Smiths used to be commonplace there from local sellers on consignment.

FYI: the double hourglass or double 'pinch' around screw hole thumbpiece shown here on pre war and post war K frames.

Pre war style with 'undercut' but left overs also used on very early post war guns.


Very first post war style thumblatch, still has the double 'pinch' but without relief cut under checkered pad.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

That's a very nice .44 target. It incorporates many of the same features that I appreciate in the postwar transitional .38/44 Outdoorsman, so I am naturally predisposed to like it. Based on their scarcity and my other collecting interests, I fear I will never acquire one.

Thanks for showing the photos. Congratulations on having that one in the safe.

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David Wilson

Hondo 44, thanks for the photos showing the delta. I have been trying to get my feeble mind around the concept. Truely a picture is worth a 1000 words. Thanks guys for the neat guns, good photos!