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S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 All 5-Screw & Vintage 4-Screw SWING-OUT Cylinder REVOLVERS, and the 35 Autos and 32 Autos


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  #101  
Old 04-08-2016, 04:19 AM
Hondo44 Hondo44 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pig Hunter View Post
Do the reflectors on the front sights really work?
They do. And the degree of how well they work is relative to how high the ambient light level is. The more light on an object the better the eye can see it. I wear reading glasses to be able to read news print in a newspaper. In bright sunlight I can take off my glasses and read newsprint perfectly. So a fuzzy front sight will sharpen right up in bright sun and even more with the extra reflected light, for example.

The worse your eyes are, the better the reflective sight works. But it even helps those with perfect eyesight.
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  #102  
Old 09-12-2017, 05:28 PM
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Adding my recent acquisition to King thread. Super target, 38/44 outdoorsman, #4087x shipped March 1932. this came with a trigger shoe and some late S&W targets. Found some Sanderson's (I think) at local gun show that are at least more period correct.




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  #103  
Old 09-12-2017, 05:31 PM
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Also picked up a 1940 win mod 71 and added a King red bead reflector base sight. I got so excited about finding a King sight, I bought it without really looking at it. Assumed it was for a revolver, but it turned out to be for a Mod 70, 71 or 54 win.











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  #104  
Old 05-27-2018, 06:17 PM
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These aren't the guns with King sights, just different King front and rear sights I have a display of.
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  #105  
Old 07-07-2018, 08:12 AM
Modelfortyone Modelfortyone is offline
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Default 1936 Woodsman Sport

Specifics from the 1939 King Catalog:

No. 5-A $42.50

Fitted with King Ramp Reflective Sight model #130 with black bead inside of shined outline. New model micrometered click adjustable windage and elevation adjusting rear sight with automatic lock.

Honed action, adjusted trigger pull and anti-stop trigger stop - $5.00

Roper Stocks $9.00

Total $56.50 or $1,026 2018 dollars.
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  #106  
Old 08-27-2018, 02:15 PM
Pantera Mike Pantera Mike is offline
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(Cross-posted from another King thread)

Coincidentally I just reached into my safe a few minutes ago and withdrew a revolver I haven’t fired in about 25 years. It’s a Model 1905 Hand Ejector 4th version target model with a 6-inch barrel and Roper-style thumb rest stocks that was gifted to me by my godmother 35 years ago or so. It belonged to her uncle who was a Mississippi riverboat gambler, and carried a pair of Colt Detective Specials with the front sights filed off. She kept those but gave me his target gun.

It has the King rifle base front sight with gold bead, and adjustable rear with half-circle notch. I was intrigued by it and was going to start a new post because tonight I read this in Wikipedia in a photo caption:

“Smith & Wesson 1905 4th change 1915 Target model. "NRA"Slow Fire at 25 yards. This one left the factory in 1929 and was sent with ten others to a firm in Buenos Aires. The hammer was added later and is in the general form of the King Gun Shop modification usually intended for the timed and rapid fire portions of the NRA course.”

I know nothing about the King Gun Shop, and would like to learn more. I happened to see this post and decided to ask here instead. (I have learned a lot since I first posted this elsewhere a few days ago, and now realize this gun is pretty special).

Here is a fun anecdote. I grew up in San Francisco. When I was given this revolver it was missing the rear sight blade. I took it to the only gun shop in town, run by a very Yoda-like old Chinese man named F. Bob Chow, who I later learned was a true legend in shooting circles. (RIP)

I asked him if he could help sort out my rear sight problem. He explained to me that the gun had King sights, which were very rare, a pre-war thing. He asked me if I knew what he did before he opened his shop, and of course I didn’t. He said, “I was the manager of the King Gun Sight Company”. He chuckled and walked to the back room, and came back with a fishing tackle box. He opened it up and explained that when they folded, he was given all their leftover inventory. He rooted around for a second, and came up with a perfect rear sight blade, installed it, handed it to me and refused to take payment!

A true gentleman!

My gun had an unbelievable hair trigger (he characterized it as being extremely dangerous, and he kept the gun that day to fix it and turn it into a safe but very light trigger). Could it be that this gun was given the treatment by King? It seems probable.

It looks quite unremarkable, has a lot of the bluing worn off, and is almost supernaturally accurate. I think I’m going to fire up my press and load a bunch of .38 HBWC rounds and start shooting it again....

Last edited by Pantera Mike; 08-27-2018 at 02:17 PM.
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  #107  
Old 08-27-2018, 02:17 PM
Pantera Mike Pantera Mike is offline
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One more pic...I’m told these are not Roper grips although they have some of the Roper hallmarks. I believe they are pre-war. Any ideas?
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  #108  
Old 08-27-2018, 03:37 PM
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Need to show other side, and insides of grips. Nice gun!
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  #109  
Old 08-27-2018, 03:57 PM
Pantera Mike Pantera Mike is offline
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Well duh, why didn’t I think of that?

Actually I looked inside the other day looking for the distinctive ‘Roper’ marks but none were there. Today I looked again in bright light, and lo and behold, the grips are signed, plain as day!

A Google search on ‘Henry Brauniche’ turned up nothing. What say you guys?

Sadly there is a chip missing. When I was given this gun, it had spent years just rattling around in a drawer of a metal filing cabinet....
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  #110  
Old 08-27-2018, 07:52 PM
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Haven't heard of him, but looks like excellent work. King? Maybe owners name instead of gripmaker? G&H? Several here on forum do wood repair and I think those are nice enough to warrant restoration. Trade you even for a set of Pachmayr rubbers with no chips missing!
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  #111  
Old 08-27-2018, 09:15 PM
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Mike,

That's a gun with very interesting provenance including the rear sight blade replacement. Needs to be written down and kept with the gun for posterity.

Since you have the shipping info, I presume you have a S&W historical letter. And I further presume it confirms the gun was shipped as a factory target model. Does it mention the King sights? Because S&W would often install King and other makers' sights on special order which would be mentioned in the letter.

If not, it went to King for his sights after it left S&W, which I suspect because it has a S&W rear sight first introduced in 1935 with the second elevation lock screw improvement. It could have been upgraded by King with the S&W "2 screw" sight and King's rear sight blade when they installed their light reflecting front sight on your gun.
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  #112  
Old 08-27-2018, 09:20 PM
Pantera Mike Pantera Mike is offline
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Thanks—no, I don’t have shipping info, nor a S&W letter, just anecdotal info from my Godmother who gave it to me years ago. I once had an email from Roy Jinks telling me only the year of manufacture, but I lost it in a computer crash and sadly I don’t remember what it said.

I think I should work on getting an S&W letter to find out the real scoop.

Form and check went out in the mail just now. I guess it will be some months before I get a response...

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  #113  
Old 08-29-2018, 12:14 AM
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A top-of-the-line Super Target Outdoorsman with all of the bells and wistles...



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  #114  
Old 10-01-2018, 07:51 PM
Pantera Mike Pantera Mike is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pantera Mike View Post
I think I should work on getting an S&W letter to find out the real scoop.

Form and check went out in the mail just now. I guess it will be some months before I get a response...
Just a short month later, letter has arrived!

I also spoke to my Godmother today who told me quite a lot about the former owner, who was quite a character! He was a big player in the politics of the county immediately south of San Francisco:

http://https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/the-two-sides-of-john-marchbank/article_fb455680-2055-5e7d-a964-ef150250bde8.html
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  #115  
Old 01-31-2021, 03:21 PM
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Old thread, maybe off topic. I have a 1903 Springfield with a King Reflector. Only one I have ever seen.

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  #116  
Old 01-31-2021, 11:10 PM
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Plain Old Dave, thanks for bringing this thread back up. I picked up this Colt Officers Model Target that had the full King treatment, including a short action job.


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  #117  
Old 02-01-2021, 12:21 AM
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I have an Officers Model Target heavy barrel with King front and rear sights.



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  #118  
Old 02-01-2021, 03:39 AM
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This is a Colt Shooting Master in .357 caliber with King rib.
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Old 02-01-2021, 08:06 AM
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Oh boy! Great Great guns! I never owned a Smith with King modifications but back in the early 70's I did own a Colt single action, 5 1/2", .44 special, nickel, 1 piece ivory grips that was special order 1n 1936 for a colonel of ordnance and sent from Colt to King and fitted with a reflector front sight, King rear sight, "Cockeyed" hammer, and wide target trigger, and a short action conversion. The revolver was 99% condition with a carved Heisser holster. The gun lettered from Colt. Unfortunately, I made my living as a "picker" of antique and collectible guns and my family had to eat so I couldn't keep it- nor could I keep the couple of Registered 357's or the first month of production 5 screw pre-29 or the auto rifle. I'm still over weight so I must have eaten well....
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  #120  
Old 02-01-2021, 08:56 AM
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i trade steaks, chops, and chicken for king guns.
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Old 02-01-2021, 10:04 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by crsides View Post
Plain Old Dave, thanks for bringing this thread back up. I picked up this Colt Officers Model Target that had the full King treatment, including a short action job.


Charlie,
I know we’re talking about King sights and action work here, but I’m curious about those stocks... are they Sanderson’s or early Herrett’s or whose?
Froggie
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  #122  
Old 02-01-2021, 10:17 AM
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Sanderson I'm pretty sure.
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Old 02-01-2021, 10:18 AM
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How about a 4in King Super Target?

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  #124  
Old 02-01-2021, 10:28 AM
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... and a 4" .22 Masterpiece with a King Red Post on a Reflector Ramp...





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Old 02-01-2021, 10:51 AM
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How about a 4in King Super Target?

Can you just go ahead and send that my way?
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Old 02-01-2021, 04:05 PM
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A second model 44 with King rib. I am also posting photo of King Cockeyed hammer, I do not remember if it was on this second model.

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Old 02-02-2021, 02:27 AM
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Wow Fritz, you had some real gems pass through your hands! Family has to come first, of course, but I hope the folks that pried them from you had to pay very dearly!😀
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Old 02-02-2021, 02:30 AM
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Quote:
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Plain Old Dave, thanks for bringing this thread back up. I picked up this Colt Officers Model Target that had the full King treatment, including a short action job.


Charlie,
That one looks super sweet! Have you shot it yet?
Larry
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