Now I know why it shoots high at 25 yards!

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I find it interesting that they sighted it in at 100yd.

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BCCI Life Member #2068

So, where are the photos?

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Randy
Provenance nerd

When did you send for your letter?

WHERES THE PICS!!

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George Jamison

My reg. mag. was also sighted in at 100yds. It's not unusual. Quite a few were sighted in at 200yds! I think they had better eyes back in the day.

Sent $50 back in late January

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So, have you tried to shoot it at 100 yards yet?

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

Does anyone have a clue who these people were that ordered these guns back in 1936. I have read that some were Dept. orders and some were sportsmen. I assume Elmer Keith was a great influence in shooting Cougar and Bobcats at 200 yards. Just curious. Mike 2796

The Six O'Clock Hold also has a lot to do with it.

There was a group sighted in at 500 yards.

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Don Mundell

I wonder - did S&W have a long distance range to do that, or just holding off at shorter distances? Seems pointless to sight in at those longer ranges, especially anything over 100 yards.

I'm amazed at these sight in distances because there is no way everybody sees iron sight the same way even if using the same hold. there could be quite a variation between a 6'o clock hold

Id guess the guys in the shop got a good chuckle at some of those requests

It is my understanding those "sighted in" at 500 yards really weren't----simply because S&W had no (ready) access to a range of that distance. The story continues to the effect S&W calculated the rear sight height necessary for use at 500 yards, made sight blades accordingly, and fitted them to the guns-----and they stick way up in the air.

Hopefully they sent along sight blades suitable for use by mere mortals.

Ralph Tremaine

Here is the rear sight for the 500yrd Guns:

Smith & Wesson Forum - 05CarbonDRZ's Album: N Frames - Picture

If I was named Bertram J. Snodden, Jr. I'd want to keep people at a distance too! Interesting letter, let us know if you find any info out on him. Be sure and get the S&WHF records you might get more info. Good Luck!

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PTLAPTA!

I was wondering what kind of rear sight would be needed for shooting at 500 yards. I don't think I ever heard of anyone who could hit anything smaller than a 747 at that distance with a revolver. One would need extraordinary range estimating capabilities. Wonder what size group one could get at 500 yards - maybe 50" or so from sandbags and a sturdy bench? Maybe 200" unsupported?

Registered Magnum #806 was sighted in at 200 yards.

Read Ed McGivern's book "Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting" and you'll see. He tested a RM out to 600 yds. and was quite effective on man-sized silhouette targets. I sure wouldn't have wanted him shooting at me, even at that distance!

I'm sure Smith & Wesson had access to all the ranges in the area.
The Smith & Wesson Revolver club had a 100 yard outdoor range.
The Springfield Armory had a number of indoor ranges along with an outdoor range at Quabbin Reservoir (Mass.)/Bombing and gunnery ranges.
It had a 600 yard range.

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Don Mundell

Keep in mind the IHMSA Silhouette shooting. In the 80's I frequently used a model 19-3 6" to shoot the standing course of fire out to 200 meters. No, didn't reliably hit the Rams at 200, but I did hit enough of them to make it a challenge. I did get 10 straight pins for all distances from freestyle, but only got the 10 straight pins for chickens & pigs in standing. I mostly shot Thompson Contender in 7 TCU.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I think we forget that shooting at distance was normal and expected when these real men roamed the earth. There weren't so many gun writers wasting paper talking about the "new POS2000 made of space age pot metal is utterly accurate at 'combat distance of 15 yards' and has conveniently taken a full page ad in our magazine." Guys were riflemen and regularly shot at 600 yards (not "up to") on up in competition. Our government (if you can believe this!) supported these competitions and provided access to military ranges, instruction, quality ammunition, and....(gripping my bosom has I type!) the latest military small arms (M1903s and M1911s) which were the best that the nation could produce (vs lowest bidder). Competition was encouraged and plenty fierce among military, civilian agencies, and private individuals. Many of these regular competitors wrote full on technical articles in the magazines of the day and match results were published in local papers. So, range and wind estimation was an accepted skill. What we consider long range (100 yds) was the first or second berm for these guys.