Happy Sunday, hope everyone has had a spectacular weekend!

Who says you can't find a good gun at a good price anymore at Cabela's? Well, I couldn't resist this all original 1905 4th model target for five bills. It has seen some use obviously but it looks well loved and taken care of. Mechanicals are very good, and the finish doesn't seem abused. All of the serials match and although barely visible, you can see the serial penciled onto the grips. Serial is 26905x so I think it was late ninetine teens pre twenties. There are 2 letter initials gently carved in the bottom of the stocks, maybe one day I'll find out if it has any provenance. I'll be mailing for a letter tomorrow and can't wait to learn more about this sweet little 38. From what I've researched, there weren't many targets made during this time so I'm happy to have found it. If anyone can help nail down a closer date I'd greatly appreciate it.

Last pic is with another target gun I've grown to love

SVT28

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I am showing a 2591xx as shipping in 4/17.

Nice looking revolver. They are good shooters.

__________________
Mike
S&WCA #3065

Cabela's has been good to me as well on a few occasions.

This is one to be truly happy about!! You did VERY well!!!

Best,
Charles

26905x

Closest on my list is 2691xx shipping in 5/17. But I also show 2688xx shipping in 11/17. So let's say sometime in 1917.

You are correct----not many targets made during this period. Jinks opines 2%, as opposed to the typical 8-10%---very likely due more to the war than to the rear sight (the "large screw spring up" rendition) which was not one of S&W's better ideas.

Actually, the sight was fine when they got the tempering right; it's just that didn't happen but about one out of three (based upon my statistically invalid sampling).

Ralph Tremaine

So my rear sight is not the large screw rendition which is nice. I do plan on shooting it today with some bulk ammo I found over the weekend. It's PPU 158 grain lead round nose standard velocity brass cased factory ammo. Good to go with this old girl right?

SVT28

That load should be OK to shoot, but I usually restrict myself to 148gr semi-wadcutter target loads for .38s produced before 1930. Clean, easy-to-read holes without reeling in the targets, and low pressure rounds make for low impact on a dignified and venerable old-timer.

Or you could reload to the wadcutter specs.

Nice score! Enjoy the range trip.

__________________
David Wilson

Your rear sight most assuredly IS the large screw rendition (unless it's been changed---or unless they happened to install a prior rendition on your gun). An original sight is numbered to the frame---typically all the numbers, sometimes the last 3-4. It's numbered on the bottom.

The "large screw spring up" sight came to be in the course of S&W's 50+ year effort to design a sight that wouldn't "shoot loose". They got it right for the first time with the "two screw" sight from the early 30's---replaced by the "micrometer adjustable" appearing in 1940----and still in use today.

The "large screw" is so called because it's bigger than any which preceded it---but it's not all that large. It's a cap screw---passes through the sight body and screws into the frame/top strap----looks pretty much the same as those which came before---but doesn't work the same. All previous (and subsequent) sights were raised/lowered by a jack screw----either underneath the sight (accessed through a hole in the sight)---or threaded through the sight---and bearing on the frame/top strap---or against a secured fixture on top of the frame. The sight is expected to stay in place because of the small amount of pressure exerted on the screw by the sight. As the sight is raised to the limit, the pressure increases---and works fairly well (as re "shooting loose"). The obvious catch is we don't often shoot with the sight cranked all the way up. As an aside, all these sights which would "shoot loose" worked quite well with .22's----not so well as the shock of firing/recoil increases.

So what to do? What they did was bend/curve the sight tang---and tempered it--as a spring. With the large screw version the sight was held down by the screw-----loosen it, and the sight rises (powered by the tang/spring).

So what went wrong? They had trouble with the tempering---the consistency thereof. Some tang/springs were too weak (to even raise the sight hardly at all). Some tang/springs were strong enough to raise the sight adequately, but not strong enough to prevent them from shooting loose. And as with the three bears some of them were just right----and they're a bear to install!! With the tang secured, the amount of force required to mash the sight down far enough to get the screw started is PRODIGIOUS!! Your little pinky will be much the worse for wear! Those "just right" examples work just fine----don't "shoot loose".

These things came into being around 1911, and given S&W's sometimes ill advised practice of using up old parts, they stayed around until 1923---thereabouts. They're found on .38 Specials between 195504-379988---on 32-20's between 76613-95973. This data comes from Jinks---and was gathered by observation. (So these dates and serial numbers are real-----but not all inclusive.) And that's the only game in town, because the factory kept no records on sights----because the "foreman" (presumably the plant manager) recorded only what he regarded as other than "minor changes".

And that's what's what!!

Ralph Tremaine

Letter came in yesterday confirming ship date and location, and that this is an original Target gun

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

You did well. Congrats.

__________________
Mike
S&WCA #3065

Beautiful old revolver. I'd be proud to own that one. Congratulations on an excellent find...and from Cabela's no less!