Picked this up at the VGCA show from Red9 (Thanks again!). Serial 28454 (Shipped January 1927), I'm guessing originally a 5" chopped down to 3.5", what looks like a RM rear sight added with a W/O rear blade and a copy of the King Reflector up front. I tried pulling the rear sight but I think it needs to soak a bit to loosen up. Smooth trigger with stop screw and the back/fore straps are smooth. This is presumed to be from the same person who did Red9's other modified target guns:
Modified or Butchered?

and Tom K's:
Triple Lock target conversion (not King) - Tulsa, April 2014

So now I have two 1926's that need to see the range. Got the service stocks currently on the BBBTG at today's show also. 139xxx stamped which I'm guessing is a later commercial 1917.

Edited to add: This could have been part of the first shipment to W&K. Based on this thread, first shipment was 75 5" nickel 44's. This one is less than 100 from the start of the 1926's and Roy has already dated it to Jan 1927.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/139585460-post9.html

Neat Gun!! I believe I would letter it. Letting sight soak in Kroil is a good idea. Be interesting to see if sight is #ed to gun and if nickel or bare metal underneath. Looking forward to range report!

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I would have grabbed that one in a new York second! Old, well thought out mods are pretty cool.

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old and cranky....

Wow. I'm impressed! Those are beautiful!

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Very Cool!


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Somebody knew exactly what he wanted -- and got it, exactly. I like.

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Pisgah

Was able to remove the rear sight to check it out. The sight leaf is stamped 6692 on the back. 46693 is in the database but neither exact matching serials are present. Anyone else have an expanded list?



I haven't pulled rear sights on my other prewar targets, is this the same machine work one would see on an original factory target gun?



The rear blade is a King and no stamps anywhere on the front sight.

The work is ok because the sight fits it. It looks to me like bare metal with milling marks. The machining done at the factory is much smoother than what I see in your photos. (At least on the dozen or so I've had the sight off of ) Regardless, it's a cool gun and I would letter. Also get S&WHF search of records. Never know what might turn up. Now we need Range Report!!

Below is pic of factory 3rd model target rear sight. It is a 1932 W&K gun. Note extremely tight lines. It is blued underneath, with matching # sight and barely visible machining marks. It is also a "Chopped" 3rd, lol. 1926 Chopped Target .44spl

Attached Thumbnails

 

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Your chopped 44 Target is a seriously cool gun. I'm just glad I was able to buy this one as it checks all the boxes for my cool factor list (prewar, 44 or 45, period modifications). I do typically prefer blued S&W's but will leave this as it was originally nickel.

I'll be getting out to the range as soon as this work trip is done. I need to test out two 44 3rd models and my lefty OD. That should be a fun session.

I love those guns ,if you look down from muzzle end you can almost hear it whisper " yea I mean business " . Would be very intimidating to any bad guy and for dang good reason. Thanks for posting will be looking forward to your range report ,congratulations on the score,

Any gunsmiths marks on the frame under the grips.

Geoff
Who saw an article on such marks many years ago...I wish I still had it!

None that I could find.

I was also able to hit the range today and get it sighted in (which seems humorous to sight in a 3.5" 44). The closest I can get at my range is 25 yds. I also had my PPD 44 3rd and the left 38/44 OD.

Once I got the sights dialed in at 25 yds


The PPD didn't get much love today since I spent most of my time with the target models.


The OD at 25 yds was well high (aiming dead center). The rear sight is all the way down so I need to get a shorter rear blade. The bigger holes towards the center are the 44.


The OD still high at 50yds and the 44 at least on paper aiming at the top of the paper. The grouping on the left color target were from holding the 44 at dead center of the rifle target.


I have a thought to swap the rear blades between the OD and the 44. They're both King, but the 44 is a square w/o and the OD is a U with w/o.

Belly & Target to describe the same gun seems kinda contradictory.
But that is a cool one nonetheless.
It looks like the front sight base might be pinned through an original (half-moon) sight base.
But that doesn't make sense either if the barrel has been shortened.
So how was this done?
Did someone silver solder a lug onto the shortened barrel so they could pin the sight base through it?
What would be the advantage to doing that instead of just silver soldering the base directly to the barrel?
Very interesting gun.

Whoever did the work had a pretty good idea of what they wanted and how to do it. Definitely in the not-too-shabby category.

"It looks like the front sight base might be pinned through an original (half-moon) sight base.
But that doesn't make sense either if the barrel has been shortened.
So how was this done?"

Well, the barrel could have been cut and the original half moon front sight silver soldered to the barrel, leaving the rear notch alone. Then later on, the owner decided he wants adjustable sights and had the rear sight and front sight added.

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WAR EAGLE!