Just a quick need to know. Please fire away.

Just a quick need to know. Please fire away.

Yes, they sure were, the Magnas anyway. There was no reason to number the Targets to a 28, as the Targets overlapped the grip frame at noticeable points.

No, generally speaking S&W did not number Target Stocks. Now, there are always exceptions and some early Targets got numbered, but it is extremely rare to find such.
On the other hand, non-targets stocks/grips were numbered up to ~1980 ish.

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.............SmithNut

I have seen a few, and very few, N frame Target grips numbered (inside of right grip) to a particular gun. Normally, this was not done with Target grips. The ones I saw may have been special ordered if someone wanted the Target grips to be specially fitted at the backstrap where they might be noticeable. As I recall, they were all in the "diamond era," before 1968.

Much appreciated! Thanks all.

Next time you see a set of targets numbered to a gun, measure them. Use a caliper to gauge first the height of the letters, then the width. Find another gun of similar production, then compare the figures. Take the right grip off and lay them side by side. Look at the font to see if the same number seems to be stamped with the same die.

The last set of "numbered" targets I saw seemed to have been stamped with a different size number and with a different font. Leads me to believe they were numbered outside the factory. Not conclusive, but very suspicious.

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Dick Burg

Some very respectable people maintain that target stocks were not numbered. I have never seen a set that was. Others say they have. I only what I see and so far, no numbers.

BTW- Again citing real experts (unlike myself) there is a belief that no 28s were ever shipped with target stocks but these were always dealer installed.

Has anyone ever seen a 28 or an HP letter with targets?

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No life story has happy end.

Many years ago, say around later 1975 or early 76, we purchased a number of Model 28's with wood target stocks for our police department. I don't remember how many, but I suspect in the neighborhood of 75 or so. I would think they would letter as they were drop shipped from the factory.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

The quick answer is no they were not numbered.

Bill

I have a LNIB 28-2 with target grips that is marked "target" on the box.No numbers on the inside of grips.

The only target stocks that I have seen with a number are the Goncalo Alves diamond target stocks for the very early combat magnums (aka pre-19's) in the K260XXX range. I have a set on my K260035 numbered gun that are few numbers off from the gun's sn and I have seen photos of several others.

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

RK...Stocks on the early 1955 Target 45s and the early Combat Magnums are the same in how they were numbered for a very short time and many of the stocks are close to the serial number of the gun.

Bill

The 28 no dash I have has diamond somethings ( magnas maybe - don't know all the correct terms) on it now but by the faint line on the side, it shows that targets were on it.

The box is marked TH TS on the bottom and TH TS TT on the end.

I'd guess that it has Target stocks on it as it came from the factory...though I have no letter for it.

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ASA/NSA 67-71
NRA Benefactor

No doubt Targets were there at some point. Doesn't prove they came from Springfield that way. I can only repeat what people smarter than me have said and that is that the 28s were not shipped with Targets.

I do find the TS notation on the box interesting in light of the target hammer (and trigger for that matter) being present. Those were not supposed to be factory original, either. Maybe the TS in chalk was for target stocks, after all.

__________________
No life story has happy end.

The last N frames with numbered grips that I recall are the fixed-sight 520 model made for the NYSP in ~ 1979/80, but never delivered. The PC Magnas were numbered, but most were shipped mismatched to the handgun.

MP is correct - 1968 was about the last date for overall numbering of grips. I have never seen a numbered set of Target grips.

Cheers,
Sverre

I checked last night. I have two sets of diamond targets
1 set came off a 1st year 28...not numbered
2nd set came off a 1960 25-0 they werent numbered either.