I owned a 1950 Target with a 5-inch barrel and standard blue finish. It has serial number S78599 and was shipped on April 17, 1951. It was a little different than most 1950 Targets in that the front sight ramp was not fitted to the barrel rib and sat on top of it like you see on the 44 Magnum. Also, the roll mark on the right side of the barrel was like that seen on the Model of 1926 (S&W may have used an old barrel to make it). The revolver has Magna stocks numbered to the frame. It is the only S&W I sold that I wish I would have kept. I bought it in the 1980s from Harrison Carroll.

I have owned three 1950 Targets with a 4-inch barrel and bright blue finish...S131155, shipped on March 28, 1955, S118255 shipped on January 24, 1955, and S141883, shipped on February 2, 1956 with Class A engraving by Harry Jarvis. Each of these guns had target stocks and a red ramp front sight blade. I also owned S97119, 6 1/2-inch, nickel, with Class B engraving by Russ Smith and shipped sometime in 1954.

I know nickel and bright blue were options for this model as early as April 1954 (and probably as early as their introduction) as I have a price list from then and it shows these finishes as available for the 1950 Target 44.

Bill