Hello Pontiaker
The stock's shown came on my Model of 1955 .45 Target revolver. I have a Good friend that own's a Local Gun shop here and he knew that I wanted a Model of 1955 .45 Target revolver, so my Phone range one day from him Telling me that it had just come in and he did not feel it would last long, so he placed it on hold for me so that I had first Crack at it and that was about Five Year's ago now. I jumped in my Truck and rushed out to his store to see this gun. It was a One owner gun, & I spoke with the Older guy that Bought it brand new from S&W as we were Making out the Paperwork for Transfer to me on it. Sadly, he told me that he had lost or Mis Placed it's original factory Box, but he took my Name and contact information in case he ever was to come across it. He said that he ordered it right after he got out of the Marine's as he always' liked the .45 ACP round, but wanted it in a revolver instead of a Semi-Auto 1911 which he had in the service and carried as a side arm. There is a Lot of Mystery to the entire gun as it has a barrel length of only 5-7/8" from the end of the barrel to the face of the forcing cone and it is of Five screw design. I was told that all Model of 1955 Target .45's came with a 6-1/2" barrel, Other than a Dozen of them That shipped to Rex Firearm's that were special order gun's with a shorter 5-1/2" barrel. I later learned that it was bought in June of 1959 as it was told to me by it's original owner, and I felt that he may have been off as far as when he bought the gun date wise as that seemed aweful late to me for a five screw gun, so I asked MR Jinks and he told me that it left the Factory in April of 1959.



I asked MR Jink's why this gun would have left that late being a Five screw variation since S&W dropped the upper side plate screw in 1956 and my Gun was clearly shipped Three Year's after the Engineering design change of dropping the upper side plate screw ? he told me that back when S&W tooled up for the Pre-29's they made a bunch of Frames ahead of time thinking that the Pre-29 would be a strong seller, and many of the five screw frame's remained in the S&W storage safe, so they would Pull a Frame when other N-frame revolver's were ordered, Using up their Existing supply of Five screw frame's that they had on hand. The Cool Factor is that Pre-29 Frames are all heat treated to ensure they can take the repeated Punishment of the Fierce .44 Magnum cartridge so in Essence my Gun and cylinder are Heat treated so it will be Twice as durable as any other Model of 1955 .45 Target revolver.





I was still out there in left field as to how this gun came with an Earlier set of Diamond Target stocks on it, then what would have been normal on a Gun of 1959 Vintage which clearly should have been a set of Coke profile stocks. Again I questioned it's Original owner who bought the gun new and he said that these were Indeed The Original stock's that came on the gun as he ordered it & that he did not request a shorter Barrel, This is the one that it came with, and he was Not aware that a Normal length barrel for this gun was supposed to be 6-1/2" In length but he did Tell me that he liked the shorter barrel that it has. I have speculated that perhaps' this shorter barrel may have been one that was on hand and since he did not specify barrel length when he ordered it this is the one that they placed on it, as we all Know that S&W was Not a Company to waste any part's if they could be used they were. As far as the stock's go I suppose that S&W May have had many set's of stock's in Target form made up back then, and perhaps's this is why my Gun came shipped with the earlier Non Relieved diamond Target stock's on it. They are made of Gancalo-Alves as well which S&W considered a premium wood offering, compared to The standard Walnut wood offering.




I have not Bothered to letter the gun as I bought it to Shoot and enjoy, so being period correct or lettering correctly the way it is would have left the factory would mean nothing to me and I doubt that a factory Historical Letter is going to mention The Five screw frame, the shorter than normal barrel or the earlier style Non relieved diamond center stocks that it came with. Here is the gun Shown with a Target that I shot @ The 25 Yard line off a Sand bag with one of my own hand loads. Once the Gun printed out these result's there was no doubt in my mind that it was a tack driver, I carry it with me when I am Deer Hunting. Regards, Hammerdown




Here is the first test target shot with my Pre-25 Model of 1955 .45 Target revolver. This was a hand load I was testing for it, that showed to be very accurate and consistent as the Bullet P.O.I. show's as I was adjusting the sights while shooting it.








Here is The second Target shot with the same gun bench rested on a sand Bag @ the 25 Yard line. I have made this Load the staple load that fit's this gun very well as can be seen with the 6 shot group that it produced. These are the same Non-Relieved stock's shown, That were off the gun in an earlier response by you.