Here are two 4 screw targets ("pre-5 screw 4 screws") from my collection.

The first is a round butt, albeit outside of the serial range you specified (but I didn't understand the whys and wherefores of that serial range to begin with, so my ignorance just might accrue to your benefit). According to the letter, it's a .38 M&P Second Model Target. The serial number is 21898, and it was shipped August 8, 1902. The particulars noted in the letter go like so: "This modification occurred in 1902 and was produced until 1903 with a total production of 12,827 revolvers. These revolvers were produced between serial numbers 20975 and 33803 of the .38 Hand Ejector series."

Next is smack dab on the money of what you asked for: It's number is 59794----and it's a square butt. It's described as a .38 M&P Model of 1902 First Change Target. It was shipped February 26, 1906----and delivered to "Edward H. Burton, Shop"--"which would indicate that Mr. Burton was an employee and that the revolver was delivered to him in the S&W Factory Shop." Now comes a bunch of stuff indicating a good bit of confusion/ignorance attributable simply to not being there at the time, but more than interesting nonetheless: "This revolver is in the serial range for a round butt rather than a square butt. It certainly was shipped after the square butt model was introduced. It would lead to speculation if Mr. Burton was involved in the design of the square butt." Now comes some more stuff suggesting the author of the letter (from August 11, 2004) was more than a little intrigued by the situation----and went on a hunt. "In a search of the Springfield and area city directories we can not find a listing for Mr. Edward H. Burton. However, in an early 1900 factory picture of the company foreman I have a picture of Mr. Edward H. Burt and wonder if the caption on the picture is wrong."

Okay, so much for that! Now for some more REALLY STRANGE history: I bought both of these guns at the same time in the same place---two guys sitting together in the gun room at an SWCA Annual Meeting---Dallas is my recollection. The date of the letter tells me the meeting was 2004's, so wherever 2004's meeting was is where I bought them. The only reason I bought them was because I didn't have any 4 screw targets (and they were nice guns)----not because I knew there was anything special about them. Although the price was, shall we say, more than attractive----and equally confusing. Best recollection is I paid maybe $600-$700----for the pair.(!!!!)

Now we fast forward to when I decided it would be best to leave behind a pile of money rather than a pile of guns, and called David Carroll. He showed up with a huge roll of Bubble Wrap and a large folding metal work table, and that was the beginning of the end of my collection.

As for these two guns----those I paid maybe $600-$700 for the pair. David sold the first one for $2,750. The second one went for $2,650---thereabouts.

Go figure!!

Ralph Tremaine