D.W. King Information Thread

[rct269]

Kevin:

I don't think they were soldered on - for sure on the Super Target Ribs were not soldered on. They are pinned on the front sight/base and screwed on at the rear. Ralph (RCT269) and I corresponded back and forth while he completely disassembled the KST Triple lock he owned. It was a fun and insightful conversation - I kept the correspondence and I go back and read it every now and then when I need a smile. No re-finishing required in most cases. I can also tell you that I see no evidence of any silver solder on the three KSTs that I own.

Not a speck of solder anywhere! The ribs are described as "full floating ribs", and as near as I recall that translates to "attached at two points". The two points are, as Richard said, pinned at the front (two pins through what's left of the stock front sight, and screwed on at the rear by the elevation adjusting screw). The rib is under considerable tension when installed. That being the case, the screw must be removed first---and the pins can be pushed out after that. Similarly, reassembly calls for installing the front pin first, then the screw (which is going to pull the rib down---putting it in tension---AND aligning the aft pin hole such that it too can simply be pushed into place).

Now Richard thought I was a little bit nuts for tempting fate by taking the thing apart, but it turned to be a good idea simply because of what I learned. That is that underneath that rib could be a rusty mess----could be----mine looked like it had left King the day before----not a speck of solder and not a speck of rust either. King's installation process calls for milling a great wide chasm in the top strap, with a notch at the rear (pretty much the same as on a factory target), and then gnawing down the front sight. Mine appeared to have been left in the white, or perhaps treated with some sort of magic elixir to prevent corrosion. Whatever, there wasn't a speck of rust. That said, it appeared my gun spent its entire life in a sock drawer--both before and after King. If yours has been out and about, it might be a good idea to have a look underneath.

Ralph Tremaine

 

[RKmesa]

Thought I'd add this one to the thread showing that King not only modified guns, but gun boxes as well. So here is a King modified 38/44 Outdoorsman and a King modified 38/44 Outdoorsman box.

 

[skilled]

Here is one of mine in the colt variation.

 

[skilled]

Here is another seldom seen king trigger


King Cockeyed Hammer


And a King Unmarked hammer


King backstrap checkering, notice different design and Lpi .

 

[skilled]

This is one of the center pieces of my King and Roper Collection The only known Camp Perry in a King Super Target with Custom Ropers with Ivory Butt plates. This gun letters to the president of Colt and was on display in his office. SN 2222

 

[crsides]

I have posted this several times. I never knew King made sights for rifles until after I bought it. It is a King reflector base, red bead sight for a win 54, 70, or 71. I bought several King sights without looking closely, thinking this was surely for a S&W or Colt. It really lights up late in the evening woods on my Win 71.





Charlie

 

[Green Frog]

Charlie, in my experience it seems the tang sights for rifles predate the micrometer revolver sights, so I'm not surprised there were front sights as well...competitive rifle shooting was "mainstream" before competitive pistol shooting after all.

Froggie

 

[crsides]

The win 70 and 71 were introduced in 1936/37. Not sure about the mod 54 but it was earlier.

 

[Modified]

I've been busy, haven't really done a lot lately. But. I came across a DW King thing last night that amused me...

Some hoodlum stole his car!

Outdoor Life 1915-06: Vol 35 Iss 6 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

 

[RKmesa]

I love this thread! Adding a write-up I came across from a local King collector (click on the attachment and you should be able to download the pdf)...

 

[Keith Brown]

I think this might become the "KING" of King threads ! Modified will keep digging and posting his finds and spur others I imagine.
I have very little to add unfortunately, although aware of King modified guns from an early age I stayed way behind the ball and paid them little attention. Passed by a couple of armloads over the years, BIG mistake.

Thanks to all for the great pics of guns and paper.

 

[Keith Brown]

I think this could be the "KING" of King threads, Modified will keep reading and digging and hopefully spur others on. I unfortunately have little to offer having had little interest in King guns even though aware of them at an early age, turned down an armload or so early onmuch to my regret now.

Thanks to all for the great pics of King guns and paper.

 

[kwill1911]

I'm resurrecting this thread in hopes some "new" folks will see it and add to it.

 

[Truckman]

I'm resurrecting this thread in hopes some "new" folks will see it and add to it.

I appreciate the reminder, Kevin...I keep trying to remember to dust off this old timer to pose for a few pics, and I never seem to remember until it's on display under glass somewhere...

This Model of 1950 Target .45 ACP is on my to-be-lettered list along with many others waiting their turn...I can tell you it shipped in September of 1954 by Roy's reckoning...The Magnas on it are numbered, but not to this gun...At least I was able to find it this morning (fifth one I put my hands on after opening the vault)......Ben

 

[younggun22]

Here's a King item that you don't often see. Picked it up a few years ago and have been doing my best to fill it with king guns

Sorry for the terrible pics, it's current buried somewhere in storage and these are the only pics I have!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Capt. F.]

While I was drooling over the services and products King offered, I wondered why no one grabbed the ball and ran with it when they finally folded. Dwindling interest from the shooting community, increased costs?
And finally IF someone or a group of someone's were to be willing start the business again, tailoring not only to revolver fans but plastic fantastics as well, would there be enough interest to make it a viable venture?
Thoughts?

 

[kwill1911]

See the first post in this thread. There were two companies that sprung out of King after D.W. died.

 

[Truckman]

IF someone or a group of someone's were to be willing start the business again, tailoring not only to revolver fans but plastic fantastics as well, would there be enough interest to make it a viable venture?
Thoughts?

The fog-shrouded mystique of the legendary King dynasty could be a boon as well as a hindrance for the resurrection of the name...Everyone would know that this is not Dean King's business, nor his family's, but expectations of the quality and wide variety of custom products would be high just by the name association...Plus a new business must still compete with all the existing gunsight businesses...

It could be done by someone with deep pockets to withstand the startup costs and initial lag time in building a customer base, plus infinite patience in waiting for the name to catch on again......Ben

 

[Capt. F.]

The fog-shrouded mystique of the legendary King dynasty could be a boon as well as a hindrance for the resurrection of the name...Everyone would know that this is not Dean King's business, nor his family's, but expectations of the quality and wide variety of custom products would be high just by the name association...Plus a new business must still compete with all the existing gunsight businesses...

It could be done by someone with deep pockets to withstand the startup costs and initial lag time in building a customer base, plus infinite patience in waiting for the name to catch on again......Ben

I for one know where there's a gaggle of Smith's, Colts and Rugers that would be first in line for Cockeyed hammers, serrated triggers and some custom sights, should it come to fruition.

 

[Gunhohulk]

I have a question for the King experts. I recently picked up a Colt King Super Target from 1949-50 that is pretty obvious it has the King short action treatment done to it. The hammer is not king marked but it is a "Target" style hammer and when cocked it only goes about half as far back and in double action it travels back even less.

On the other hand, I have a King Super Target that's built on an M&P Target that has the Cockeyed Hammer but I can't tell if it has the short action treatment done to it. When you cock the hammer back it goes fully rearward in single action. But in double action it seems like it drops considerably shorter than a normal double action would but I don't have a similar K Frame from the era to make a comparison with. The Smith hammer and trigger have case hardening that is pretty much identical and the trigger and hammer have the same font patent information stamped on them. Did King make the hammer and trigger themselves or were they modified S&W parts? And how would one go about verifying if it is the short action trigger or not?