To begin with, props to the SWCA for digging around with enthusiasm, if you don't belong, consider it. 
This particular gun I posted about a few weeks ago was 1 of 20 special ordered by the state of New Hampshire, Adjutant general C.W. Howard.
Oct 28th 1931, they asked S&W if .22 cal revolvers for "indoor practice", with about the same weight and grip feel as their .45s, could be supplied, S&W replied "yes we can".
S&W accidentally quoted a price for 22/32 revolvers, but sold them the K22's at the quoted price of $20.70 losing $4.66 per gun with the stipulation that any further K 22 orders would be the regular price of $25.36.
The buyer specified a "5lb trigger pull, to which S&W replied it would cost an extra $.50 per gun to comply as they had to make "special hammers", New Hampshire agreed.
The guns were spec'd out as "5lb trigger pull, plain Patridge front sight, V rear sight, to be targeted in the black at 6 o'clock, 50ft, test targets enclosed"
On Dec 7th 1931, Mr. Howard asked S&W "if these revolvers are returned to you, can you make the recommended changes that Capt. Chandler requires?"
Well, Capt Horton L. Chandler, 197th CAAA (Coast Artillery Anti-Aircraft) Battery A Searchlight, tried out the new revolver and from the letter he sent to the boss, was not at all pleased with the sights, he called them "practically useless!" and that they "failed miserably" to match the .45s they already had. Also, the front sight and the V rear made accurate shooting "pure luck with nil training value!"
In a few words, he urgently recommended the front sight be changed to a half moon and that the rear target sight have a U shape and not the V.
Vice president V.H. Wesson replied that he was very sorry and that once returned, they would make the changes at "no charge" and returned immediately. They sent one gun back in the new configuration, everyone was happy and the other 19 were refitted and returned.
So, as to the half moon front sight on a 1st model Outdoorsman being an option? apparently the answer is "Yes" if one were to complain enough. Well done Mr. Chandler.
(If anyone would like copies of the documents, feel free to ask.)
This particular gun I posted about a few weeks ago was 1 of 20 special ordered by the state of New Hampshire, Adjutant general C.W. Howard.
Oct 28th 1931, they asked S&W if .22 cal revolvers for "indoor practice", with about the same weight and grip feel as their .45s, could be supplied, S&W replied "yes we can".
S&W accidentally quoted a price for 22/32 revolvers, but sold them the K22's at the quoted price of $20.70 losing $4.66 per gun with the stipulation that any further K 22 orders would be the regular price of $25.36.
The buyer specified a "5lb trigger pull, to which S&W replied it would cost an extra $.50 per gun to comply as they had to make "special hammers", New Hampshire agreed.
The guns were spec'd out as "5lb trigger pull, plain Patridge front sight, V rear sight, to be targeted in the black at 6 o'clock, 50ft, test targets enclosed"
On Dec 7th 1931, Mr. Howard asked S&W "if these revolvers are returned to you, can you make the recommended changes that Capt. Chandler requires?"
Well, Capt Horton L. Chandler, 197th CAAA (Coast Artillery Anti-Aircraft) Battery A Searchlight, tried out the new revolver and from the letter he sent to the boss, was not at all pleased with the sights, he called them "practically useless!" and that they "failed miserably" to match the .45s they already had. Also, the front sight and the V rear made accurate shooting "pure luck with nil training value!"
In a few words, he urgently recommended the front sight be changed to a half moon and that the rear target sight have a U shape and not the V.
Vice president V.H. Wesson replied that he was very sorry and that once returned, they would make the changes at "no charge" and returned immediately. They sent one gun back in the new configuration, everyone was happy and the other 19 were refitted and returned.
So, as to the half moon front sight on a 1st model Outdoorsman being an option? apparently the answer is "Yes" if one were to complain enough. Well done Mr. Chandler.
(If anyone would like copies of the documents, feel free to ask.)
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...Ben
