A few months ago I got a rare 4" Triple Lock half Target (90%) that shipped on June 8, 1917 to Kraut & Dohnal Col, Chicago, IL.

Last week I got another uncommon Triple Lock; this one a full Target (99%) that shipped on December 8, 1917 to W. S. Brown & Co., 523 Wood St., Pittsburgh, PA.

Research on Kraut and Dohnal Co., and on W. S. Brown & Co. has revealed that they both were straight razor manufacturers.

What are the odds that a pair of relatively rare guns that had been shipped in exactly six months of each other, that late in the production cycle, would have gone to two companies that sold the same product?

Even more so that they would have survived 93 years and come together again.

Bob

I shaved twice last week, with exactly the same razor. What are the odds?

I couldn't resist, Bob.
Ya oughta slap me in Tucson.

It IS an interesting coincidence. Is the full Target 6.5 or 7.5?

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Pretty odd. It's enough to raise a few eye brows, and wiskers.

6.5", Lee.

I find it an even greater coincidence that you would shave twice in one week.

They will both be in the display in Tucson.

(along with an even more scarce 99%, 6.5" Third model 1926 Target that came with the TL Target...so you can slap me back for bragging, Lee)

Bob

What would a company do back in those days to order a handgun straight from the factory? IE, was it possible to order onesy twoseys? Could an individual order a single revolver directly from S&W or would he have to go through a retailer? I know that up until about the late '60s individuals could receive handguns through the regular mail, so no worries there.

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You're shy a few manners.

Jack,

In those days a firearms manufacturers (S&W, Colt, others) would sell to distributors, retail stores, federal, state or local governments or individuals. Anyone who had the money could buy a gun.

In fact, if you had any fame or notability and an official of the manufacturer thought that your ownership might further their product sales, you didn't always even need any money.

Bob

So where's the pics Bob???