How common were Target stocks on the Highway Patrolman?

[P&R Fan]

I was reading the 1958 Gun Digest and in the section where they list all the new guns for the year they of course have the Highway Patrolman in there. That year the price was $85 for the standard revolver. It says $90 with Target stocks. (Dang, I'd like to get one of those Delorean time machines).
How common are they with the Target stocks?
Jim

[410bore]

I recall seeing a LNIB 4-screw 6" model 28 on gunbroker several months ago wearing diamond target stocks and the box had "TS" written in white grease pencil below the serial number on the bottom. I have no doubts it was shipped with the Target Stocks as the package was totally complete (box with "TS" marking, docs, tools, etc) and did not appear to be fooled with.

I would say that there are very few, if any, people who have lettered a HP to confirm shipment with target stocks so I would say they are uncommon based on confirmed examples.

Unless, the box is present and marked accordingly, I always assume that all HP's came with magnas but acknowledge that they could be, and were, ordered with target stocks. I dont think there would be a huge premium in price of a 28 shipped with magnas versus a 28 shipped with target stocks, aside from the market value of the stocks individually (~$100-150 for diamond magnas and ~$220-300+ for diamond targets). If we are talking 28-2's with non-diamond stocks then there is virtually no price difference between the two, maybe $50.00.

[A10]

Target stocks were spec'd on the Washington State Patrol 28-2s. I also have a Heavy Duty 6 1/2" former WSP gun with diamond targets.

[SDH]

This one letters to June 1955, but not with the non-relieved target grips that are seen in the introductory flyer. They were on it when I bought the gun and were correct for the era, but not mentioned in the letter.

[DWalt]

"Dang, I'd like to get one of those Delorean time machines"

But if you did, you would also have to go back to making the same wages as everyone else back then. In 1958, I was making $28/week clerking in a camera store. That 28 would have cost me 3 weeks pay.

[P&R Fan]

Originally Posted by DWalt

"Dang, I'd like to get one of those Delorean time machines"

But if you did, you would also have to go back to making the same wages as everyone else back then. In 1958, I was making $28/week clerking in a camera store. That 28 would have cost me 3 weeks pay.

Well, if I was going to run that Delorean up to 88 MPH and go back, I'd have my pockets full of cash.
Jim

[STCM(SW)]

In 1958 I was still in HS.......
But I was making $20-25 a week selling newspapers but too young to buy a handgun in N.J.

[TIMETRIPPER]

Well, if I was going to run that Delorean up to 88 MPH and go back, I'd have my pockets full of cash.
Jim

Just make sure it was all minted in 1958 or earlier or you could spent some time in the lockup for passing counterfeit coin! And they didn't have any color TV or nice weight rooms to pass the time in back then. But I get your drift.
On the other hand, if you could afford a Delorean, buying old S&Ws would be child's play.
John

[mmande]

A couple of years ago I bought a pre-28 with target stocks that I was going to "harvest" for myself. When I took them off I found that they were numbered to the gun. (Yes, in the fifties some target stocks were numbered. It probably was a hard habit to break for some employees.) Well, shoot, I could not separate what God had joined together. I sold the gun and the new owner thought that it was really cool that the stocks were numbered. As others have pointed out target stocks have always been an option for any revolver made and could be ordered with them.
Just my two cents worth;
Mike