Finally found the serial numbers for the two 1917 targets that I had.

0294: 6.5" Blue shipped May 15 1918 to C.F. Armstrong.

180042: 5.5" Blue shipped Oct 27,1926 to F.T.Budge Co, Miami

Regards, Mike Priwer

They built and shipped a custom ordered "club gun" in target configuration during the war? This Armstrong guy must have had a lot of juice.

__________________
No life story has happy end.

SP. I don't think he had that much pull. There were over sixty (60) Club Guns built during WWI. Club Guns were built by the Service Department, so it really didn't effect production.

__________________
Don Mundell

SP

Don is right about club guns being built during wars. McGivern received a target Victory
in May of 1945. It's a 2" gun, with an extra 4" barrel, and its the only target Victory
made by the factory.

Here is a picture of it.



Regards, Mike Priwer

Somehow a target 2" gun doesn't make much sense!

__________________
Tom
NRA Pistol Inst

If the guy behind the throttle of that 2" does his part, the gun will be plenty accurate for most needs.

__________________
Eccentric old coot

Mike
How did you get a picture of my McGivern gun. I thought it was locked up in my safe.

__________________
Don Mundell

Tom,

You make a great point. And yet, what's up with all the snubbies made today with target sights?

__________________
Jim
S&WCA #819

I'm not aware that good adjustable sights have ever delivered less accuracy than fixed sights on any barrel length, so there is no reason not to have them. And even if you never adjust them for improved lateral or vertical accuracy, you can easily add or select features (different dots up front, white outline or plain in back) to build the sight picture your eyes desire.

Better to have adjustable sights and not need them than the other way around, I say. But then I have been known to say lots of stuff that will make some people roll their eyes.

__________________
David Wilson

Mike
Great gun. McGivern and Col Applegate were two people that could get any thing they wanted from the factory.
Here is the write up on Col Applegates K-22 two inch.

Mike
Do you have a copy of the factory letter for the 1917 Target you had.
Here is the letter on mine.

Jim

We're in luck! I saved both letters, plus Bill Powells notes on 0294 & 0252.

First, here is some information about 1917 Club guns. There were 37 5 1/2" zero 1917's,
and 10 6 1/2" zero 1917's. These 10 guns are, by serial number,

0249 - 0252 (4)
0269 - 0272 (4)
0275 shipped 10/30/1917 to C.F. Armstrong (1)
0294 shipped 5/15/1918 to C.F. Armstrong as a target (1)

The next two images are the letter for 0294.





This next image is from Bill Powell. Perhaps its from his records, but I am not sure
where this came from. It describes 0252 and 0294. At a S&WCA meeting in the late
1990's, Bill had 0252 on his table, and went to great lengths to tell me about the
rarity of that gun. He was right, but I did not buy the gun.



These last two images are the letter for 180042.





Regards, Mike Priwer

Mike
Thanks great information.
Jim

I was just making reference of it being called a "target" gun. I agree to have rear target sights on a gun. It helps with different loads and hitting to point of aim. But most of them now are called combat guns. Such as the model 19 and 66.

__________________
Tom
NRA Pistol Inst

Normally, I wouldn't resurrect a thread from 2014.

I think this is one of those times when an exception is warranted.

As seen in this thread, Help Identify Marking on Front Target Sight, I bought .45 HE, Model of 1917, SN 66430 this past week (Independance Day purchase ).

The 6.5" barrel, currently on SN 66430, is numbered to the lettered gun in post #12 by mikepriwer.



I would love to know the story of how this barrel traveled from one frame to the one I now own and it would be interesting to see images of the .45 HE, Model of 1917, zero serial number 0294 as it looked when lettered.

Regards,
-Bill

*Acknowledgement: Thank you Mr. James Redfield (JSRIII) for making the connection and bringing it to our attention regarding 0294.

__________________
Veteran Paratrooper, '86-'90

My bet is that your barrel is NOT the barrel from the 0294 gun that Mike used to own. That gun almost certainly sold for some BIG$$. I bet it survives today just as it was then.

What MAY have happened-
When Mike's 0294 was built, two barrels were accidentally numbered 0294. One was used to build Mike's gun. The other barrel languished in a parts bin until it was sold or scarfed up by an employee, and was eventually put on your gun when someone outside the Factory converted your gun to a Target with King sights.

__________________
Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Interesting theory.
It’d be cool to see the two, side-by-side, if true.

I know I’ll keep SN 66430 exactly the way I received it.
-Bill

PS: I may just letter it for the sake of having a record of what it’s not.

__________________
Veteran Paratrooper, '86-'90

I have learned since first posting on this thread, from mikepriwer, that he sold the lettered example in post #12, SN 0294, to Ray Brazille in 2000.

Mr. Brazille passed away in 2014. The whereabouts of that revolver are unknown.

-Bill

__________________
Veteran Paratrooper, '86-'90

Since we're on the subject of war guns with adj. Sights, does anyone have a picture of S&W 455 HE Second model ( 6-1/2") barrel with the Bisley drift-adjustable rear sight? Which was made aperently for Bisley range target competition.
I ask as I may have one, that came from the Montreal police. The fellows name is etched on the right hand inside grip panel. Any help would be appreciated!!!
Sorry for the thread highjack😕
Thanks Dale Z in Canada