Last Non-Relieved Targets

When were the last known non-relieved target stocks shipped on a gun? I know these things are really hard to determine with S&W. A friend who has a pre-24 need to know so He can bring his gun back to original configuration. His gun seems to be on the "cusp" so to speak (mid 1950's).

I am doubting a letter will help much.

No, letter won't help, you're right.

Non-relieved targets are B) on my list below:

As always with things S&W, you will see a lot of overlap in the list below. Serial number ranges would have to be interpolated by model from the years given:

TARGET STOCK STYLE VARIATIONS – ESTIMATED TIME FRAME RANGES:

A) Early non-relieved smooth Rosewood and other wood "Coke Bottle" stocks. Black washer, early 50's, special-order-only-applications, scarce. The bottom flare and long trigger guard area are indicative. Pg 23 SCSW, 3rd ed. The SCSW mentions in the history section for stocks, that Cokes were introduced for both K and N frames in the mid-50's. They were made smooth and checkered, and the K frame checkered are scarce.


B) Non-Relieved checkered Targets. Black washer, 1952 until about 1958.

C) Relieved ("football cutout") checkered and smooth Targets w/diamonds. Black washer, 1956 until about 1974 although most were used up by 1972.

D) Relieved (N "Coke bottle") Target" stocks with Black washer were specific to .44 Magnum thru the 29-2 models and early years of the Model 57. Special order only on pre 24s, 27s, etc., 1956 until 1967-68.

E) Smooth (presentation) Goncalo Alves, relieved. Black washers, used 1967 to 1980.

F) Relieved ("football") checkered w/o diamond, Targets. Silver washer. 1970 until
about 1982.

G) Relieved ("football presentation") Targets. Silver
washer. 1979 until about 1981. These have the "football"
shaped cartridge relief on the left side and the engraving
cut out on the right side and lack checkering.

H) "Speed Loader" Targets. Silver washer. 1980 until about
1991, and infrequently thereafter. Often on L & K frames.
These are cut out for enhanced clearance on
the left side for a speedloader, the scallop exposes
the revolver frame. Late in this issue, the medallion
washer was deleted and the medallions are more or less
force fit into a hole bored in the stocks and the 'alignment
circle' is milled into the wood.

I) "Speed Loader" Presentation Targets. Silver washer. 1979
until about 1991, and infrequently thereafter. These are
cut out for an enhance clearance on the left side for a
speedloader, the scallop exposes the revolver frame.
There is an engraving cut out on the right side. Common
on commemoratives, limited run guns and presentation
pieces. They lack checkering.

I owned a 1950 45 Target that was shipped in 1960 with non-relieved, checked, target stocks made of walnut. The revolver lettered with the stocks and was one of eight in the shipment. I know N-frame non-relieved targets were being shipped routinely through the first half of 1958.

Bill

Hondo44 said:

No, letter won't help, you're right.

Click to expand...

Jim, I was under the impression that a factory letter would normally tell what configuration a revolver left the factory, including what stocks were shipped? Not up on guns later than 1930, so maybe the record keeping changed over time. I see that Bill has one from 1950 that lettered with stock style?

If the letter says "Target stocks" it may not specify which style, as both were being used at the time and I suspect the factory wouldn't usually think to put the style in the records. The letter would be helpful if the gun shipped with Magnas. Is there any suspicion it had Targets originally?

The factory invoices were indifferent to engineering changes. For example, when
the pre-WW2 grips changed from gold medallions to convex non-medallions around
1920, the records do not reflect this. They would simply say "checkered walnut stocks",
for example.

Factory letters, on the other hand, will often, but not always, have the historians
best-guess of the configuration of the stocks.

Moving forward to post-WW2 target stocks, the extractor relief cut would not be
mentioned in the invoices. If the gun is early enough, so that the historian knows
for sure that the gun was shipped before the relief cut was introduced, the letter
may identify the grips as being the early non-relief-cut style.

Mike Priwer

Doc44 said:

I owned a 1950 45 Target that was shipped in 1960 with non-relieved, checked, target stocks made of walnut. The revolver lettered with the stocks and was one of eight in the shipment. I know N-frame non-relieved targets were being shipped routinely through the first half of 1958.

Bill

Click to expand...

The Letter mentioned that the Stocks where non relieved? I have never seen that before.

When were the last known non-relieved target stocks shipped on a gun?
I'd personally go with non relieved
Jan 24th 1963 is my best guess

weatherby said:

When were the last known non-relieved target stocks shipped on a gun?
I'd personally go with non relieved
Jan 24th 1963 is my best guess

Click to expand...

I think that's a special circumstance Paul

The 45 Target lettered with checkered target stocks made of walnut. Factory letters usually only specify target or checkered (meaning not target type) checkered or smooth, and often the type of wood.

Most of the invoices I have seen do not specify the type of stocks unless their is an extra charge for them.

Bill

Thank you to all. This turned out to be a very educational thread for me, and I'm sure my buddy will be happy to receive this information. I love this place.