KING SIGHT STUFF

rct269 · Jun 28, 2023

I can't find it now, but someone recently asked if orders including King sights were filled by S&W directly, or if the guns were shipped off to King for such.

The answer is they were filled by S&W directly----as the company maintained a complete selection of the more popular items.

This from an EXHAUSTIVE SWCA Journal article by James L. Wallinger and Jim King, who have clearly forgotten WAY more than I know about the topic!

Ralph Tremaine

HeloMt · Jun 28, 2023

As with all things Smith & Wesson, there are exceptions. My 1940 second model target was shipped by S&W across the country for King sight installation for S&W before being delivered to the customer. I've got all the invoices showing the work, the shipping, etc. So not all of it was done at the factory. I have no idea what the criteria was for S&W doing it in-house or shipping it to King.

quinn · Jun 28, 2023

What years was the King Sight Company in business? Was King and Micro both operating at the same time?

rct269 · Jun 28, 2023

quinn said:
What years was the King Sight Company in business? Was King and Micro both operating at the same time?

Without looking since I'm late leaving already, King started in 1913, ended in 1955---Micro came along (whenever), started by some ex-King employees (which occasioned a bit of a tiff/lawsuit) in which King (??) prevailed-----and you can thank the Big Gorilla for helping the Dummy (me) find this thread again!

Ralph Tremaine

And I think yes, both operating at the same time (for a spell) later on, but I'd have to double check that-----and there's not much of anything in my library about Micro--but all the 3 screw single action targets in my Ruger collection carried Micro sights---and I never fired any of those Rugers, so can't comment beyond guessing they worked pretty well---otherwise they wouldn't have found their way there to begin with.

How's that for another convoluted run-on sentence?!!

paplinker · Jun 28, 2023

rct269 said:
I can't find it now, but someone recently asked if orders including King sights were filled by S&W directly, or if the guns were shipped off to King for such.

The answer is they were filled by S&W directly----as the company maintained a complete selection of the more popular items.

This from an EXHAUSTIVE SWCA Journal article by James L. Wallinger and Jim King, who have clearly forgotten WAY more than I know about the topic!

Ralph Tremaine

Funny thing about this thread is that at the symposium I asked Roy this very question!

It came up as I had just met Roy for my very first time and had a question regarding factory cockeyed hammers.

What you mention above was confirmed by Roy.
I am sure there were exceptions.

I have correspondence of a gun returned to S&W by a distributor for complaint of a poor fitting King mirror red post front sight.
653177..still searching for it!

I have the companion shipped 38/44 OD also with a factory fitted King mirror.

6string · Jun 28, 2023

Thanks for posting these extra insights!

Here's a bit more King vs. Micro stuff, from a previous thread.
Includes info about the lawsuit between King and Micro.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-ha...955-lawsuit.html?highlight=king+micro+lawsuit

RKmesa · Jun 28, 2023

Some interesting Reading

I received some handwritten notes from a friend who somehow got them from a DW Ploeger. I transcribed the notes into the attached pdf... Kind of fun to read...

KING SIGHT STUFF

rct269

HeloMt

quinn

rct269

paplinker

6string

RKmesa

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