I just ordered this pre-27. Did any 5 screw guns come with these football diamond targets? I’m assuming they’re probably late 50’s early 60’s.

Thanks,

Kirby

Attached Images

	IMG_9664.jpg (47.0 KB, 127 views)
	IMG_9663.jpg (63.5 KB, 158 views)

Maybe depending on when your gun shipped; the football relief diamond targets started in 1958, model number stamps appeared about the same time. More likely though it shipped with diamond magnas. A letter would probably tell you.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

Period correct target stocks for your .357 Magnum would be made of walnut and look like those shown below.

Bill

Do you know what dates those particular grips began? I have a pre-27 from 1954 and and a pre-29 from 1957 that both have them.

Interesting in the 1957 catalog, the pre-model 29 shows the football target grip with the thumb relief and the pre-27 shows the magna grip.

__________________
SWCA#3969

I was thinking non-relieved targets would be correct. Thanks!

My focus has been more on K target guns but IIRC the non relieved K target stocks appeared around 1950 and the football relief cut is introduced with the Combat Magnum in 1956.

If you compare the OPs diamond target stocks at the heel you will notice the checkering makes a rounded turn up at the back , now look at Docs older target stocks in the same place you Wil notice they make a sharp turn up.
On K target stocks that change occurred around 1963ish, my bet is N targets may be the same.

Man, so many small details to remember!!

But I'm learning.

N-frame target stocks like those shown in post #3 first appeared sometime in 1952. They were used generally up through 1958, but a few pairs were original to guns shipped a little later. When the 44 Magnum was introduced in January 1956, it was cataloged with "special oversize stocks made of Goncalo alves" (larger area of checkering and a relieved area on the left stock panel). 44 Magnums were never shipped with stocks like those shown in post #3.

Bill

I always thought that all of the postwar 5-screw .357 Magnums (pre-Model 27) came standard with magna stocks, like my 1955. And that 5-screw and 4-screw .44 Magnums came standard with Coke Bottle stocks until ~1965, like my 1957. Special order Oversize Target stocks were always available, and eventually became standard on the Model 27s and Model 29s. But never say never with S&W!

Attached Images

	P1000405.jpg (174.3 KB, 22 views)
	P1000409.jpg (213.8 KB, 24 views)
	IMG_0572.jpg (91.8 KB, 24 views)
	IMG_0574.jpg (100.3 KB, 24 views)

This is an interesting discussion, that has come up before.

While I'm not saying the stocks on my Model of 1950 shipped with these, (July 6, 1955)



I find it interesting that:

a) the football cutout on earlier examples has a narrower, point-to-point profile than later examples; and



b) my N-frame lettered as having "square butt target stocks."



-Bill

__________________
Veteran Paratrooper, '86-'90

What I really appreciate is the information regarding the sharper radius at the bottom of the checkering. I never before noticed it but this is quite apparent at the back turn on the butt on the older targets compared to newer.

Just had a laugh when Bill referred to the cutout as "football" - I was trying to figure out why you guys were referring to them as "football". The first thing that came to mind was inflated...as in price.

__________________
SWCA#3969

Bill...I have seen and owned several pairs of stocks like those on your .357 Magnum. They date to 1959.

Bill

Hawg Rider...You are correct the .357 Magnum had Magna stocks made of American walnut as standard until September 1975 when the model was upgraded to add target stocks made of Goncalo alves, TT, TH, and a mahogany presentation case. However, any revolver could be special ordered with target stocks, as many invoices show. Coke bottle stocks were used for the 44 Magnum and later the 41 Magnum until being phased out beginning in February 1966 in favor of diamond target stocks made of Goncalo alves.

Bill

Thanks for sharing your knowledge, Bill.

I have nowhere near your experience of ownership or even merely handling the N-frames of this era.

Still, I'm happy to know that my Model of 1950 wears stocks that were made only 4 years after it shipped... for now, they can remain.
Maybe, I'll score some non-relief cut Targets one day!

-Bill

__________________
Veteran Paratrooper, '86-'90