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Any Experts On Pre Model 26 I'm Confused
- Thread starter AC Man
- Start date
Your sight looks very orange to me. My 1956 .44 Magnum to compare.
It's my desk light. Here is is next to a Model 29.
Good, had me worried.
The red ramp is correct. I based my comment about it being added to the revolver later on appearance of the two pins securing the ramp base to the barrel. The pins look like they were removed and replaced by someone other than S&W.
Bill
Bill
Mike LaNier
Member
Interesting discussion! I would suspect based on all the comments, there might be a whole lot of older 'customized' or 'converted' guns out there... I have one! It's a five-screw 'N' frame, 5" barrel, with the barrel stamped "45 caliber Model of 1950" on the right side, and "Smith & Wesson" on the left side. The gun is chambered in .45 Colt, and serial number 165xxx is stamped on the butt and on the crane; however, no serial number on the cylinder, on the barrel nor inside the shroud. The frame and the crane have the same assembly numbers. My factory letter indicated the gun was built as a Model of 1955 Target, in .45 ACP with a 6.5" barrel and shipped in 1956; a small number '5' is on the grip frame, noting the gun was originally chambered in .45 ACP, so it's clear it's a 'converted' gun. I thought it was a Pre-Model 26 when I first saw it, but lacking numbers on the cylinder and barrel, plus the price, proved otherwise. Despite being a bit of a maverick, it shoots OK and is a favorite due to barrel length.
Mike LaNier
Member
I suspect that of the 'Pre-Model 26' and 'Model 26' guns out there, a good number of them are fakes, or maybe just Frankenguns. I have one, a 5" barreled gun in .45 Colt, 'Model of 1950' barrel and cylinder, the smooth Target grips, Serial # 165xxx, looks to be the real thing, but it letters as a Model of 1955 Target that has been modified. The clues were, no serial # on the cylinder nor in the shroud, so I knew something wasn't right, and I bought it right, so no worries. Shoots good! ML.
Serial # S 165000 dates to 1957-58 in the book. There were 200 of 1950 .45 Target Model (Pre-Model 26) made in 45 Colt and 4 and 5 ingh barrels have been reported.
Barrels are marked .45 CAL MODEL 1950.
Model 1955 45 Target Model (Pre-Model 25) with 1000 units made in 45 Colt with barrels marked 45 CAL MODEL 1950 in 1976.
A few sales of the above 45 Colt models range in price from $8000 to $14,625.
Either of those barrels and cylinders could not have serial numbers because the soft fitting process was eliminated in 1957 which also eliminated the serial numbers on those two parts!
What is the shipping date given for your gun in your letter?
Barrels are marked .45 CAL MODEL 1950.
Model 1955 45 Target Model (Pre-Model 25) with 1000 units made in 45 Colt with barrels marked 45 CAL MODEL 1950 in 1976.
A few sales of the above 45 Colt models range in price from $8000 to $14,625.
Either of those barrels and cylinders could not have serial numbers because the soft fitting process was eliminated in 1957 which also eliminated the serial numbers on those two parts!
What is the shipping date given for your gun in your letter?
Engine49guy
Member
Im a little late to the party and see the thread has drifted a tad but after rereading this thread on the OP's gun this comment caught my interest, prior to around 1980 target frames had grooves cut into the rear sight channel just ahead of the rear sight, that is except for the Model 28 which was smooth and the Model 27 which was checkered.
It would seem that if the OP's frame began life as a HP it would be smooth there, I would doubt that if the factory converted it from a Model 28 frame they would go through this extra step, if it was converted outside the factory theres even less chance.
To satisfy my personal curiosity I would love to see a pic looking down from above showing if the frame has these grooves, if the frame has grooves I doubt it began life as a HP frame IMO.
On a side note,
I did not see anywhere if this has a 6 groove or 10 groove backstrap, my bet is by the ship date its a 10 groove but with SW you never know.
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Late to the party, as usual! I'd surely like to see a pic of the top strap including where the frame joins the barrel.
Engine49guy
Member
I quoted that part above my post
