King Super Target Rib

Dan M said:
USAFRTgt010.jpg
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What does the rolling say on the side of the barrel?
 
it says U.S.A.F.R. for United States Air Force Reserves. the Rib above has the Colonels name and ID #. He has a son who is a retired Air Force General.
I traded a pre model 36 Chiefs Special target straight across for this one and was pretty excited when I got it.

Dan
 
to all the people showing their king guns, all are beautiful. it took a serious target shooter with some extra money back in the day to have these done. how many of you have shot them and how do they perform as compared to factory configuration? for those who look for these, do you usually see high condition guns with the king mods? i would think most guys would be quite proud of them and take extra care in their use.
 
well mine, I just got it a few weeks ago..but..I've been shooting it when ever i can...probally close to 500 rounds so far.. performance wise it's hard to say..I might shoot it a little better than my K.38 but, it all depends on the day and how well I'm doing...

the way it handles is just ... different... the weights more, not really ballanced but towards the muzzle,, but not really.... kinda hard to explain.. it just feels "right"..

as for condition of other Kings I've seen.....I haven't. this is the first one I've ever seen in person. ( I had to have it )

the condition of mine when I got it was used...well used...action was as smooth as I had ever felt on a S&W.. lock up & timeing was perfect.. blueing was almost gone....LOL...

this little puppy had been around the block a few times..handled enough that the finish had been removed but never abused..

who ever had mine made up, used it and from the looks used it well.. and I'm glad they did....
when it first came home..
HPIM0911.jpg

little bit of blueing wear...
HPIM0907.jpg
 
perazzi,
In answer to your question about actually shooting a King Super Target...
I bought mine to (occasionally) shoot.
It gets a lot of attention at the range.
The action is real smooth.
I figured the gun would make me a pretty darn good bullseye shooter.
The gun prints high (with both 148 gr wadcutters and 158 gr lrn's.)
Sights are so small I can't see them very well.
Truthfully, my plain old 38/44 OD's and the Colt OM's outshoot this puppy.
Still, all in all a beautiful gun.
Glad I have it.
It sits in the safe (:>)
Don
 
There is a beautiful K-22 Outdoorsman with a King Super Target Rib in the Missouri Cabela's. The serial number is very low; it would have been only the 26th OD off the line in 1931.

Yes, I went after it. No, I didn't get it. It's on layaway for someone else. The item number is 1669652 for those who want to search for it. It seems to have been refinished (star after the serial number), but if so it was a beautiful job.
 
DCWilson said:
There is a beautiful K-22 Outdoorsman with a King Super Target Rib in the Missouri Cabela's. The serial number is very low; it would have been only the 26th OD off the line in 1931.

Yes, I went after it. No, I didn't get it. It's on layaway for someone else. The item number is 1669652 for those who want to search for it. It seems to have been refinished (star after the serial number), but if so it was a beautiful job.
Click to expand...

That gun is the reason that I started this thread. I was trying to find out, and still am, as much as I could about them before buying it. I was able to talk them down some, still paying more than I wanted to. I just don't see these for sale very often and the very low serial number is what sealed the deal for me. Being able to put in on layaway helps. The star has me alittle concerned. I, like you, thought if it was a refinish, it was well done. It will be awhile before I actually put my hands on it and the wait will be hard. Really gives me something to look forward to though.

I still hope to see some more King revolvers. I know there are more out there.:)
 
I'm sure the wait will be hard, but it looks like an excellent two-for-one collector's piece. Either the rib or the serial number would be reason enough to go after it, but having both on the same gun makes it an absolute winner. Congratulations!

(And congratulations too on getting them to come down a bit. I also thought the gun was a little overpriced.)
 
I think the grips are Herrett's or the "stiles" knock offs....not really sure...not custom made but "opened up" and fitted for my hand...( I have some big ole "meathook" hands) gun points almost naturally for me now..
 
phenson said:
but here's my King's Super Target. Strangest S&W I ever did see.
Honestly though, only King gun I have ever seen in real life.
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I think that is the strangest S&W that I have ever seen too. But I think the reason is because it is a COLT.:) LOL. I know you knew this because of your title of your thread. It is wild looking. I like the cockeyed hammer and wonder who made the grips, maybe King. The backstrap on your Colt is checkered. Maybe they come that way, but if not, I think I read that was also a thing that King would do.
 
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There are alot of neat things in the King Gunsight Catalog.

I thought the tubular magazine idea was really wild. Three different weights changing the balance of the gun, from 3 different metals, mercury (probably illegal now), steel, and aluminum. Has anbody seen one of these?



Was this the first .22 conversion kit? I wonder how well it works. I have seen conversions for autos, never for a revolver.



King seemed to be way ahead of his time. Lots of ideas, but since the company went out of business, it makes me wonder if the ideas worked as he intended them to.
 
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I own several of the Colt-King Super Target Woodsman pistols and they work exactly like D.W. King (and target shooters of the day) wanted them to. I published an article a couple of years ago about them for the Colt Collectors Association.

Regards,
Kevin Williams
KingMTW2.jpg
 
I saw a 2nd Model HE 44spl at a gunshow a while back that looked everything in the world like a King Super Target; rib, reflector front sight, hammer, etc. but there wasn't a King mark on it anywhere!!! The gun was pretty decent, had a factory refinish star and K frame grips on it. Looking back on it I should have paid the $650 the guy was asking for it.
 
They generally aren't marked except for a tiny stamp on the sights which is easy to overlook and/or often buffed off if the gun has been refinished.
 
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