Thanks all for your replies on early 4 screw targets and 38 Military revolvers, as posted previously on Two Amazing Finds – Early 38 K Frame Target Revolvers
I have generated a list of documented examples of these targets, which now total 32 guns made in the 58,000 to 62450 serial number range. The list consists of a collection of these target revolvers by Joe Miller' listings, examples found in the ship date requests to Roy, SWCA database search of K frame revolvers, and response from the S&W Forum members. I am not surprised by the low numbers, since I have always believed that very few were manufactured. Viewing the list, I think I can see what may be a few groups of gun serial numbers that were manufactured in batches. Logical that batches of these target revolvers would have been made off and on throughout the 1905 manufacturing year. It is also believed that all these guns were made in the same year, but examples were located that shipped from the factory as late as 1908. It was also interesting to see that no 38 Military “No change” square-butt revolvers as defined in Roy’s book were not shipped until 1906 above serial number 62450. These were 5 screw guns with the redesigned cylinder stop but made before the rebound slide 1st Change.
It can be stated, with some understanding, that these guns are mostly in the hands of collectors today. We are very good at discovering and acquiring these collectible guns and so they are mostly out of the hands of the general public. No more to be found under the truck seats, in the walls and attics of old homes, etc. The dilemma is that our Forum does not contain all collectors of this type of S&W revolver, but perhaps does hold the majority of this model within the membership here. To that end, I am supplying the list of known 4 Screw square-butt target 38s in hope of obtaining additional serial numbers. Anyone who might have or had any of these serial numbers without butt configuration listed, please add which they were?
38 Military Target Revolvers
Serial# Butt Style
58201 Square
59763 Square
59779 Square
59824 Square
59876 Square
60035
60041 Square
60779 Square
60792
60866
61192 Square
61196 Square
61266 Square
61319
61407
61414 Round
61434 Square
61442 Square
61513 Round
61516 Round
61573 Round
61893 Round
61970
62015 Square
62052 Square
62079 Round
62099 Round
62108 Round
62195 Round
62199 Round
62222 Square
62253 Square
62356 Round
62375 Square
65236
I have generated a list of documented examples of these targets, which now total 32 guns made in the 58,000 to 62450 serial number range. The list consists of a collection of these target revolvers by Joe Miller' listings, examples found in the ship date requests to Roy, SWCA database search of K frame revolvers, and response from the S&W Forum members. I am not surprised by the low numbers, since I have always believed that very few were manufactured. Viewing the list, I think I can see what may be a few groups of gun serial numbers that were manufactured in batches. Logical that batches of these target revolvers would have been made off and on throughout the 1905 manufacturing year. It is also believed that all these guns were made in the same year, but examples were located that shipped from the factory as late as 1908. It was also interesting to see that no 38 Military “No change” square-butt revolvers as defined in Roy’s book were not shipped until 1906 above serial number 62450. These were 5 screw guns with the redesigned cylinder stop but made before the rebound slide 1st Change.
It can be stated, with some understanding, that these guns are mostly in the hands of collectors today. We are very good at discovering and acquiring these collectible guns and so they are mostly out of the hands of the general public. No more to be found under the truck seats, in the walls and attics of old homes, etc. The dilemma is that our Forum does not contain all collectors of this type of S&W revolver, but perhaps does hold the majority of this model within the membership here. To that end, I am supplying the list of known 4 Screw square-butt target 38s in hope of obtaining additional serial numbers. Anyone who might have or had any of these serial numbers without butt configuration listed, please add which they were?
38 Military Target Revolvers
Serial# Butt Style
58201 Square
59763 Square
59779 Square
59824 Square
59876 Square
60035
60041 Square
60779 Square
60792
60866
61192 Square
61196 Square
61266 Square
61319
61407
61414 Round
61434 Square
61442 Square
61513 Round
61516 Round
61573 Round
61893 Round
61970
62015 Square
62052 Square
62079 Round
62099 Round
62108 Round
62195 Round
62199 Round
62222 Square
62253 Square
62356 Round
62375 Square
65236
Last edited:
