M & P Target history

[Aussie Bruce]

Here are some shots of a S & W M & P Target Serial No 602923 in .38 Special you may mind of interest.
The Monogram on the RHS is of Daniel Lance Archer a member of one of the prominent grazing families in Tasmania whose families were pioneers in that state. Serial number dates it to 1932

 

[murphydog]

Cool gun with the large medallion (early) 1930s stocks.

 

[Aussie Collector]

Very nice.
Is this from the Tasmanian group that gifted guns to each other?
I recall Peter Thurley with a few nice Smith's for sale that had names or initials on them. He said the group of friends would gift guns on special occasions, always engraved with the recipient name or initials.
The group or club was around for many years and had a name which I cannot recall. Peter, being from Tasmania, said they initials gave the guns important Providence.

 

[RKmesa]

Great gun!!! Do the grips number to the gun? Most of the large medallion K-frame grips that I have seen number in the 610XXX - 612XXX SN range. So if yours number to that gun, that would be one of the lowest SNs I have seen on the large medallion grips.

Here is a link to a thread discussing the large medallion K-frame grips:

https://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-h...-k-frame-grips.html?highlight=large*medallion

Thanks for sharing,

 

[quinn]

That is most interesting. How often do we see a S&W that letters to Tasmania? One of my pieces of Wolf & Klar ephemera came from Australia from this same time period. Thanks for sharing that gem with us Yanks.

 

[Keith Brown]

What a beautiful old M&P Target, my favorite flavor of prewar Smith !
I shot 602881 just the other day, it might have been boxed up on the same day as yours.