Model of 1950 .45 ACP Target

[kscharlie]

A few months ago I was able to acquire a nice Model of 1950 Target .45 ACP from a fellow forum member. One has been on my "want list" for quite a long time. My Model of 1955 was crying for an older brother, and this one appeared. At some point, the cylinder was replaced, as it is bright blue and has no serial number stamped on it. But that's OK with me, it's still a 1950 model and they don't turn up every day. It also had newer non-diamond magna stocks on it, and I found a nice set of period correct diamond magna stocks for it. Here are a few pics including one of the brothers, who are now very happy.

 

[Retired W4]

Very nice! I recently saw one that also had the cylinder changed out. I spotted the left handed ejector rod then looked for the SN on the cylinder, and there was none. It looked like the entire cylinder assembly was replaced along with the stocks.

 

[delcrossv]

Very nice! IMO the Model 1950 was one of S&W's prettiest N frames.

Daughter #1 ventilating targets with ours:

 

[Walter Rego]

Nice gun kscharlie.

Even though the Model 1955 with its heavier barrel addressed some concerns that target shooters of the 1950's had, I still like the Model 1950's with their tapered barrels. There is a certain grace about them and mine shoots just fine. Here's a pic of mine, I was able to find a set of non-relieved Target Stocks for it several years ago. I have big hands and Magnas on an N Frame, especially one with a long barrel aren't very comfortable.

 

[StrawHat]

…A few months ago I was able to acquire a nice Model of 1950 Target .45 ACP from a fellow forum member. One has been on my "want list" for quite a long time. My Model of 1955 was crying for an older brother, and this one appeared. At some point, the cylinder was replaced, as it is bright blue and has no serial number stamped on it. But that's OK with me, it's still a 1950 model and they don't turn up every day. It also had newer non-diamond magna stocks on it, and I found a nice set of period correct diamond magna stocks for it. Here are a few pics including one of the brothers, who are now very happy. …

Charlie,

We frolic among the largest group of enablers on the planet! And they are sooo subtle about it!

I also acquired a S&W Model 1950, ACP Target revolver through the intervention of a fellow member. He posted about finding one local to him. I posted that they are rarely seen in my neck of the woods. He contacted me and said he was passing on the purchase but here is the contact information.

Not quite a double dog dare but close.

It has since become a favorite of mine.

Prior to getting it, I acquired a barrel for one, in case I needed to resort to building my own.

Another member made a convincing argument that this Model is the culmination of refinement in ACP revolvers.

I agree with him.

I hope you enjoy yours as much as I do.

Kevin

 

[6string]

The 1950 Target is a great revolver, be it in .44 or .45 caliber.
In my experience, the old 1950 Target .45s were chambered correctly in regard to cylinder throats, headspacing, etc., and are capable of excellent accuracy.
Same goes for the early 1955 Target .45s.
The only thing you really gain with the heavier barrel is a slightly faster recovery in the timed and rapid fire stages of the Bullseye match.
Also, I think the 1955s were generally shipped with the full width target hammer and trigger.

If you have one with a replaced cylinder, and if you are a shooter, it's worth your while to check the cylinder throats. If the replacement is from the later 25-2 era there's a good chance the throats are considerably oversized and that the forward edge of the chamber that the casemouth headspaces on is a little deep.
When properly chambered, a 1950 or 1955 Target should reliably fire .45 ACP ammo w/o the use moon clips. The only use for clips should be to facilitate extraction.

 

[Narragansett]

Charlie,

We frolic among the largest group of enablers on the planet! And they are sooo subtle about it!

I also acquired a S&W Model 1950, ACP Target revolver through the intervention of a fellow member. He posted about finding one local to him. I posted that they are rarely seen in my neck of the woods. He contacted me and said he was passing on the purchase but here is the contact information.

Not quite a double dog dare but close.

It has since become a favorite of mine.

Prior to getting it, I acquired a barrel for one, in case I needed to resort to building my own.

Another member made a convincing argument that this Model is the culmination of refinement in ACP revolvers.

I agree with him.

I hope you enjoy yours as much as I do.

Kevin

Very nice Kevin. What are the grips?

 

[StrawHat]

Very nice Kevin. What are the grips?

Pete,

Those are caribou, from Ken Driskill.

Kevin

 

[StrawHat]

Very nice! IMO the Model 1950 was one of S&W's prettiest N frames.

Daughter #1 ventilating targets with HERS:

Hey Fran,

Fixed that for you!

Kevin

 

[sodacan]

Here are some photos of my 1950 and 1955 revolvers. The photo on the right shows the huge difference in the barrel profiles. The 1950 gets most of the range time. The 1955 gets the least and falls behind a 625-2, S&W 1917 and Colt 1917 in shooting order. It's just not a gun that I've taken to. The pre-26 is an uncommon all target version.

 

[22hipower]

The pre-26 is a very uncommon all target version.

Very nice, love those 1950s whether .44 or .45. On your all target pre-26 do you think it shipped with those football targets? I ask as I think those stocks didn't start shipping until 1958 and most of the pre-26s should have been completed by then. I have one with non-relieved targets but the SN doesn't match the gun. Do you have a letter?

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[sodacan]

Very nice, love those 1950s whether .44 or .45. On your all target pre-26 do you think it shipped with those football targets? I ask as I think those stocks didn't start shipping until 1958 and most of the pre-26s should have been completed by then. I have one with non-relieved targets but the SN doesn't match the gun. Do you have a letter?

Jeff
SWCA #1457

That's an astute observation. I switched the stocks on the two guns because the football stocks have a smaller circumference and fit my hand better. I believe they started shipping in the mid-fifties. Yes, a letter did come with the gun when I acquired it.

 

[22hipower]

That's an astute observation. I switched the stocks on the two guns because the football stocks have a smaller circumference and fit my hand better. I believe they started shipping in the mid-fifties. Yes, a letter did come with the gun when I acquired it.

Interesting, do the non-relieved stocks happen to have a stamped SN on them and if so, does it match the gun? Does the letter mention the type of stocks?

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[delcrossv]

Hey Fran,

Fixed that for you!

Kevin

Good fix! I'll go with that.

 

[sodacan]

Interesting, do the non-relieved stocks happen to have a stamped SN on them and if so, does it match the gun? Does the letter mention the type of stocks?

Jeff
SWCA #1457

The stocks are not numbered to the gun. I was hoping they would be, as some target stocks have been known to have matching numbers. I can't access the letter currently, but my recollection is that the target stocks came on the gun. I remember reading that smooth rosewood target stocks were an option on the gun, and these are certainly not those.

 

[wundudnee]

I was looking for a model 55, but settled for this 1950. It letters with target stocks. The letter didn't say unrelieved targets, but I'll say these are original. It also appears to me as a gloss blue not the dull blue. The letter mentions most were the dull blue.

Most of you are probably tired of this picture, but here it is again.

 

[Walter Rego]

The 1950 Target is a great revolver, be it in .44 or .45 caliber.
In my experience, the old 1950 Target .45s were chambered correctly in regard to cylinder throats, headspacing, etc., and are capable of excellent accuracy.
Same goes for the early 1955 Target .45s.
The only thing you really gain with the heavier barrel is a slightly faster recovery in the timed and rapid fire stages of the Bullseye match.
Also, I think the 1955s were generally shipped with the full width target hammer and trigger.

If you have one with a replaced cylinder, and if you are a shooter, it's worth your while to check the cylinder throats. If the replacement is from the later 25-2 era there's a good chance the throats are considerably oversized and that the forward edge of the chamber that the casemouth headspaces on is a little deep.
When properly chambered, a 1950 or 1955 Target should reliably fire .45 ACP ammo w/o the use moon clips. The only use for clips should be to facilitate extraction.

My Model 1950 .45 Target has .455" cylinder throats. My Model 1955 which was made in 1970 also had throats of that size. However, as many other owners of those models report, they still shoot very accurately with hardball. Cast bullets are another story, some experimentation with the alloy hardness is needed to get them to shoot as well as FMJ ball ammo.

 

[Retired W4]

I was looking for a model 55, but settled for this 1950. It letters with target stocks. The letter didn't say unrelieved targets, but I'll say these are original. It also appears to me as a gloss blue not the dull blue. The letter mentions most were the dull blue.

Most of you are probably tired of this picture, but here it is again.

What is to tire of? nice.

 

[tenntex32]

I was looking for a model 55, but settled for this 1950. It letters with target stocks. The letter didn't say unrelieved targets, but I'll say these are original. It also appears to me as a gloss blue not the dull blue. The letter mentions most were the dull blue.

Most of you are probably tired of this picture, but here it is again.

I'm not tired of it and I for one would love to find such a nice 1950 example as yours to go with my 1955.........at a very inexpensive price that makes everyone else jealous of course!