Pre Model 24

[jsfricks]

You may want to throw on a set so Pachmayrs before going to the range. With those grips you’ll find it’s easy to dent the wood when extracting the empty brass and you definitely don’t want to dent those grips.

 

[Hondo44]

Just checked and Bill is correct about the B stamped in the injector rod shroud and there is a B on the grip frame. Also I'm pretty sure the hammer and trigger are plated.The revolver shows very little wear. I'm anxious to get to the range to see how it shoots.

When you first posted the photo of barrel shroud the letter prefix looked like an S when I zoomed in. You may want to check with magnification.


NOTE: B or N stamped or no stamp:
To determine if Blue or Nickel finish originally, a 'B' or 'N' stamped indicates an original Blue finish or an original Nickel finish respectively, based upon the corresponding letter. The absence (more prevalent after 1930) of either the 'B' or 'N' can also indicate that it left the factory nickeled.

Look in these locations for pre war and post war models if serial # is stamped on the barrel flat (or in barrel shroud):

Under barrel in front of serial #,
rear face of yoke looking thru a chamber with a flashlight,
on rear face of cyl separated from serial #,
behind the extractor star,
and by itself on right side grip frame on pre war commercial guns.

On post WWII models, once the serial # prefix letter (S on N frames and K frames) was introduced we no longer see the use of B or N except on left side grip frame. And no use of B or N at all on late 50’s models with no s/n on barrel and cyl.*

*The post war and the 1950s period, was one of much evolution. There was the usual transition when blue or nickel finish code letter stamps waned and s/n frame prefix letters began.

LARGER B FOR BRIGHT BLUE: will only appear on guns that had a Satin finish as standard, but could be ordered in the optional Bright Blue. It is usually only seen on the various models in the 5 Screw era. It is a larger B than the one used to simply indicate a blued part, and it is a different font - more deluxe with serifs. It is also AFTER the serial number on a barrel or in the barrel shroud, whereas the smaller B that simply meant "Blue" is seen preceding the number.
It appears from early into the post-war era till Bright Blue became standard in the mid 1950s.

 

[Doc44]

Jim...44 Magnums with a 5-screw frame and finished in nickel have an N stamped in the ejector rod shroud along with the serial number. There is also an N stamped on the lower left hand corner of the grip frame (the N in this location continued to be used through the 70s at least). The B stamped in the ejector rod shroud is seen on 1950 44 Targets shipped with a bright blue finish in early to late 1955 (also a B stamped on the left side of the grip frame). I also have a 44 Magnum shipped in January 1956 with a B stamped in the same locations.

Bill

 

[Hondo44]

Jim...44 Magnums with a 5-screw frame and finished in nickel have an N stamped in the ejector rod shroud along with the serial number. There is also an N stamped on the lower left hand corner of the grip frame (the N in this location continued to be used through the 70s at least). The B stamped in the ejector rod shroud is seen on 1950 44 Targets shipped with a bright blue finish in early to late 1955 (also a B stamped on the left side of the grip frame). I also have a 44 Magnum shipped in January 1956 with a B stamped in the same locations.

Bill

Hi Bill,
Yes, the 5 screw 44 mags and the '56 4 screw fit the inconsistency of the transition pattern in my footnote.

But all my 50 targets in blue have no B prefixes, just the S serial prefix like the OP's. My bright blue 44 target has the large B with fancier font following the barrel serial # as outlined above.

44 Mags would not have the large B suffix because the Bright blue was standard on all 44 Mags.

 

[handejector]

When you first posted the photo of barrel shroud the letter prefix looked like an S when I zoomed in. You may want to check with magnification.

But all my 50 targets in blue have no B prefixes, just the S serial prefix like the OP's. My bright blue 44 target has the large B with fancier font following the barrel serial # as outlined above.

Jim,
You're talking apples, and Bill is talking about oranges.
The serial number does have an S prefix, but you apparently missed the B in the shroud.

Pic attached.

 

[Hondo44]

Bill, Lee,

Uh oh, sorry, is that a "lazy" large B suffix, laying down on the OP's gun?

If so I hadn't seen any laying down before.

One Bright blue 5 screw pre 24 of mine has no large B which I presume was because it shipped after bright blue was standard.

And in contrast: None of my 5 screw pre 24s have a small B in the shroud or on the left side grip frame.

 

[carlwil]

Just got a magnifying glass and the Pre 24 out of the safe. I agree that it has a large B on it's side in the barrel shroud.
Another question please. My 38/44 with a 1955-56 serial number has excellent nickle plating but there not an N or a B anywhere to be found. Could it be factory original? Thanks again for all the good info.
Carl

 

[Hondo44]

Another question please. My 38/44 with a 1955-56 serial number has excellent nickle plating but there not an N or a B anywhere to be found. Could it be factory original? Thanks again for all the good info.
Carl

Yes, from post #23 above: "The absence (more prevalent after 1930) of either the 'B' or 'N' can also indicate that it left the factory nickeled."

 

[iskra]

My Similar...

Sir.
Grips are very similar to mine. I have understood this to be the correct type of grips for these 4 inch Pre 24's. I have also been wrong before.
Serial # S 118081 on the front gun.
Bill@Yuma

Close SNs/same grips! Below my Pre 24, SN S 118060 for comparison. Note the positioning of my barrel nomenclature! So once again, what's the consensus on how many of these 4" barrel 24 & pre's are estimated to have been made & any hard stats?

Moving right along, what's that other very interesting 44 hovering in the shadow of your 'pre'? Such appearing prewar or Transitional Target???

Smith 44 Spls, personal favorite guns/chambering! Very nice/interesting ones here.
My take

 

[Doc44]

iskra...There were just over four hundred 1950 44 Target revolvers with a 4-inch barrel shipped between June 1950 and June 1956. Based on this number, I believe good estimate of the number made is 500.

Bill

 

[wordsmith]

Very interesting gun, Bill. I also have a Trans 44 Tgt that is a double-dated rework. Email me - [email protected] - and we'll compare notes....

DC

Sir.
Post War Transitional, 1947 . 4 1/2 inch barrel. Two factory rework dates.
Bill@Yuma

 

[wordsmith]

Cool, look forward to hearing from you!

DC

Sir.
It will be Monday afternoon before I can get that gun and write up the details. But, I will.
Bill@Yuma

 

[S&W HE]

Does anyone think the barrel of the revolver posted by carlwil has been cut back to 4"? To me it looks as if it were cut back based on two observations:
1. The lettering on the barrel does not look centered.
2. When compared to the 4" barrel on the revolver posted by Mike C2 the lettering on the barrel is centered differently. I see "Smith" on the barrel not extending beyond the lug under the barrel on the 4" barrel posted by Mike C2. I see the letter S of "Smith" on the barrel of the revolver posted by carlwil extending beyond the lug under the barrel.

Yes I believe the barrel has been cut back to 4".

 

[Hondo44]

Those are two different roll stamps; different style font.
Roll stamp location can vary as well.

 

[Kingspoke]

Pre 24 - 4th model

I bought this pre 24 (S144xxx) recently, and it has grips similar to yours (and my pre 27), being unrelieved coke style targets, but lacquered (I guess) by the previous owner. Never seen any like this, so I'm not really sure about the originality. They have black washers. A small chip at the bottom of the strap.

 

[S&W HE]

Those are two different roll stamps; different style font.
Roll stamp location can vary as well.

You are correct Jim.

The 6.5" gun was shipped on June 18, 1951 and the 4" gun August 30, 1955. Different times, different fonts.

I've spent a lot of time over the years comparing 4" and 6.5" N-frame barrel roll marks, and found font variations as you state, but no significant differences in these locations.

 

[Hondo44]

Three original 4” guns; not all the same rollmark locations:. Two match the OP's gun:


Was this Barrel Cut? 1950 Target

Post #29:

44 pre-24 Four Inch

Post #10:

WTTSOLD) PRE 24 RARE 4 INCH BARREL 44 special
Post #1 last photo, post #10 first photo: