Mike,
Surprisingly, given the condition of the exterior, the bore is on pretty decent condition. No rings or bulges like my 5" 32-20. Sadly, it spent its life on the Gulf Coast and it shows.
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Pre-War Target M&P Thread - Post Your Photos
- Thread starter RKmesa
- Start date
Surprisingly, given the condition of the exterior, the bore is on pretty decent condition. No rings or bulges like my 5" 32-20. Sadly, it spent its life on the Gulf Coast and it shows.
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One more... With the posting of this one, I've now shared all the M&P Targets that are in my collection - thanks for letting me share and for sharing your beauties. Interestingly, this is the first Target M&P that I owned and I believe that I purchased it from an ad in the Classifieds of this Forum. It is SN 393657 and this warhorse shipped in July 1921. I also recall looking at the grips and faintly seeing the SN in pencil on the back side... No box, plenty of wear, lots of silver shining through the blue, some minor pitting here and there, very little color case coloring remaining on the hammer and trigger - almost 103... and still turning heads. 
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50 target
Member
OP, couldn't agree more.
Richard, some of those boxes look questionable, perhaps they would fit better added to my island of misfit toys !
Here's a shot of a nice 32-20.
Here's a shot of a nice 32-20.
...Here's a shot of a nice 32-20.
Yes Keith, a very nice 32-20 Target.
I assume that it has the small roll mark on the left side?Thanks for sharing,
These were the first two I ever found.
The top, a 4", was special ordered with an ivory bead by a son of "Devil Anse" Hatfield who was later killed in a shoot-out over bootlegging territory.
Bottom, a 5", was purchased here on the forum.
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Bruce, are the grips on the bottom gun factory? They sure have a fantastic grain!
Larry
Larry,
Yes and no. They are factory stocks but have been refinished. I received the gun that way.
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I have to add this M&P Target (not my gun) to this thread, as it is a great example of two of my passions - M&P Targets and Beautiful Engraving.
Here's a link to the thread:
https://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-h...ng-engraved-38-1905-a.html?highlight=engraved
It is a fantastic gun!
Here's a link to the thread:
https://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-h...ng-engraved-38-1905-a.html?highlight=engraved
.38 Military & Police Model of 1905, 3rd Change. Barrel, cylinder and frame numbers match. 150923 6 1/2" barrel target sights.
The engraving I think may have been done by Beistegui Hermanos, royal revolvers looking at the stock inserts.
Here are more pictures.
It is a fantastic gun!
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Here is my somewhat recently acquired beater.
.38 Hand Ejector, Military & Police Target Model of 1899.
Serial number 3554, blue, 6.5-inch barrel, adjustable rear sight and black hard rubber round butt stocks. Shipped March 22, 1900 to Phil B. Bekeart & Company, San Francisco.
The front sight has been replaced and the rear notch widened.
The serial number on the barrel is 3555. Roy says 3555 shipped to a very famous Olympic shooter. It was a special order with an 8-inch barrel. The 6.5-inch barrel with that number wound up on 3554.
Barrel not marked with caliber. Think that happened around serial number 7000.
.38 Hand Ejector, Military & Police Target Model of 1899.
Serial number 3554, blue, 6.5-inch barrel, adjustable rear sight and black hard rubber round butt stocks. Shipped March 22, 1900 to Phil B. Bekeart & Company, San Francisco.
The front sight has been replaced and the rear notch widened.
The serial number on the barrel is 3555. Roy says 3555 shipped to a very famous Olympic shooter. It was a special order with an 8-inch barrel. The 6.5-inch barrel with that number wound up on 3554.
Barrel not marked with caliber. Think that happened around serial number 7000.
Attachments
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Adding another 1899 to the thread - an engraved one at that. It was originally posted here:
https://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-h...grail-gun.html?highlight=engraved+1899+target
Bruce - that is a very nice one.
https://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-h...grail-gun.html?highlight=engraved+1899+target
...Model of 1899, 6.5" nickle, Target Model, Grade 3 factory engraved by Oscar Young.
Bruce
Bruce - that is a very nice one.
Here is serial number 44302, a .38 round butt 1902 1st change. The first images are how it looked in the auction catalog, and as I received it. The front sight blade is a non-factory brass blade. The grips are some sort of awful plastic material, and will convert either round or square butt to target.
<snip>
Regards, Mike Priwer
I got a nearly identical set of plastic grips that fit a Colt New Service frame years ago at a gun show. They don't win any class awards but they are surprsingly comfortable.
Here is a round butt 1905 (1902) which was purchased from an esteemed forum member via Woodlawn Boys. It shipped with a few factory options to a contemporary of Pope.
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Here is a round butt 1905 (1902) which was purchased from an esteemed forum member via Woodlawn Boys. It shipped with a few factory options to a contemporary of Pope.
Bruce:
I love the back strap on that one. Very nice touch!!! Is the front of the grip frame checkered in the same way?
Thanks for sharing,
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Wyatt Burp
Member
I'll probably be taking an hour drive soon to look at what appears to be, in profile, an M&P Target Model. I mean the rear sight looks right but no top view of it in their Guns International ad. But the front sight is shaped like a standard rounded pre war M&P. My question to you all hear, is the serial number of the gun on the flat under the barrel on these? The front sight is pinned.
I did PM RKmesa about this gun but forgot that serial number on the barrel question, I think. Thanks in advance, everyone.
I did PM RKmesa about this gun but forgot that serial number on the barrel question, I think. Thanks in advance, everyone.
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A serial number should be present, even if it has been replaced by the factory.
We did discuss the barrel flat SN in our PMs - just a reminder as you head out to see this gun, here is my response in our PM discussion on this "hopefully soon to be your S&W 38 M&P Target"
RKmesa said:From what I can see, the rear sight appears to be a standard pre-war target sight. When you look at it in person it should look like this:
They were so nicely fit and finished with the gun, that a replacement is something that should be easy to see. Also, if the rear sight is removed, it is also SN'd to the gun on the bottom (the little itty bitty screws make removing the sight challenging without buggering up the screw heads).
As to the front sight, that is an anomaly. Usually it would be a Paine or Thin Narrow blade, or a Patridge sight. Like you suggest, the round front sight is much more consistent with what you would see on a fixed sight gun. The photos are not clear, but the blade still appears to be pinned, so it could be replaced if you did not like the way it shot. The height of the blade seems to be consistent with the standard blades I see on the M&P Target guns. You can check for a barrel replacement by seeing if the barrel serial number (on the barrel flat) is the same as the SN on the rear face of the cylinder and on the butt of the gun. With all that said, my guess, based on the use and worn nature of the gun is that it shipped as a target model with one of the standard front sights, the owner carried it in a holster and did not like the sharp front sight cutting up his holster when he drew it, so he replaced or modified the front sight to make it easier to draw... It also could have been a special order, as the factory would do that back then. A phone call to the dealer could solve the barrel replacement concern and a request for a few more close-up photos of the sights could allay some of your concerns, give you some more info and help you make a better decision.
Good luck!
Richard
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