Question on a Target Triple Lock

[rburg]

There are some strong hints. If you look at the grip frame, almost all target sighted guns had grooved front and back straps. That was fairly unusual on non-target guns. Its not conclusive evidence, but I'd bet that is a hard one for a person to fake. I guess the factory could do it.

On guns that originally shipped as fixed sight guns, the mill cut for the sights was usually deeper than the relief for an adjustable sight. You can often tell when one has been modified for a target sight just by inspecting that rear sight where the bulge is for the windage adjustment. Factory target guns its very close to the sight. Modified ones it often has a gap. Thats a dead giveaway.

 

[handejector]

There are some strong hints. If you look at the grip frame, almost all target sighted guns had grooved front and back straps.

The engineering order to groove straps on Target guns dates to 1923. You MIGHT see grooved straps on an earlier gun, but I have not had one that I recall. I have had Triple Lock Targets, but none of them had grooved straps. The same can be said for 38 and 32/20 Targets- the earlier guns do not have grooved straps.