The latest acquisition

[26betsam]

Greetings from South Florida,
I'm afraid I'm guilty of drinking and auctioning. The latest is a model of 1905 4th change, target model. Serial # 659547.
Obviously a "sock drawer special" as except for the drag marks on the cylinder it's 98% original finish. Can't have been shot much as the bore and cylinder are perfect.
I hadn't noticed before the patent mark on the hammer.
By the stocks and serial # I'm thinking 1928/1929? Any help with the date would be appreciated.

 

[Fullmetaljacket]

I think yours is a little later than that, 1936 per SCSW. The stocks do appear earlier, 1920's (?) vintage. The experts will be along shortly with better information. Beautiful piece you have there.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Nice looking .38 M&P Target! Guns with nearby serials were shipping in September 1935.

 

[creeksidewilly]

Very nice, enjoy. Congratulations.

 

[AC Man]

My understanding is that gun with those stocks were only made in the 1920's. I have a couple of them that date to 1926 and 1927. I am not a expert on serial numbers. Seems hard to believe that the stocks are not original. My serial is 524688 FWIW. Seems your serial number is spot on to the late 20's according to mine.

 

[glowe]

500,000 is proper for the mid to late 1920s. I have a couple of targets just below yours. 640859 shipped in 1936 and 645174 shipped to Ed McGivern in 1933. Your revolver should have silver medallion stocks.
#640859

#645174

 

[26betsam]

Definatly, OEM stocks.
Serial # on the right stock in pencil.
Like I said this has been in a drawer and I can't imagine the previous owner taking the time or effort to change from a silver medallion to a set of plain Jane stocks. may have been cleaning out the parts bin.

 

[26betsam]

But, I maybe wrong as I'm looking at the serial # and its different than the revolver #.
The mysteries of collecting S&W.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

The serial on those stocks doesn't match the gun. As Gary said, your gun should have silver medallion stocks.

 

[Fullmetaljacket]

Here's mine, 652,462, pretty close to the OP's. Seems like the shipping dates for these target models are all over the place. I guess I'll just go with "mid-1930's" for mine, absent a letter.

 

[Fullmetaljacket]

Sorry about the triple pic attachment, it's past my bedtime...

 

[JP@AK]

But, I maybe wrong as I'm looking at the serial # and its different than the revolver #.

Yes. 583096 is a mid-1920s serial number, appropriate for that style of stocks. Obviously, the original stocks were replaced at some point.

 

[26betsam]

I'll be on "Want to buy"if anyone has a set out there.

 

[26betsam]

Set coming via Ebay.

 

[dobegrant]

Congratulations that is a very nice looking gun

 

[Engine49guy]

( To the O.P.)
Im seeing a rear sight elevation set screw in one of your pics,
While pre war isnt my focus my 1931 K22 OD (first year) has no set screw, the later ones (1932-1939) do have the set screw.
(This is probably a clue your gun is likely from after 1931).
For comparison have this M&P target Serial 396625 Shipped March 1922 Non medallion Service stocks with mushroom ejector rod tip, no rear sight elevation set screw and the older style "Sharkfin" front sight blade.

Ps Im just south of Boca

 

[glowe]

If you look at the first year K22 Outdoorsman's revolver, you will find a single screw rear sight. The two screw rear sight came about 1932, so dates the OP's gun to 1932 or later.

 

[Nick43]

Mine is 572xxx and S&W letters at 11/03/1927