handejector
Staff member
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2005
- Messages
- 26,124
- Reaction score
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Ain't no doubt about it-
This gun got some BLING!
A 1902-1st/1905 38 M&P Target, Factory Engraved, Checkered Trigger, Blue with Nickel Cylinder, 6-1/2 inch 38 Special, Aftermarket Checkered Pearl Grips. NOTE that it is one of the very few, very early square butts that do NOT yet have the trigger guard screw.
View the pics and comments below, but when you have time, I would suggest perusing the pics in the album because they are VERY LARGE there. Click- The Mother of All 38 Targets!
I believe the engraver is Oscar Young, but I am no authority on factory engraved guns. I DO know quality engraving, and this is a good chance for you to examine engraving done by an artist, and not just a craftsman. Note that a really fine engraver cuts round scrolls with no corners. This cutter was a Master!
WARNING-
Once you carefully examine Masterful engraving of this quality, you will find yourself unable to be excited by the mediocre work often seen today!
Enjoy!
Pic #1
Pic #2
Pic #3
Pic #4
Pic #5
Pic #6
Pic #7
Pic #8
Pic #9
Pic #10
Pic #11
Pic #12
Pic #13
Note the engraving across the yoke/frame seam, almost like one piece of steel-
Pic #14
Pic #15
Pic #16
Pic #17
Pic #18
Pic #19
If you view the album, look closely at the details in the scrolls, and in the background and filler cuts. Remember that you are viewing them magnified many times!
Look at the detail in the monogram.
Amazing!
Pic #20
Pic #21
Pic #22
Pic #23
Pic #24
Plain on the bottom, but that is not uncommon for the day-
Pic #25
Remember that triggers were smooth in this era, but checkered triggers could be special ordered-
Pic #26
The pearls are as seductive and enchanting as the mythical sirens, enticing one to roll them in the light and gaze ever deeper into their luminescence.
I'm sorry that photos don't truly capture the mesmerizing depth these have-
Pic #27
Pic #28
Of course the barrel and cylinder are serial numbered-
Pic #29
Pic #30
The Nickel parts are:
Cylinder and Ejector Rod
Every Stud
Every Pin (except front sight)
Every Screw
Including the elevation screw which is actually UNDER the rear sight-
Pic #31
The assembly number has a dot after it.
I have never seen that before-
Note that the assembly number (dot included) is used on Target Sights in this era.
In later decades, you will see the serial number instead.
Pic #32
Here is where you should also note the 'domed' hole for the elevation screw (Pic 31). The screwdriver was inserted THROUGH the hole and into the screw in the frame. The sight sat flat in its groove till you jacked it up with the screw.
Pic #33
Even sight blades were numbered!
Note also the round 'slide' along the bottom of the rear blade on these early sights. Hard to lose one of these!
(the Magic tape is to keep the tweezers from scratching)
Pic #34
The Front Sight is a Lyman Ivory bead. Believe it or not, the front blades were numbered on these early Target guns, and for quite some time after.
This blade lacks a number.
The pin for it is the ONLY pin on the gun that is not nickeled.
Therefore I'm quite certain that it was replaced. I'm not surprised, since I've often said that target shooters are notorious tinkerers. Perhaps the original bead was broken, or perhaps he wanted a different style. This gun shows much shooting- it was not just a showpiece.
Small punch marks are visible, so I do not think the factory did the work. I'll bet he lost the original nickeled pin!
Pic #35
Pic #34
Pic #35
The gun shows a frame date of March, 1915.
There are NO other service marks- no stars, no diamonds, no nothing.
I cannot say what work was done, but it is probably not a refinish.
Pic #36
I have to wonder if it went back for a new extractor.
This extractor is NOT numbered to the gun, and it DEFINITELY should be in this era.
It has never had a number.
I am also not certain that it was ever blued!
Pic #37
Remember that engraving that crosses the frame/yoke joint?
Look Closely and you'll see a couple of punch marks that cut both pieces at the same time-
Pic #38
Pic #39
Now I'll show you the most perplexing and astonishing anomaly I have ever seen on an S&W.
The yoke assembly number and serial number do not match the gun!!
Pic #40
Pic #41
So, what the hell is going on there?!?!!
I can only envision two possible explanations, because this yoke was positively engraved with this frame-
1> The yokes were accidentally swapped at the factory before the gun was engraved.
2> Both guns were being engraved at the same time, and the engraver swapped them! I realize that they are almost 4000 numbers apart, so 58202 would probably have to have been sent back for engraving and refinish for this scenario to be likely.
We'll never know!
So, don't tell me they never made a mistake or had a flaw back in 'The Good Ole Days'!
Having been fortunate enough to handle more guns than most folks, and having opened many and many, I can positively tell you that humans made the old guns and they were not wrought as Perfection by the Hand of God.
I still love 'em!
.
This gun got some BLING!
A 1902-1st/1905 38 M&P Target, Factory Engraved, Checkered Trigger, Blue with Nickel Cylinder, 6-1/2 inch 38 Special, Aftermarket Checkered Pearl Grips. NOTE that it is one of the very few, very early square butts that do NOT yet have the trigger guard screw.
View the pics and comments below, but when you have time, I would suggest perusing the pics in the album because they are VERY LARGE there. Click- The Mother of All 38 Targets!
I believe the engraver is Oscar Young, but I am no authority on factory engraved guns. I DO know quality engraving, and this is a good chance for you to examine engraving done by an artist, and not just a craftsman. Note that a really fine engraver cuts round scrolls with no corners. This cutter was a Master!
WARNING-
Once you carefully examine Masterful engraving of this quality, you will find yourself unable to be excited by the mediocre work often seen today!
Enjoy!
Pic #1
Pic #2
Pic #3
Pic #4
Pic #5
Pic #6
Pic #7
Pic #8
Pic #9
Pic #10
Pic #11
Pic #12
Pic #13
Note the engraving across the yoke/frame seam, almost like one piece of steel-
Pic #14
Pic #15
Pic #16
Pic #17
Pic #18
Pic #19
If you view the album, look closely at the details in the scrolls, and in the background and filler cuts. Remember that you are viewing them magnified many times!
Look at the detail in the monogram.
Amazing!
Pic #20
Pic #21
Pic #22
Pic #23
Pic #24
Plain on the bottom, but that is not uncommon for the day-
Pic #25
Remember that triggers were smooth in this era, but checkered triggers could be special ordered-
Pic #26
The pearls are as seductive and enchanting as the mythical sirens, enticing one to roll them in the light and gaze ever deeper into their luminescence.
I'm sorry that photos don't truly capture the mesmerizing depth these have-
Pic #27
Pic #28
Of course the barrel and cylinder are serial numbered-
Pic #29
Pic #30
The Nickel parts are:
Cylinder and Ejector Rod
Every Stud
Every Pin (except front sight)
Every Screw
Including the elevation screw which is actually UNDER the rear sight-
Pic #31
The assembly number has a dot after it.
I have never seen that before-
Note that the assembly number (dot included) is used on Target Sights in this era.
In later decades, you will see the serial number instead.
Pic #32
Here is where you should also note the 'domed' hole for the elevation screw (Pic 31). The screwdriver was inserted THROUGH the hole and into the screw in the frame. The sight sat flat in its groove till you jacked it up with the screw.
Pic #33
Even sight blades were numbered!
Note also the round 'slide' along the bottom of the rear blade on these early sights. Hard to lose one of these!
(the Magic tape is to keep the tweezers from scratching)
Pic #34
The Front Sight is a Lyman Ivory bead. Believe it or not, the front blades were numbered on these early Target guns, and for quite some time after.
This blade lacks a number.
The pin for it is the ONLY pin on the gun that is not nickeled.
Therefore I'm quite certain that it was replaced. I'm not surprised, since I've often said that target shooters are notorious tinkerers. Perhaps the original bead was broken, or perhaps he wanted a different style. This gun shows much shooting- it was not just a showpiece.
Small punch marks are visible, so I do not think the factory did the work. I'll bet he lost the original nickeled pin!
Pic #35
Pic #34
Pic #35
The gun shows a frame date of March, 1915.
There are NO other service marks- no stars, no diamonds, no nothing.
I cannot say what work was done, but it is probably not a refinish.
Pic #36
I have to wonder if it went back for a new extractor.
This extractor is NOT numbered to the gun, and it DEFINITELY should be in this era.
It has never had a number.
I am also not certain that it was ever blued!
Pic #37
Remember that engraving that crosses the frame/yoke joint?
Look Closely and you'll see a couple of punch marks that cut both pieces at the same time-
Pic #38
Pic #39
Now I'll show you the most perplexing and astonishing anomaly I have ever seen on an S&W.
The yoke assembly number and serial number do not match the gun!!
Pic #40
Pic #41
So, what the hell is going on there?!?!!
I can only envision two possible explanations, because this yoke was positively engraved with this frame-
1> The yokes were accidentally swapped at the factory before the gun was engraved.
2> Both guns were being engraved at the same time, and the engraver swapped them! I realize that they are almost 4000 numbers apart, so 58202 would probably have to have been sent back for engraving and refinish for this scenario to be likely.
We'll never know!
So, don't tell me they never made a mistake or had a flaw back in 'The Good Ole Days'!
Having been fortunate enough to handle more guns than most folks, and having opened many and many, I can positively tell you that humans made the old guns and they were not wrought as Perfection by the Hand of God.
I still love 'em!
.
Maybe when you send it to get refinished they can fix the scratches.
