The RAREST Target Stocks

[j38]

Thanks, Lee. What an interesting nugget of S&W history.

Jerry

 

[s3dcor]

Lee, this was a great report. Thank you..

 

[cgt4570]

I missed seeing the ones on eBay, too, but unless they were pictured and described properly, I would most likely have written them off as some some basement bastardization of factory grips.
Thanks for the great info. Now I have another hen's tooth to keep an eye out for.

 

[handejector]

Any idea what kind of plastic it is?

Not really, but I would not be surprised if it is bakelite or something very similar.

 

[calmex]

Amazing. Thanks for the posting, I never knew or heard of this until now.

 

[Doc44]

The stocks on ebay that sold for $200 last week were correctly described. There was only one bid (not mine) and the stocks sold for the starting amount of $200. I believe most collectors had no idea what they were.

The K-38 that sold on the Amoskeag auction a couple of weeks ago actually lettered with the early, three piece, target stocks. It is probably the only revolver that ever will. I think David Carroll had a K-38 with those stocks for sale in Salt Lake City in 2006, but I may be mistaken.

Bill

 

[handejector]

The stocks on ebay that sold for $200 last week were correctly described. There was only one bid (not mine) and the stocks sold for the starting amount of $200. I believe most collectors had no idea what they were.

The K-38 that sold on the Amoskeag auction a couple of weeks ago actually lettered with the early, three piece, target stocks. It is probably the only revolver that ever will. I think David Carroll had a K-38 with those stocks for sale in Salt Lake City in 2006, but I may be mistaken.

Bill

Bill,
This IS the ebay pair.

That sounds about right on DC's pair- that is the other pair that I mention having seen.
The pair Chuck speaks of trading to Lyle I DID see now that he refreshed my memory, so I have now seen three pair.
So, total, I now know of 4 pair- the ebay/my pair, DC's pair, the Chuck/Lyle pair, and the Amoskeg pair.

 

[boykinlp]

When I saw the phrase "with built-in grip adapter" on the first all-model circular several months ago, I figured it was just a marketer's way of saying that the all-wooden target stocks both filled in the space behind the trigger guard and thickened a set of stocks -- in short, incorporated the functions of the old prewar grip adapter in a completely wooden product.

Now I see why that would be the wrong interpretation.

I was thinking like David. Very interesting.

 

[Keith Brown]

Howdy Lee, Pretty strange setup, kinda the long way around the barn! With a stock department, skilled workers and aftermarket grips of the period to look at it seems odd that they would even have tried something like that. Neat to look at and a true piece of S&W history though, sounds like you got them for a nice price.

Keith

 

[Green Frog]

You know what would really be cool? How about a set of these for a Regulation Police, only using anodized aluminum (a la Tyler T-grip style) instead of the fragile plastic. Of course since the old I-frame RP with the rebated round grip strap hasn't been made for about 60 years or so, who would bother? But a guy can dream, can't he?

Froggie

 

[durco]

That is an educational post. Thanks, Lee.
Mike

 

[A10]

Thanks for the post, Lee. Interesting they were offering it on the K38. They appear to have the Coke checkering pattern, and I'm curious if they have the Coke profile as well. My understanding was that original Cokes were only offered on a couple models of the N frame, this may have been the factory's attempt to expand the pattern to other frame sizes at a reduced cost.

 

[handejector]

Howdy Lee, Pretty strange setup, kinda the long way around the barn! With a stock department, skilled workers and aftermarket grips of the period to look at it seems odd that they would even have tried something like that.
Keith

Keith,
I think they were after "cheap, fast, and easy". Note that the wood panels are merely two flat surfaces per side with no real inletting. The sides don't even have to be sanded to match each other. In effect, you merely have to make two wood panels to set dimensions that are never put together till on the gun- "cheap, fast, and easy".
I think they decided it simply did not meet their quality standards for looks or fit, and they probably had plastic getting broken in assembly. Kinda like the plastic grip medallions- you're lucky if you get a pair off the gun without pulling the circles off!
They could see the complaints coming.

 

[Sebago Son]

Not really, but I would not be surprised if it is Bakelite or something very similar.

Bakelite is a phenolic and pretty brittle.

My guess would be PE (Polyethylene). I don't think they would be Lexan as the definition is not sharp enough, or Polypropylene as it's pretty soft. Non-filled Nylon is also a possibility.

A couple of things to think about should you encounter another pair. These kinds of early postwar plastics are want to shrink and 60 years ago they may have fit alot better. They are mildly hygroscopic so soaking them for a few days in tap water may help make them more pliable and preserve them somewhat. Just be sure to oil any metal surfaces they may come into contact with.

Also, it may behoove you to warm them slightly (not enough to cause them to distort) while going through the gyrations of trying to put them back one the grip frame.

Drew

 

[handejector]

Drew,
I don't think PE. They are hard and brittle. At least one of the pair I have seen had broken plastic. Remember- these date to late 40's in developement. Bakelite was common in electrical items well into the later 60's. I handled a lot of bakelite. Dad was an electrical contractor. It really resembled high grade bakelite to me.

 

[Sebago Son]

Hmmm.... never having taken them in hand, I may be wrong then. If it were possible to measure their wieght vs. displacement you could probably get a better idea by determining their specific gravity.

I can't the property tables without checking for sure, but it seems to me that Bakelite has a SG of much more than 1.0 if so they would not float. Unfilled PE, PP have a SG of less than 1.0 and will float. Polycarbonate (Lexan) is greater than 1.0, but only slightly so...

 

[Recoil Rob]

Could they be "Vulcanite", a trade name for the hard rubber used in bowling balls and smoking pipe mouthpieces or stems?

I collect old tobacco pipes and it sure looks like a very similar material.

 

[handejector]

Not vulcanite. Definitely not.
Believe me, if you ever handle it, you'll know how easy it could break. It feels inflexible, though it will actually flex slightly, of course.
Trust me- I was sweating trying to get them on the gun.

I did not check SG, but I'm certain it would be above 1 and the piece would not float. I no longer have them, so I can't check.

Note the textured surface on the part. It was not polished or machined after molding.

 

[Sebago Son]

Thanks Lee for putting this up..... Looks like you put alot of time and trouble into adding to the knowledge base. I really appreciate it....

Drew

 

[S&W-Keeper]

Wow, just when you think that you know everything, along comes this.