Colt New Service target sights? Shooting Master?

[tex_n_cal]

I saw one of these fine old Colts today, with an unusual rear sight. It appeared to be a adjustable sight, in the style of a S&W revolver sight, but it was not a S&W. There was a thin line of checkering on the top strap, on both sides of the counter-sunk-in sight body. The trigger was checkered, as was the hammer. An old replacement grip covered the backstrap. The barrel was stamped New Service .38 Special. The worksmanship was very good on the sight fitting. The front sight was the "1/4 dime" style with squared off rear edge for a better sight picture.

IIRC Shooting Masters were labeled as such on the barrel. Is this a target model New Service? Any chance the rear sight is original? It is tight, times well, and the price is very reasonable.

 

[Jim Watson]

Sounds like a Kings rear sight on a New Service .38... but I am no expert.

 

[guy sajer]

Beautiful revolvers ! Possibly the finest ever or atleast a tie with the pre-war S&W Registered Magnum . imo

Not much chance this was a factory installed custom sight . You could always letter it . As Jim mentioned , King's did a lot of sight work back then . The original was a simple blade dovetailed into the top strap and held by a single screw . You can get a better look in my pic below .

How much is reasonably priced ? If you can buy it right , I'd recommend buying it . The SM is a sweet shooter . Rock steady due to the weight and mild recoil . They'll cut a ragged hole with match ammo .

 

[Old Fuff]

The main difference between a Shooting Master and New Service Target was that the former had a slightly smaller handle. Colt's adjustable sights during this period were dovetailed into the top strap. The rear sight could be screw-adjusted to correct for windage, while the front sight blade could be moved up or down to correct for elevation. This doesn't sound like the sights on your gun.

I think the probability is that it's a King rear sight, which were a popular accessory on Colt's - and in some cases, factory installed. However it is possible that someone had a S&W rear sight of the same period installed on a New Service. If it was an original Shooting Master or New Service Target I would expect the front sight base to still be in place, although the blade itself could have been changed. If the barrel has been shortened all bets would be off.

A good close-up picture would probably clear things up, but at the moment I think you have a standard New Service with aftermarket sights. In any case it is a very nice revolver.

 

[Hammerdown]

Adjustable rear sight

Hello
I have seen where COLT used some Walter Roper designed sights on there revolvers. he made and Pattened them some time ago.. Just a thought.. Hammerdown

 

[Gordon]

Be worth removing the grips to see if backstrap is checkerer too!:
"There was a thin line of checkering on the top strap, on both sides of the counter-sunk-in sight body. The trigger was checkered, as was the hammer. An old replacement grip covered the backstrap. "
On my shooting master, which of course looks like the picture,the difference in late model New Service seems to be this cherering.

Buy it if reasonable:$400-600!

 

[tex_n_cal]

Thanks for the excellent photo. I had handled a SM a few years ago, and you jogged my memory. This gun is not one of them, but rather a modified New Service. I'll go look again, and I may just buy it even thought the finish is worn. The rear sight is a puzzlement, it's not any S&W sight I've seen, and the King's sights I've seen are different as well.

 

[bfoster]

Here's a pic of a New Service Target, made about 1920. The cylinder latch was changed somewhat later to the more familiar profile.

Here's a scan of a couple pages of an old King's catalog. The pre-war rear sight that was installed on many revolvers is illustrated.

Here's a scan from one of Walter Roper's books showing one of his adjustable sights from the same period instaled on a High Standard model D.
To my embarresment my books are still, despite having moved a year and a half back, not in any kind of order- I can't supply information on
which book I scanned this picture from as I can't locate the book.

The "quarter dime" front sight, squared off in back is probably a simple modification of the standard factory NS front sight.

Bob