The Old Fuff will now go way out on a limb. When you get a letter from Mr. Jinks he may saw that limb off ... but anyway.
The only model S&W made at that time (1952) with a checkered topstrap was the (pre-model 27) 357 Magnum. All of the other target model, N-frames has the rib serrated (like the one in the middle of the picture).
I think your gun started life as a blued/61/2" barreled/45 ACP/ model 1950 .45 Target. This was later called the "pre-model 26." Someone, and I suspect it was a custom pistolsmith, shortened the barrel to 4 inches (give or take that 1/16"), relocated the front sight, and then used a checkering file to make the serrations on the barrel rib and topstrap into diamonds - in other words he turned serrations into checkering. He also checkered the rear face of the back sight, which is something S&W wouldn't do unless it was specifically requested. Last but not least, the gun was hard chrome (not nickel) plated.
Because it was intended to be a bullseye target gun, S&W didn’t pay a lot of attention to double action trigger pull. The single action was another matter. It should be splendid.
It may not be IDPA legal, but once the trigger pull/double action is straightened out it should make one heck of a belt gun. Post a picture and you'll likely get obcene offers from all over this forum .
The only model S&W made at that time (1952) with a checkered topstrap was the (pre-model 27) 357 Magnum. All of the other target model, N-frames has the rib serrated (like the one in the middle of the picture).
I think your gun started life as a blued/61/2" barreled/45 ACP/ model 1950 .45 Target. This was later called the "pre-model 26." Someone, and I suspect it was a custom pistolsmith, shortened the barrel to 4 inches (give or take that 1/16"), relocated the front sight, and then used a checkering file to make the serrations on the barrel rib and topstrap into diamonds - in other words he turned serrations into checkering. He also checkered the rear face of the back sight, which is something S&W wouldn't do unless it was specifically requested. Last but not least, the gun was hard chrome (not nickel) plated.
Because it was intended to be a bullseye target gun, S&W didn’t pay a lot of attention to double action trigger pull. The single action was another matter. It should be splendid.
It may not be IDPA legal, but once the trigger pull/double action is straightened out it should make one heck of a belt gun. Post a picture and you'll likely get obcene offers from all over this forum .