there are 5 digits the first three are 171 i will try to get a picture tomorrow the barrel is shorter than all I found on gun broke some might have shortend the barrel so the value went way down
Hello sturgeonhunter
The
Model stamped 25's came out in
1957 and had the model number stamped in the cylinder crane area. Before that they were called
Pre-25's and had a
S-Prefix before their serial number
until 1970 time frame when the prefix changed to an
N-Prefix. The Pre-25's were called the
Model of 1955 Target 45 hand eject models . It sounds as though this one you are speaking of may be
a Pre-25. The Pre-25's came with a 6-1/2" barrel and there was a small Batch of them that shipped in
1959 that had 5" Barrels that are considered rare, they shipped to Rex Firearms of New York City. When they made the N-Prefix Model 25's Post 1970 they Offered them in
4", 6" & 6-1/2" Barrel lengths. Here is my Pre-25 that shipped in
April 1959 with Bright Blue finish and in a Five screw variation which is Late for a Five screw revolver as they switched to the Four screw variations along about 1956 but this one must have been way back in their storage safe. It came as a Full Target version as most did with Target hammer, Target Trigger and Diamond Target stocks...It serial number is in the S-16173X range I hope this help's, Five screw pre-25's are hard to locate any more and average $800.00-$1200.00 depending on their shape....I feel I stole this one at $600.00 due to the economy I had to dive on it and it shoots real well. Hammerdown
