Make: Smith & Wesson

Model: Fourth Model Single Shot, The Straight Line Target

Serial Number: 700

Year of Manufacture: 1925-1936

Caliber: .22 LR

Action Type: Single Shot, Side-Swing, Manually-Cocked, Rimfire Pistol

Barrel Length: 10"

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a Patridge blade pinned to the rib. The rear sight is a square notch in a base adjustable for windage and elevation screwed to the barrel.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece smooth walnut with S&W medallions. The inside of each panel has the serial number hand-written. The grips show even handling wear with scattered nicks and light scratches. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Very Good condition.

Type of Finish: Blue

Finish Originality: Original, numbers matching.

Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore, but there is a little stubborn fouling. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 9+/10.

Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 85% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at some edges. Most of the balance is handling wear and oxidation in the grip areas. There is light wear along each side of the barrel. There is some minor oxidation in the checkering on the cocking knob. There are a few other scattered minor marks. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this pistol. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: Included is a wood presentation case with cleaning rod, brush, mop and grooved handle screwdriver.

Our Assessment: Beginning with the Model of 1891, their first single-shot pistol, Smith & Wesson gained a reputation for making one of the finest target pistols available in the world. The first three models bore a resemblance to Smith & Wesson’s revolver offerings and the last one having the appearance of an autoloader. The 1st Model even retained the full recoil shield of the .38 Single Action 3rd Model revolver, features would be further refined until the resemblance with a revolver was totally gone and we were left with the ultimate model, the Straight Line Target.

This example is a Fourth Model and has a 10″ barrel and walnut grips. The pistol retains much of its blued finish and looks impressive for a pistol that is nearing the century mark. The bore has great rifling and should be capable of impressive accuracy. These pistols, with their distinctive looks and limited production, are quite desirable among Smith & Wesson collectors. With less than 2,000 Fourth Models made, this is a rare pistol indeed, and not something that comes up for auction every day. Please see our photos and good luck!