The wide short extractor was one of the recommendations made by our range folks along with a few other modifications. Our range people worked very closely with S&W for a lot of years on various modifications which ultimately resulted in the 3rd gen autos.
Most of our 39-nothing were converted over to the wide short extractor. Might have been a some early 39-nothing that were issued and then bought by retirees before being converted. The one pictured below is the one I was issued. You will see on the top of the slide an indent for the roll pin which holds the extractor in place. Yours has the same roll pin. The older long extractors did not have that roll pin in that location.
Yours would have been in the later issue of the 39-nothing before going to the 39-2. My inventory number is in the 900 range and my serial number is about 2500 less than yours. Most likely yours would have been issued in 1969 or 1970 time frame. Mine was in the first batch rolled out to the road Troops in 1968.
FYI on the inventory number. Back then state regs said that all equipment over a certain value had to have an inventory number afixed to it. Serial numbers did not meet the state regs. Even squad cars had to have an separate inventory number. By the time the 39-2 models came around the reg was modified and unique serial numbers could be substituted for inventory numbers.
Using 115 gr loads mine shoots like a Model 52. Sub-2" groups all day long at 25 yds. Unfortunately, I can't but my 39 can. I don't know how many thousands of rds have been thru mine. A lot. In addition to the shooting to smooth it out the range guys did a heck of a job on my trigger. Super smooth and just the right weight pull. Even if mine didn't have the sentimental attachment I still wouldn't sell it.
