Quote:
Originally Posted by Duigiud
I’m getting confused over the “5 screw” and “6 screw”. You mention in #1 above that the transitional had a leaf main spring with a strain screw in the forestrap. “These are 5 screw models and had 6 screws in total”. But then in #2. You say that “Improved I Frame” with coil main spring “5 screw” model, (the strain, 6th screw was eliminated)”. What! I thought that the only way to identify a leaf/flat main spring Terrier WAS the presence of a STRAIN SCREW which is the 5th screw not the 6th screw! Everything I’ve read, every auction site I’ve been to identies the flat or leaf main spring Terrier, which is the smallest.38 two inch made by S&W, by the presence of a strain screw located on the forestrap and this screw was called the 5th screw. Gun Broker advertises Terriers as “5 screw” and “Pre 32”. Where did this 6th screw come in?
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Good catch, that's a 2013 post which has a typo. It should read:
"These are "6 screw" models, 6 screws in total counting the strain screw:"
The screw counts exist to distinguish otherwise similar model. They're with the highest # assigned to the screw that's deleted first, second, etc.
The I frame is S&W's only model that had a strain screw that was eliminated, hence it's counted as the 6th screw. Member Green Frog gets the credit for this correction in the I frame screw count. I frame 4 screw and 5 screw counts are different screws than K & N frame.
The strain screw is never counted as the 5th screw which is the one in front of the TG, and 4 on the side plate.
You're correct that the 6th screw (strain screw) is the way to ID the flat spring of the Transitional Terrier.
But, the flat spring Transitional I frame Terrier is not the only "smallest version". The Improved I frame with 5 screws and coil mainspring is the exact same size.
The Model of 1953 (Pre Models) are the first to have the larger TG and 1/8" longer grip frame.
Unfortunately most everything read on the auctions and websites about the I frames has errors! The SCSW has been wrong for years. Pg 144 in the 4th edition corrects all of that. Albeit some info in the individual I frame model write- ups in the following pages is still obsolete.