Quote:
Originally Posted by fleaflop
Ok gentlemen,... at an attempt to get on the same page here...
Is it correct,... the original design of the 1903 .32 had two flat springs, therefore could not have been the OPs gun.
the 1 change created the single flat spring design, or was that the second change?
Are we saying that in total, there were 5 design changes to the .32 1903 during its production life? Moreover, how is it not documented when each of the major component changes occur?
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1. The 2nd change was the introduction of the single spring design and of the rebound slide to take its place.
You have a .32 Hand Ejector Model of 1903 - 2nd Change. Although the serial # is clearly within the serial # range of the 1st Change, this is one of those not uncommon situations where we must defer to the design features observed to identify the exact version. Your gun was obviously built later than its serial # might indicate. It was built during the 2nd Change production.
However, we must keep in mind that nothing done at the factory is done in serial # order. Although we like when the serial #s can clearly identify the model or change of a gun, it doesn't always happen that way.
2. Yes, there are 5 Model 1903 changes. Therefore there are 6 different Model 1903 versions, the first Model 1903 having no change #. The 2nd version Model 1903 being the 1st change, etc.
3. There is the intent to document each of the major component changes.
However, as I mentioned in my last post above, if you're only reading the SCSW, that is not its intent, so one must read the other books by the historian Roy Jinks.
The SCSW attempts to describe models and changes by exterior indicators for the novice to quickly identify any S&W w/o having to understand the mechanical details or take the gun apart.
Obviously that did not work for your gun and no book would. This forum is where we find out about anomalies by sharing our actual experiences.
It's not unlike archaeology where new discoveries are made every day, nullifying what we thought we knew and documented in books and scientific papers.
Hope that helps,