A 4, 5 or 6" M&P made in the 1920's or 1930's would have had what type of grips?

Some M&P grips I see are the small kind like on Victory revolvers that don't cover any of the action plate screws and then there are the larger grips that extend up farther and cover one of those screws. Did grip type change at some specific time?

Another 4, 5, 6" M&P question, when were round butt guns made and when were square butt guns made?

Thanks

If you have not read this story, I would suggest you start here:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/540103904/m/5061044382/p/1

There are lots of pictures of the K-frame grips on this site - if no one else
finds them, I will track them down.

Later, Mike Priwer

These are the grip style from about 1904 to 1910.




and here are three other styles:



The checkered convex non-medallion is about 1920 to 1930 . The two silver medallion are
1930 to 1940. The non-checkered grip is the Victory model, used during WW2. What is missing
is the gold medallion, from 1910 to 1920 .

Later, Mike Priwer

quote:

Originally posted by mikepriwer:
These are the grip style from about 1904 to 1910.




and here are three other styles:



The checkered convex non-medallion is about 1920 to 1930 . The two silver medallion are
1930 to 1940. The non-checkered grip is the Victory model, used during WW2. What is missing
is the gold medallion, from 1910 to 1920 .

Later, Mike Priwer

Here you go....1910-1920 Gold Medallion...

This is not the picture I was looking for - this is an I-frame, and the stocks are
extension stocks. They are narrower than K-frames, and the gold medallion is a bit
smaller.

But - they do convey the idea.

This is the picture I have been looking for. They are ,obvioulsy, round butt, but they are
K-frame gold medallions, from about 1910 to 1920. Keith Brown redid these.



Later, Mike Priwer

Which grips would be correct for this gun? It shipped Dec. 23, 1929. Thanks

Stan

I would have expected the grips to be convex non-medallions. They did
make those for round-butt 1902 frames, but they are not often seen.
Somehow most of the attention has been focused on the square-butt grips,
but there are corresponding round-butt grips, as well.

Do those gold-medallion grips number to the gun ? And what is the
serial number ?

If its an earlier serial number gun that was late-shipped, then its
entirely possible that it was shipped with those grips.

Later, Mike Priwer

A rather beat-up set of K-frame gold medallion SB grips (the checkering on the bottom grip has been rather crudely redone, along with the 4 or 5 notches on the back strap - perhaps used in one of the wars???).

Mike, those grips do not number to the gun as I bought them to replace the cheap plastic that came on it. The factory letter just says it was shipped with checkered walnut round butt grips. The serial number is 605102.

Stan,
Proper grips for your time period (1929) should be convex non-medallion grips as used post-WW1, but could also be small silver medallions as used from circa 1930 undil the start of WW2. I don't remember the change date.
(see the farthest left grip in Mike's picture of 4 varieties)

A quick rule-of-thumb list of square butt K frame grip years:
-1905 (actually 1902 2nd change square butt introduction) used concave (scooped out) non-medallions
-around 1910 until the start of WW1 used large gold medallions
-between the wars until early 1930's used convex (upward hump) non-medallions
-from then until WW2 used small silver medallions (with large N frame style medallions found on K frame grips occasionally)
-late 1930s until 1946, pre-war style K frame magnas (the ones that extend upward and cover the rear sideplate screw) became available and are sometimes found on target guns

These are just ball-park timeframes to keep in your head. For more specifics, you'll have to look at engineering changes in Neal/Jinks. Keep in mind that all changes overlap until old supplies were exhausted.

If you're seriously searching a pair, I've probably got a spare set in my double top secret stash.

Chris

Chris

The gun is very early 1929, if it was shipped anywhere near what its serial number suggests.
As you note, that should be convex non-medallion. Those are scarce in round-butt, so small
silver medallion grips would be acceptable. They would be much easier to find.

VM

Those gold-medallion grips are most likely for a 1910 to 1920 gun. You are going to
have great difficulty finding a snubbie from that era. As far as I know, they started
to appear in the early 1930's .

Later, Mike Priwer

M&P Target Model shipped in 1917 with stocks numbered to the gun.