1. Have any of you ever heard of an RM shipping with smooth (non-checkered) Magna stocks? Were such things available?

2. If an RM shipped with nickel finish, would there be an N stamp in the three usual places (left side of the grip frame, rear of the cylinder, barrel flat)?

My recollection is that nickel is rare on the RM anyway. Am I remembering this correctly?

Thanks!

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

According to the catalog, possibly fewer than 200 were made in nickel finish. Didn't find anything about the smooth magna stocks though, but for the finish, I'd say that pretty rare given the numbers. I don't see why they wouldn't put an N for the nickel finish in the usual spots. Hope this helps, someone else with some more info should jump in.

Pre War guns were marked with a "B" for blue finish. Post war guns had the "N" for nickel. That has been my experience. Even though there were few nickel RM's I believe the predominant finish on civilian guns in the pre war era was nickel. At some point that changed around the war and post war guns are mostly seen as blue.

Not an expert----don't really know-----but

There is no mention of non-checkered ("presentation") Magna grips in any of the RM writings with which I am familiar. Such things became available----leaving unanswered WHEN they became available.

I must assume the nickel guns were marked (with an N). I had one for a spell. It lettered as nickel. I doubt I would have noticed if it was so marked or not.

And now, finally, a question I can answer as well as anybody---and better than most. That's because it is treated thoroughly in Jinks' RM article, and anybody who has that article is an instant expert. There were 144 KNOWN nickel guns at the time of Jinks' article (late '80's (??)). We experts can give you the registration numbers and barrel lengths of every damn one of them----and tell you if the whole gun was nickel---or just parts of it---and which parts of it----if you care. And if you care, you have WAY too much time on your hands. (And that "KNOWN" up there signifies the fact the records on 853 RM's were not available at the time of the article---and for all I know, may still not be available.)

The End.

Ralph Tremaine

AND---I can also tell you how many (AND WHICH) of the 144 known nickels had "Humpback" hammers----not counting the 853 guns we know absolutely nothing about---except that they were made---maybe.

My 1929 and 1939 3rd Model 44s were both stamped with Ns for original nickel so I think they were stamping pre-war guns. I assume the RMs were so marked but I don't know for sure. Someone will.

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No life story has happy end.

There is an "N" on the right side of the frame on the examples I have seen that originally shipped as nickel finish.

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PTLAPTA!

Marking on a factory lettered Nickel Non RM:

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Pre war smooth service grips do exist however they are quite scarce.

Please show us a reference or photo of this. This is the first I have heard of such a thing

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Kris
OGCA, NRA LM

My two factory nickeled pre-war N frames both have an 'N' stamped on the right side of the frame under the stocks. These are both 3rd Model .44's, one in the 33000's and the one in the 54000 serial ranges.

I've always assumed that's how all factory nickel N frames were marked - especially in the 1929-1940 time frame....

Mark

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S&W Forum Member #721

Not too long ago I saw an RM with original nickel - very shabby condition. But it did have the N stamp on the gripstrap. No idea about smooth Magnas. Never heard of it.

RMs shipped with non-wood stocks ( Ivory, Pearl, Bone, Plastic ) Magna or service style, would have been smooth stocks, in most cases. Ed.

Ed
I think the question is about wood.

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Don Mundell

Good to know about the "N". The pre war guns I have seen in blue had a "B" present on the barrel, best I remember. Not present on post war guns, but the "N" is on the barrel. At least on pre model guns.

The only Factory smooth Pre War N Frame service Stocks where on 1917's.Unless there is a One off set that You have Pictures of and a Letter to back it up.