Hello
I been wanting one since I sold the last one
Reblue and a cracked grip, they number to gun and missing medallion.
Pretty good lockup but one cylinder has a small amount of play, not enough to shave lead. I must look into that. Excellent trigger.
66,2XX google tells me shipped around 51 or 52?
I am satisfied for $295 out the door.
Now to find some grips as one is real bad and real worn. Can someone tell me what other guns grips will fit please. I know I frame round butt but I don't know much more.
Regards
Mike

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Good price for a nice little shooter grade revolver. 1952 sounds right to me.

I-frame round butt pretty much covers it. If you want a bigger grip, J-frame target stocks would cover the frame and give you a little bit more wood below the butt.

This gun has the coil mainspring, which makes it a modified I-frame. I always forget whether that makes the grip frame a bit shorter or a bit longer than the prewar and immediate postwar I-frames. Hondo44 should be along in a moment, and he will inform both of us.

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David Wilson

Nice buy. I'd love to have one of those little buggers.

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Oh well, what the hell.

OK, I'm interested in the leaf spring I-frames, so I'm not as knowledgeable as I should be, but I think the first round butt coil spring "Improved" I-frames, along with the first ("Baby") Chief Specials had the same grip frame size as the round butt leaf spring variants.

Froggie

CHARACTER - Yeah, that's what it has, character!

I kinda like the grips that are on it.

That gun is cool! I like old guns that aren't pristine because they're affordable and shootable! I have a model 33 which is similar to yours but was called the Regulation Police and commonly had a 4" barrel. It's a wonderful gun. I have safely been shooting the Buffalo Bore loads out of mine, but mine is the improved I frame from the late 50's and yours is the original I frame, so you should check that the gun is solid before trying it. One day I'll find a Terrier.

That is a really good price on a neat little gun.....here are the two I picked up a couple of weeks ago, in the box with very little evidence of use. Mine are in the 115xxx serial number range with the updated thumb latch and elimination of the diamond on the stocks puts these right around 1968, maybe earlier but you can never tell. I paid basically market rate for these, 400 a piece.

Here is one of the j frame 32-1s next to my model 37 flat latch.

Hardknocks,

Nice find. You have an Improved I frame - 1st version with round sight which is a pre 1953 model and highly likely shipped in May-June 1952.

I and J frames’ stocks are the same size for the same vintage.

There are two I frame and two J frame Rd Butt Magna grip sizes:

3 1/16” tall - pre 1953 I and J frames
Up to 1953, Pre war I, post war I, and Improved I grip frames (inc. Single Shots), and the Baby J grip frame are the same size and interchangeable.

3 3/16” tall - Model 1953 and later NEW I and NEW J frames
The Model of 1953 New I frame and New J frame grip frames are also the same size, both an 1/8” longer than pre 1953 I and J grip frames.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Jim,

Your post Models of 1953 until Jan 1961 are New I frames built on a new and different frame forging with larger trigger guards and 1/8" longer grip frames than the Improved Model I frames.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Nice find! After Jim makes his appearance here isn't much more to say about the gun, but there are vendors here on the Forum that would be happy to repair the left stock panel for you. Enjoy!

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Nice gun especially for that price ,enjoy.

Nice guns, Mike and Moralem! Eventually, I'll have to get one of those Terriers.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Hello
I will consider the grip repair thanks for that info.
Someone I know has a pair of real stags in top condition I'm thinking about. And a pair of M.O.P grips in V.G.C.
Now does this year model have the forged frame?
I wouldn't mind toting this piece if I could run a couple cylinders of buffalo bore through it safely the gun is not loose at all.
I have a 1929 police positive 4 inch barrel in 38 s&w but I only used the normal loads.
I recently bought a single stage RCBS but haven't
Got it up and running yet, need to make that happen.
Thanks for all the replies.
Mike

Hi Mike,

Your frame is also forged. All S&W hand ejector frames are forged since their introduction in 1896.

I re-worded my post above to read, "a new and different frame forging" for clarity. Sorry about the confusion.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Here are 3 Terriers. I looked long and hard to find the service
grips on the top one. Top and bottom are leaf springs middle on has the coil spring.

top 57210 1of 10 shipped to Albuquerque Oct 1950
Middle 63663 shipped to U.S. Post Office Washington D.C. October 1951
Bottom 56847 Shipped to New York City P.D. September 1950 1 of 100 in shipment

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SWCA 1932 SWHF 135

Here's three I owned, that I sadly had to move on to purchase other guns. Top is prewar and bottom two postwar.

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Get off my lawn!

I like the grips on the top photo.

My one and only pre-war Terrier:



And an early post-war one that was carried a ton, and has the beautiful two tone configuration that only comes with slipping it in and out of a holster thousands of times...

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Richard,

Two beauties!

Almost matching guns except the bottom Post War Transitional has the sliding bar safety, or does it?

I guess you're looking for a left side post war stock or is that original?

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Here's my two:



Top one shipped April 1952, bottom one September 1954.

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

Les,

That's a great pair of Improved I frames, 1st and 2nd versions!

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Jim
S&WCA #819

If I recall correctly, both sets of stocks number to the respective guns. I believe that you are correct that the post war one has the sliding bar safety. The numbers are: 53558 (Aug 1939) for the pre-war one and 56044 (Sept 1950) for the post war one... Here are the other sides...

Pre-war:



Post-war:



Thanks,

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

One gun I'd plunk cash down in a second to acquire is a .38 S&W I frame snubbie.

Nice score!

I slathered it with clp I will clean it up in a week or so.
Thanks for all the pics.

Wow, thanks Jim! I didn't know that. So, just to be clear, are you saying my 59 or 60-ish model 33 is not an Improved I frame? Is it something in between the original I frames and Improved I frames?
I always thought the Improved I frame came after the first I frames. It's obviously more complicated than that. Thanks in advance for the clarification.

Hi Jim,

1. Correct.

2. No.

3. The Improved I frame which only replaced the leaf spring with a coil spring came after the original I frame, and ended production in 1952. The Model of 1953 New I frame came after that; both the I and J frames had new frame forgings in 1953 with the enlarged trigger guard and 1/8" longer round butt grip frame. Compare the Improved models directly above with your guns or the top photo in post #7.

It's been confused in the SCSW for many years. In the 4th edition on pg 144 and here: http://smith-wessonforum.com/blog.php?b=103
I have clarified it.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Wow. It's great gaining new knowledge about old guns! Thanks again Jim for the clarification and that link to your astounding article. I didn't have time to read the article all the way through (there's a lot of info there) but I will soon.

The serial number is on
Bottom of barrel
Bottom of grip
Rear of cylinder
662XX all matching.
Three more locations are numbered.
On the crane
On frame where crane closes
Bottom side of extractor
36740 all matching.
Is this assembly numbers?
Also which member repairs grips? One is cracked pretty much in half

Thank you again for all the info and pics.

Yes assembly #s:

ASSEMBLY (factory work) #s: These multi-digit numbers of 3 to 5 digits, are on the yoke at the hinge, in the ‘yoke cut’ on frame (accompanied with a stamped inspector letter) opposite the yoke above the hinge, and inside of the sideplate, for the pre war and early post war period. Once the gun is shipped, the only use for the assembly #s is to confirm the three parts it's stamped on are original. They will have various inspector letters stamped with them.

In 1957 the assembly # in the yoke cut of the frame was relocated to the left side of grip frame after model #s were assigned and the serial # was eventually added in the ‘yoke cut’ where the assembly #, now moved to the left side of the grip frame, used to be. You know they are assembly (factory work) #s because of those 3 locations that always match on guns that are original, and that’s the only usefulness for them after guns leave the factory; still used to this day, long after serial number locations decreased.

SERIAL # LOCATIONS: To confirm all parts are original, one can check for the 6 (or 7, on Triple Locks only) matching serial # locations for fixed sight pre war Hand Ejectors and all post war Hand Ejectors thru ~1956 (and a few as much as 3 years later).
NOTE: Observing serial #s for accuracy or even existence, especially on penciled stocks, requires magnification, bright light, and an attitude that it is there!

1. Gun butt – (or fore strap on I frames/single shots with grips that cover the butt)

2. Barrel - bottom of barrel or in extractor shroud

3. Yoke - on rear face only visible thru a chamber with a flashlight

4. Extractor star - backside

5. Cylinder - rear face

6. Right stock only - on back, except most target stocks; stamped, scratched or penciled depending on vintage and stock material. (except most post war target grips because individual fitting not required.)

7. Triple Locks only: rear side of middle lock cam plate

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Way back in the day, our company used to do the payroll in cash. A bunch of us were in the elevator and there happened to be the two paymasters with small suitcases full of payroll stubs and cash. One of the dummies stupidly said out loud lets take these two guys and all the money. Before the last part of the money word was uttered two S&W snubbies were now staring him in the face. When we reached the next floor where business was done he was the last guy they let out of the elevator. And as the rest of us couldn't get out of the elevator car fast enough. So every time I see a thread such as that one the above story comes to mind. thanks for the memory. Frank

Wow
Thanks again Jim.

Hi all
Has anyone fitted a tyler t grip or simular to this frame?
Their website says #3 grip for j frame before 1955 which I don't understand I thought the baby j frame ended before 1955?
Regards
Mike

The number 3 is for the square butt "K" frame. You want the number 2. I have used them on the Terriers (early) and other "I" frames. The number 1 is for the post 1955 "J" frames.

Here is the Tyler T Grip #2 fitted to an "I" frame .32 Hand Ejector....



Here is another Tyler T #2 on a much older .32 Hand Ejector...an "I" frame, you can see that it fits perfectly. This is the size you need...



By the way, of all my little snub noses, I like the feel of the I frame with the Tyler T Grip. It fits my hand perfectly.

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

You're correct. Ended with the Model of 1953.

But get the pre 1955 #3 and it should be correct.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Not the best fit but it works for me, and thicker grips make for a better feel
.

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Bobbed hammer.
Next is the tyler grip.

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You did good. I don't have an early one like that. Mine is 1970, but I got in cheap two weeks ago. . .$250. I was delighted to find it.

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Dr. B

250 is nice. Very nice condition.

The stocks can be repaired and if original to the gun should stay with it. I would rather have original stocks that have had work done to them than pristine replacements. Just MHO.

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James Redfield
LM #497

I hear a member on the forum does grip repair, I have to seek him out. I think his name is Dwfan.

Tried the tyler #7 from my early police positive just for kicks.
Fits pretty good, but I will get the correct one soon.
Take a look.

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If you want it for protection... Buffalo Bore makes ammo just for such gun!

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Deaf

Yes
I have it loaded with buffalo bore.
Thanks

Terriers are neat little guns, aren't they? Found a pre war Terrier, then lucked across another. So I've got twins.