The top gun is a model of 1903 5th change and the bottom is a
post war 32 hand ejector shipped December 1950.

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SWCA 1932 SWHF 135

What’s not to like?

Froggie

Love the 32’s!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That top one is SPECIAL!

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S&W Accumulator

Beautiful!!

The post war I frames are unique from the K & N frames because they had two models prior to the Pre model # models, beginning 1950 for K&N frames but 1953 for I frames:

The Transitional model with 6 screws like your snubby and the Improved I frame with new coil main spring.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

The top one has been refinished the bottom one is original finish. I am looking for wood grips for the bottom one but the mother of pearl looks nice.

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SWCA 1932 SWHF 135

I'll keep a lookout for you.

The correct pre 1953 short I & J frame Mini Magna grips can be hard to find. The post 1953 early I & J Magna grips are easier to find and they are identical except for the 1/8" extra length of course.

Measurements: Stand them up on the flat of the butt and measure 90 degrees vertically to the very tip of the horn.
I & J frame pre 1953 Model = 3”
I & J frame post 1953 Model = 3 1/8”

However, the great thing is, the checkering area on the Mini Magnas and on the longer Magnas is the same size. Notice the shorter plain wood below the checkering on the top gun's Mini Magnas compared to the longer smooth wood area below checkering on the bottom gun's Magnas (shown below). By carefully sanding down the butt of the longer grips, you can take off the extra length as well as fitting the butt perfectly to your gun's rd butt grip frame. Also the locating pin hole is in the same location on both size grips. CAUTION: take care not to sand the butt too round and expose the locating pin hole!

So after a touch of stain and Tru Oil, they'll be a perfect match.

But the curved bottom checkering border (see photo) is the key to the correct early Magna grips to match the pre 1953 Transitional Model grips.



JUST FYI: some of the Post War Transitional Models came with round top pre war service grips. There's only one way to know which ones your gun had, but not by the serial #. The rear most side plate screw will be domed instead of flat if it came with rd top Service grips. As usual pre war and post war grip type usage was haphazard.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Hondo Thanks as always for your input !!
If the post war was nickel with the mother of pearl grips I would leave it alone and have a pimp gun

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SWCA 1932 SWHF 135

I have the same year snub.

Attached Images

Resized_20181030_085150%281%29.jpg (69.8 KB, 37 views)

I like the MOP grips on a nice blued gun like yours. Have you checked the right grip for a penciled serial #? And how is the fit?

The post war MOP grips did not have medallions nor the concave top circle, so yours could be factory original. Only a letter will verify of course.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Very nice!

Looks like a baby, early Baby Chief Special with those rd top Service grips!

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Nice 32s.

These "little " poppers are starting to really heat up in auctions. Really like both of yours.

Thanks for sharing them.

They sure did heat up!

Some of us like me and my amphibian brother, Green Frog, were glad we turned onto these early on, and not so glad we started showing them off on this forum....

Click on photo for larger view:


LEFT SIDE TOP:

.32 HE Model 1903 (2nd Model) - 5th Change, pre-war I frame, 3 ¼” produced Oct. 16, 1913.


POST WAR .32 HAND EJECTOR/REGULATION POLICE MODEL examples of each of the post war evolutionary models with evolutionary changes briefly described.


LEFT, starting 2ND from TOP:

.32 Regulation Police Transitional Post war I Frame, rebated sq butt, with leaf spring, Rd sight, 3 ¼”, 6 screw, ‘double pinch’ thumb piece, smooth trigger, c. 1949;

.32 HE Pure post war 1ST VARIATION-Improved I Frame w/coil spring, rd butt, rd sight, 2”, 5 screw, ‘single pinch’ thumb piece, c. Mar 1952, steel stock medallions, grooved trigger, bottom. This version of the I frame has the same features as the early round sight Baby J/Chiefs.


RIGHT SIDE TOP:

.32 HE 2ND VARIATION-Improved I w/ramp sight & barrel rib, rd butt, (became the Model 30 which ended with the 30-1 in 1976), 3”, 5 screw, 2nd style flat latch shipped late 1952, top;

.32 R.P. Model of 1953 New I frame sq butt, (the true Pre Model 31), 3”, 4 screw, 2nd style flat latch, c. 1954, next;

.32 R.P. Target Transitional I frame, rebated sq butt, 4”, 6 screw, 4th (final type) thumb piece, one of the 196 anachronisms from 1957 only, next;

.32 R.P. J frame sq butt, Model 31-1 (which ended with the Mod 31-3 in 1991), 3”, 3 screw, 1980, bottom.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Hondo: No number on right grip and the side plate screw is domed so it would have had service grips.
Roy

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SWCA 1932 SWHF 135

Not unusual to not have a serial# on special order grips like MOPs because they took special handling.

Well the dome screw is a positive indicator that it came with Walnut Svc grips or MOPs. Few owners went to the trouble of replacing the flat screw if there was one when they installed after market MOPs.

If there's no hollows on the back of the MOPs, it's another good indicator.
Might be worth a letter.....

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Roy Jinks advised the top gun shipped in 1910 the bottom in 1950.

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SWCA 1932 SWHF 135