Originally Posted by handejector

By the time your gun was built, it is possible the factory knew they were going to modernize the I frame with the larger trigger guard and longer grips. 15 months after your gun, we see the Centennials appear in the Oct 1952 catalog, and they had the large trigger guards and long grip frames from the first. We can assume there were many months of design and lead time before that October printing. My point is that they were trying to use up the old parts, and they were trying to fill orders, and both those ideas were working together to clear the way for the total revamp of the small frame line in 53 with large trigger guards and longer grip frames, and straight rods, AND ramp sights.