A word or two of hearsay:

Sideplates were originally fit by "swaging"----as in "Cut to suit, and beat to fit!" As I said, "hearsay"-----not a word of documented fact! The process, as it was told to me goes like this: The "cut to suit" sideplate was laid into the frame, and WHACKED with a Babbitt bar. Needless to say, the whacking was done by a HIGHLY SKILLED craftsman, who knew (exactly) where to whack, and how hard-----and they only whacked it once! As I sat and stared, and pondered these words, I decided any attempt to replace a sideplate was a job for Superman!

Now if simply covering up the hole is the objective, then I reckon pretty much any sideplate for the frame size will work fine, but if anything even remotely approaching the original appearance is desired, then we're back to calling Superman!!

Ralph Tremaine

Given the ease with which a sideplate may be bent, I'm inclined to an intermediate tool between the sideplate and the Babbit bar was employed (to distribute the force of the blow). Another given: Whacking anything with a Babbit bar illustrates the epitome of imperfection----I'm also inclined to suspect the Babbit bar went the way of the Dodo bird in short order, to be replaced by a press---also with an intermediate piece---or with a press nose-piece made to order for the different size sideplates.

As an aside, given this whammity-bamming "swagging" fitting of sideplates is fact, it strikes me it was fact with top-breaks bearing pretty much round sideplates. "The phrase "pretty much round" translates to no weak links.

What I'll call the junction of the main segment of a hand ejector sideplate and its nose is a weak link-----that's where it's going to bend if/when one is prying the sideplate off----rather than using the tap-tap routine instructed by S&W---ever since there's been hand ejectors. It's also where it's going to bend (albeit in the opposite direction) if it's forced into place for any reason.

Now, given weak links work both ways, that's no doubt why the whammity-bamming fitting of sideplates gave way to a press------applying equal pressure all across the entire piece------that is assuming the whammity-bamming tale is fact----rather than a tale passed down over the years.