Please help me figure out how the butt end of the grips originally looked on a early C prefix pre-model 10 from 1950. Were the grips squared off on the edges at the bottom or were the edges rounded on the bottom?
Thanks for looking.
John
Scoundrel and Ne'er-Do-Well in Training

I think a square bottom edge with no taper, diamond of uncheckered wood around screw, and a sharp shoulder at the top would be correct for an early C series M&P.





Here's another set. Both guns are Victory Models from WW II but the stocks are late 1940s and early 1950s commercial models.

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Mister Doctor Pig,
Thank you. Yes, I am referring to "diamond" grips that look original or correct vintage to the gun. I rarely pay much attention to pre-model 10's but it seems like I've seen more of them with significantly rounded edges on the butt of the grips than I have with squared off edges on the butt of the grips. The following closed auction on Gun Broker made me wonder about the grips on this particular pre-model 10 and grips on pre-model 10's in general.
Smith & Wesson 38 : Revolvers at GunBroker.com

The grips that are rounded off on the bottom, that I have seen occasionally at a gun show or in a case, look original and not refinished (probably?) but I've never taken the grips off to check serial #'s to see if they are at least original to the gun. Either S&W made both rounded bottom and squared bottom grips or a lot of these grips have been refinished with a rounding of the bottom during refinishing? Unless someone comes along to confirm S&W made both rounded and squared bottoms of the grips in early 1950's C prefix pre-model 10's we'll have to assume a lot of them had were rounded off and refinished.
John
Scoundrel and Ne'er-Do-Well in Training

What you are referring to are the so-called "PC" (plain clothes) grips. The bottoms of the grip panels were rounded to minimize a clothing imprint when the revolver was carried concealed. I am not sure exactly when those began, but I think sometime after model numbering started. I do not believe pre-Model 10s had them. I have seen both diamond and non-diamond PC grips, and I think I even saw a pair of N-frame PC grips once.

My Dad's 1946 grips are like SP's picture..... but after about 30 years of service..... there is a bit of rounding on the bottom edge .....LOL..... I'd say another 10-20 years and he would have made his own PC grips.

I have a NIB 1951 vintage M&P and the matching number stocks are squared off on the bottom. Big Larry

[quote=g8rb8;138003904 . . . Unless someone comes along to confirm S&W made both rounded and squared bottoms of the grips in early 1950's C prefix pre-model 10's we'll have to assume a lot of them had were rounded off and refinished.[/QUOTE]

The factory introduced "Modified Magna" stocks (called PC Magnas by most of us) in 1952 at around C200XXX s/n range . . . well before Model numbering in the '57-'58 timeframe. (I believe C103XXX s/n is very early for PC magnas but the fit appears good enough that checking the s/n on the inside of the right grip panel is the only way to know for sure . . . never say never when it comes to S&W)

After their introduction, S&W did in fact produce both styles concurrently and "generally" equipped the fixed-sighted revolvers with the PC magnas and target-sighted with the square bottom magnas . . . although the buyer could specify either style for the same price.

Russ

Here is C1601xx if that helps.

If in fact the PC grips began in 1952, the starting SN would have been within spitting distance of C200000 as stated earlier. Until recently I had a Pre-10 from early 1951 (SN C148xxx) which had the original squared-bottom grips.

I have a 1953 vintage PreModel 10 (C240xxx) with a 4 inch barrel that has the rounded edge or "PC" style diamond square butt grips. It also has the round blade front site rather than the later beveled sight.

Hope this helps.

Steve

I went back through my inventory (7 pairs) of pre-Model 10 diamond K-frame magna grips. The highest SN I have is C168092 (probably 1952), and it has the square base.

Check this thread:

Show off your M & P revolvers (pre-10's)

Look at the 27th and 31st response to see the "PC" Diamond square butt grips.

Steve

Here is a similar (April) 1953 pre-model 10 (C226070) with the PC magnas



For those that have the 1952 Centennial Catalog you'll find the introduction of the new Modified Magna stocks.



see the catalog narrative in Sebago Son's post #12 of this earlier thread:
When did K frame get Plain Clothes grips?

Russ