Model 30 vs Model 31

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Ameshawki

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Anyone know the reasoning behind having both a Model 30 and Model 31? Both j-frames, both in 32 Long, both could be had with round or square butt, same barrel lengths. I get the book says one came from the Terrier and the other the Regulation Police but that seems pretty weak reasoning from a commercial standpoint. It appears Smith may have eventually figured it out as the 31 outlasted the 30 by a few years. Can't think of similar situation in the Smith line up.

Just curious.
 
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Before and just after WWII, S&W offered the .32 Hand Ejector with a round butt and the .32 Regulation Police with a round, rebated grip frame and a round to square butt extension stock. These were I frames and they continued after WWII for a few years until S&W updated the frame. They offered the .32 HE with a round butt frame and .32 RP with a square butt frame. In 1957, the .32 HE became the Model 30 and the .32 RP became the Model 31. Really, the only difference is the shape of the butt frame.
 
They both started as I frames and it was all about marketing!

There’s several instances of inconsistency with model naming after WWII about which configurations, rd or sq butt, barrel length, fixed or target sights, etc., created a different model name/#.

The 30 & 31 is another example. The .32 RP was introduced in 1917, 21 years after the .32 Hand Ejector, as a new model for the police market. It had a lot more marketing fanfare then just offering a sq larger grip and a standard 4 1/4” barrel on the .32 HE. After WWII the difference became blurred, the RPs show up with shorter barrels or rd butts. But it wasn’t until the late ‘60’s early ‘70’s that they dropped low selling models and cost savings improved efficiency that in 1976 the M 30 was dropped and the M 31 could be had with any configuration of grip shape or barrel length.
 
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After WWII almost all target models got different model #s. The models 14/15, 17/18 & 34/35 were examples of different barrel lengths. But the models 24 and 29 came to have different barrel lengths and grip shapes with no change in model # although some of those features introduced new dash #s but sometimes they didn’t.

Welcome to the world of S&W and all its interesting and even confusing nuances.
 
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