5 Screw .38 Pre-15 CM stocks with unusual notch

[Jocko-44]

Good Morning all, last week I made a post about possibly purchasing a 5 Screw Pre-15 .38 Combat Masterpiece. Opinions varied if it was worth the asking price, but I decided what the heck and bought it anyway! I was wondering if the experts have ever seen stocks like these before. I have never seen anything like them before, but I'm clearly a newbie. Seems to be a professional "notch" not something an average Joe would do in the basement. Thanks for the help!

 

[Jocko-44]

Serial Number starts with 118,xxx if that helps. Pretty good shape for its age, definitely not perfect. I'm glad I bought it! Does 1951 birth year sound correct? Thanks

 

[Muley Gil]

Those stocks were modified outside of the factory.

Your serial number starts with "K".

 

[Jocko-44]

^^ Correct! I forgot the K, lol

 

[JP@AK]

K118xxx likely did ship in 1951. An example is a .38 Combat Masterpiece, serialized at K118332, that shipped in October 1951.

If yours had shipped with target stocks at that time (which is unlikely) they would have been the non-relieved type. Those shown in your pictures have been modified. There were some experimental target stocks made by S&W in the mid-1950s with a similar modification, but I don't believe the pair you have are among them.

 

[sceva]

Someone (Not S&W) modified the grips for ejection clearance. Nicely done too.

 

[Jocko-44]

When the gun was for sale on Cabelas website, they has the serial number listed as M 43078. That is the number listed inside on the yoke. Probably a kid that just started that week, lol

 

[Ga Johnny]

Guys, I believe the OP is asking about the half circle notch in the inside front of the grips.....'least that's how I read it. I've seen vintage OE grips notched like that, it lines up with the strain screw IIRC, not sure why but I think I've seen before

 

[Jocko-44]

Guys, I believe the OP is asking about the half circle notch in the inside front of the grips.....'least that's how I read it. I've seen vintage OE grips notched like that, it lines up with the strain screw IIRC, not sure why but I think I've seen before

No, I'm asking about the big cut on the outside of left hand stock. I never noticed the little half circle. Interesting, thanks!

 

[Buford57]

Someone (Not S&W) modified the grips for ejection clearance. Nicely done too.

I concur. Well executed but not factory. The ejector would gouge target grips which used briskly, which led to the football cutout. Even those did not play well with speedloaders, resulting in the next modification.

 

[silicosys4]

someone wanted their strain screw backed out for a lighter DA pull

 

[Jocko-44]

I concur. Well executed but not factory. The ejector would gouge target grips which used briskly, which led to the football cutout. Even those did not play well with speedloaders, resulting in the next modification.

How bad does this affect the overall value of the gun?

 

[Ga Johnny]

Oh.......well dang I woulda thought that was obviously not factory