OP
Goony, follows my observations and data. Just as a side note, what mag came with your steel? X follower and S&W base plate.
A neat steel frame pre-39
- Thread starter gmborkovic
- Start date
Well, I'd have to get it out & look, but I'm certain it's an X follower type and as I recall an S&W only marked baseplate. The cutout magazine in the photo didn't come with it, nor that dust cover. Those actually accompanied 1185 posted above, but clearly weren't (and so verified by Roy Jinks) original to that gun. The steel frame has the grooves for mounting the dust cover, so it seemed reasonable to me to move both items over to it.
At the risk of hijacking your thread, regarding that steel frame, back in the day I bought a steel 52 backstrap, and took it over to the local machine shop (this being when there such establishments were still commonplace), where the appropriate slot was milled through the solid tab at its base to make it into a lanyard attachment point paralleling the configuration of the standard 39 alloy backstrap. So this one's all steel now (for you purists, I did retain the original, so this modification can be readily undone and the pistol restored to its factory specs). I used a steel 52 backstrap in assembling my http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-...201142-frankennine.html?highlight=Frankennine also, although in that case, the vestigial tab was taken off altogether.
OP
Your mag sounds era correct. Have you ever shot your steel. A little bit different experience.
jrm53
Member
This is the most interesting forum post that I have ever read since I have been on here since 2009 thanks guys. jrm53
OP
I was out in the shop examining 1051 again, Noted a difference on the back strap. If you look at the upper left corner of the field, there is a hole. The flat surface of a pin is visible. So I took the back grip/strap off to have a closer look. Sure enough, the hammer spring plunger cup is retained by a small flat headed pin. Reminds me off a Colt 1911 back strap.
Mike, from what I've read, the steel frames were produced around the same time as your pre-39 but not assembled until after the Bangor-Punta takeover. I wonder if it's possible that some of the 23 or27 reportedly scrapped might have actually been assembled as pre-39's?
OP
Trey, I dont know exactly when the steel frames were made. I have read and heard that some of the "X" numbered prototype 9MM autos were made with steel frames. Notably X46, made OCT.28, 1948. And X49, Dec,21, 1949. Were these two frames pulled from a rack of completed steel frames or two that were made prior to the other steel frames? I dont have a clue.
Mike, from what I've read, the frames were mfg'd in the mid 50's but were put into storage until the mid 60's. I'm not sure as to when S&W actually serialized the frames, but I'd assume that it was sometime during the assembly process based on the fact that there were some "special" s/n's assigned for special orders. I could see a resourceful assembler building a steel frame from one of those 950 frames sitting in storage if he had knowledge of their location and access to them. Just a theory anyway.
I tell ya, Mike, this is one very interesting Pre!
However, the "steel" frame aspect on a Pre-39 seems absurd.
Please do the following test to verify:
Remove any wood or otherwise loose parts;
Eject magazine;
Firmly grasp dust shield and hit yourself about the head. should it fracture or bend at any point, it's steel.
Later.
OP
Hello DC. Im way ahead of you. Did the magnet test first, it stuck. I tried your test next. Your test was inconclusive, in that Im half Croatian and half Irish. Did not hurt my head or effect the frame in any manner. Must be a good, steel frame.
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Did some checking since this was first posted and obtained some additional information. Some comments on previous replies to the OP:
KWILL1911 S/N 1132 was shipped to Evaluators on 12/30/55 with one of the few SA Pre's S/N 1214
DCW -S/N 1086 was one of 5 guns shipped on 5/11/56 to Berkshire Gun Racks, not Evaluators
Goony -S/N 1185 shipped on 7/18/55 with 1053 & 1081 TO Willian Patterson (S&W rep?)
Bork X49 was not a steel frame, just a steel slide. X46, X113, X114, X130 & X170 all had steel frames but were they part of the 927 steel frames shipped in the 1960's? Hard to say since they were all from 1948-1952 time period. I hope your head healed from using the DCW test method.
KWILL1911 S/N 1132 was shipped to Evaluators on 12/30/55 with one of the few SA Pre's S/N 1214
DCW -S/N 1086 was one of 5 guns shipped on 5/11/56 to Berkshire Gun Racks, not Evaluators
Goony -S/N 1185 shipped on 7/18/55 with 1053 & 1081 TO Willian Patterson (S&W rep?)
Bork X49 was not a steel frame, just a steel slide. X46, X113, X114, X130 & X170 all had steel frames but were they part of the 927 steel frames shipped in the 1960's? Hard to say since they were all from 1948-1952 time period. I hope your head healed from using the DCW test method.
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