Is this Uncommon? Pre Model 49 Flat Latch in Nickel

[TheHobbyist]

Picked up an interesting one the other day and my books are buried.

I believe it is a 1956, flat latch, pre model 49 in factory nickel.

I picked up this and another one with a 'bug screw' in blue.

Uncommon?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Retired W4]

From what I'm seeing the model 49 was introduced in 1959, as a number model. No pre-model 49, but the early versions did have flat latch

 

[Doug627]

"Bug screw" sounds uncommon.

 

[Retired W4]

Early airweight guns had the bug screw, as the top sideplate screw had a short shaft and could be easily over torqued in the alloy frame, stripping the threads.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

I believe it is a 1956, flat latch, pre model 49 in factory nickel.

I picked up this and another one with a 'bug screw' in blue.

As Retired W4 said, there's no such thing as a pre-49.

S&W introduced its "concealed hammer revolver" as S&W President Carl Hellstrom called it at the 1955 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference and asked the chiefs to name it. "Bodyguard" one chief said, and it stuck.

When S&W assigned model numbers the Bodyguard became the Model 38.

That was an aluminum alloy frame. At the request of the Massachusetts State Police in 1959 S&W made the carbon steel Bodyguard and called it the Model 49.

The upper side plate screw (the fourth screw on a J-frame) is called the bug screw, according to Dr. Jinks. The tiny retainer screw holds the bug screw in place. Retainer screws were only used on Airweight models.

If you have a Bodyguard with a 4-screw frame and the retainer screw will you please share a photo of it with us. I've never seen one.

 

[TheHobbyist]

Thanks for the feedback. My initial post was a bit confusing and I apologize for that. I bought two guns, the old Bodyguard was the one I had questions on.

In collecting for a lot of years, I find myself more and more forgetting things that I knew or read about years ago. Very familiar with the 'bug guns' as we used to call them, just thought it was interesting.

What got my attention is I don't recall seeing any 1950's Bodyguards in nickel with a flat latch. This thing is almost perfect and looks like new. I'll try to post photos when I have a chance over the next few days.

Thanks, again, and sorry about the confusing initial post and my memory on some of these...I sure don't have all this memorized like I used to.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

...

I don't recall seeing any 1950's Bodyguards in nickel with a flat latch. This thing is almost perfect and looks like new. I'll try to post photos when I have a chance over the next few days.

My database of early Bodyguards does not reflect any with a nickel finish.

One thing to look for is an "N" stamped in three places on the revolver to confirm it likely left the factory with a nickel finish.

1) bottom of the barrel to the left of the serial number (if there is a serial number on the bottom of the barrel)

2) back of the cylinder beneath the extractor star lined up under the serial number (if there is a serial number on the cylinder)

3) lower left side of the grip frame near the stock pin

Photos are of a Chiefs Special, but the principle is the same.