Mottled Grips on Safety Hammerless Guns

[Boulder350]

Does anyone have pictures they want to share of mottled grips on safety hammerless guns? There is a picture of a 38 safety hammerless in the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson but I don't recall seeing any other pictures.

Did they ever install the mottled grips on the 32 safety hammerless? Don't think I have ever seen one.

Based on my research the most common guns to wear the mottled grips (not counting the revolving rifle) are the 38 SA second model, then the 32 SA, then the 38 DA, and then the 32 DA. I have seen only a few 44 DA russians. Don't know if the 44 DA Frontier ever came with the mottled grips.

 

[moralem]

Ask and you shall receive…..Unfortunately not on a safety hammerless.

 

[Boulder350]

Great looking grips. Are they from a DA 44 Russian?

 

[moralem]

Great looking grips. Are they from a DA 44 Russian?

I believe it is. I have posted on this one before but never lettered it to determine year.

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[opoefc]

moralem, Are your mottled grips numbered to the gun & if so ,what is the number? I have records of .44DAs that shows the type of grips installed on the gun when manufactured. A quick flip thru those records does not show any made mottled grips . Ed

 

[BMur]

44 DA mottled grips

Those sure look right to me Ed. I really like that 44. Very appealing patina and worn mottled grips. Like an old circulated Morgan silver dollar.
I’m not sure that a 44DA grip would fit on any other frame. I know it won’t fit on the NM3 SA. The grip frame is different. I think those grips could only come off a large frame DA 44 but I’m not 100% positive.
What other frame would they fit?

Murph

 

[moralem]

I can’t see any number on the back of the grips. But the fit looks like they have been on the gun for a long time.

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[H Richard]

I have a pair on a 32 Single action, and have never seen any on a Safety Hammerless.

 

[Boulder350]

Thanks H Richard. That is one of the best 32 SA's I've seen with the mottled grips. Still don't have a blued yet with mottled grips in my collection. I have the mottled floral grips on the 32 DA.

 

[mrcvs]

The Safety Hammerless revolver was manufactured beginning in 1887. What is the latest known revolver with original mottled grips affixed and what is the date of manufacture of that revolver? And so how much later than 1887 was that revolver manufactured? And, if the date of that revolver precedes 1887, then it makes it unlikely mottled grips were ever manufactured for the Safety Hammerless revolver.

I don’t know the answers to these questions but probably should.

And so, who knows the latest known date for these mottled grips?

While we are at it, what’s the earliest known Smith & Wesson revolver with mottled grips?

 

[Books]

The top one is a 4th model DA .38, lettered as shipped in 1901.

Books

 

[mrcvs]

The top one is a 4th model DA .38, lettered as shipped in 1901.

Books

Wow, much later than I thought! And blows away my theory that there was only an overlap of a few years at most.

 

[BMur]

Young engraved/ mottled

I know this is Sacrilegious of me cuz it isn’t a Smith & Wesson but I’ve never seen one .

Murph

 

[H Richard]

The 32 Single action I posted above was shipped Aug. 1887. s/n 88383.

 

[opoefc]

moralem, What's the serial number of your .44DA ? ( I may have the manufacturing record for it, if I do it may show what stocks were installed on it )
Ed

 

[Masterpiece]

moralem, What's the serial number of your .44DA ? ( I may have the manufacturing record for it, if I do it may show what stocks were installed on it )
Ed

Hi Ed,

As best as I was able to edit his Photo...I believe the Serial No. reads 32543!! I edited it as best I could, but the First Digit is a bit distorted so I can't confirm that with absolute certainty...See if my thoughts are correct!! Hope this helps!!

 

[Boulder350]

The 38 safety hammerless in the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson 4th edition shows a blued revolver, second model, with mottled grips. The second model was made between 1887 and 1890. Do any first models wear them?

I have a 38 DA blued serial number 37xx that shipped April of 1881 with mottled grips. Its a very early 2nd model. Also a 38 DA blued serial number 43xx that shipped June of 1880 with mottled grips.

The two SA 38 revolvers in my avatar picture shipped in Jan of 1884 with serial numbers in the 920xx range

 

[BMur]

Mottled grips timeline

The earliest guns having the mottled grips I believe are the SA 2nd model 38 top-breaks that date to 1878. I haven’t been able to confirm anything earlier than that time. 1879 the Revolving rifle would also include the large frame SA. I would think any top-break after that time could have been manufactured and shipped with mottled grips. It’s also likely that early hand ejector 32’s also could have been shipped with red grips.

Murph

 

[moralem]

Hi Ed,

As best as I was able to edit his Photo...I believe the Serial No. reads 32543!! I edited it as best I could, but the First Digit is a bit distorted so I can't confirm that with absolute certainty...See if my thoughts are correct!! Hope this helps!!

Actually it is 12543.

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[Masterpiece]

Actually it is 12543.

Hi moralem,

Thanks...I thought that 1st Digit could possibly have been a 1, but there was some distortion in the Photo which led me to believe it was a 3 instead!! Anyway now that we've got that straightened out...Ed (opoefc) will be looking up the "Correct" Ser. No...Hopefully he'll confirm they're original to the Revolver!!