Observations on 39 mags

[gmborkovic]

I have observed mod-39 mags from Sn.1001-Sn.A747148.
Shipped from Nov. 15, 1954 thru Feb. 13, 1983. Comments welcome.

1. early pre-39, step type follower, long base plate, 9MM/S&W.

2. later pre-39, flat ramp follower, long base plate, 9MM/S&W.

3. mod-39, four digit Sn to Sn. 30K, X follower, LBP, 9MM/S&W.

4. mod-39, Sn. 60K to Sn. 105K, X follower, LBP, S&W

5. mod-39, Sn. 60K to Sn. 105K, X follower, Mil cutout, LBP, S&W

6. mod-39-2, Sn. A105K to Sn. A180K, X follower, LBP, S&W

7. mod-39-2 Sn A180K to Sn. A200K, X follower, short base
plate, S&W

8. mod-39-2, Sn. A200K to Sn. A747148, plastic follower, SBP,
S&W.

Pls. Post or PM with comments. I covered just the run of the mill blue steel mag bodies. There may be some variants I missed or failed to record. best, Mike

 

[PeteC]

Did the long base plate and short base plate correspond to a different shape or dimensions of the frame?

 

[gmborkovic]

Hello Pete, my understanding is that the base plate was shortened at Sn. A180,000 to 1.500" from 1.625". The factory introduced
a crescent shaped cut at the front of the grip down by the mag well. It facilitated an easy withdrawal of the shorter base plate.
Just what I read. Mike

 

[kwill1911]

How many observations in each category? What about finishes--all blue?

 

[gmborkovic]

Hello Kevin, I was staying with the examples of mags I have owned/own/seen in NIB guns. I have seen a lot of variants at shows and meetings. Usually one off odd balls. All shades and textures of blue, nickel and Parkarizing. And combinations of
parts. What have you got or seen? Mike

 

[jimbo728]

Great report Mike!. My 39 mags checkout.
Jim

 

[kwill1911]

Hello Kevin, I was staying with the examples of mags I have owned/own/seen in NIB guns. I have seen a lot of variants at shows and meetings. Usually one off odd balls. All shades and textures of blue, nickel and Parkarizing. And combinations of
parts. What have you got or seen? Mike

I'll pull out the few I have and take a look when I get a chance. I've never worried much about magazines since when I've checked they are consistent with McMillan's information.

 

[gmborkovic]

thanks jim. Mike

 

[PeteC]

Hello Pete, my understanding is that the base plate was shortened at Sn. A180,000 to 1.500" from 1.625". The factory introduced
a crescent shaped cut at the front of the grip down by the mag well. It facilitated an easy withdrawal of the shorter base plate.
Just what I read. Mike

Thanks Mike! I believe I have one with the long base plate, and a couple with short base plate and plastic follower. Digital caliper measurements are 1.63" and 1.53", respectively. They were part of my attempt to make sense of single stack magazines, and assemble a sample set (so far incomplete).

Seen on the left in the pic below:

 

[gmborkovic]

Hello Kevin, not really worried about it. Just a short reference.
I posted it for the new 39 guys that have come along. I have not
found a way to make McMillans article and updates accessible to
the collectors on the Forum and S&WCA. If you can help, pls. post the way to do it. Best, Mike

 

[kwill1911]

McMillan Info (paraphrased):

S&W supplied four types of magazines for the Model 39 with four different followers, three base plates, and two bodies.

Followers: two types on pre-39s—flat with an angled forward edge and flat with a stepped forward edge. After SN 7000 the follower changed to the two-piece, spot welded “X”. At A200000 the black molded followers started.

Bottom plates: first ones were 1 5/8” long and were stamped “9mm/S&W.” By 60,000 the “9mm” was dropped. At A180000 the plate was shortened by about 1/8” which corresponds to the relief cut added to the front grip strap.

Bodies: standard 7-hole and the cutaway “military” type. (NB: this is what S&W called them but I’ve never seen one with a gun shipped to a military destination.)

Finish: commonly blue, sometimes nickel. He says nothing about different types of bluing or Parkerizing.

Mac owned dozens of S&W autos, examined hundreds of others and studied the subject for decades.

 

[gmborkovic]

Kevin, thanks for info from Mac. I just put it in another format.

 

[Green Frog]

Mike, my 1976 vintage 39-2 came with three plastic follower mags of course. As I was working on the Model 639 Franken-Smith project I bought two more stainless mags to supplement the single one it came with, but I also bought 3 X-follower mags. The baseplates on all three are the same length but two (one blue, one hard chromed post-factory) just say S&W while the third has 9 MM over S&W stamped on it.

FWIW, all three of my stainless mags appear identical with black plastic followers and just S&W stamped on the baseplate of each. I have to say that the way mag prices have gone, I’m glad I’ve got what I have, but I don’t expect to buy any more!

Froggie

 

[gmborkovic]

Hello Frog, that X follower, 2 line, long base plate are getting few and far between. And if you view the for sale sites, even the plastic follower mags are getting pricey. best, Mike