OK, STEEL M39-2 explained

[cougar015]

Bork, you and I knew from the beginning it couldn't be steel. I'm wondering if it got bid up because some others thought it was actually steel or were they just bidding on a nice nickel 39-2 with the box which is still a $950 gun. Truth in advertising is a myth so let the buyer beware. I mentioned to Demko4 early on that the seller probably checked it with a steel magazine installed.

 

[stansdds]

That explains it. Neodymium magnets are crazy strong and I can see how one would be attracted to the steel components contained within the receiver.

 

[shovelhead]

FWIW in the car hobby we used to use the flexible refrigerator magnets to determine if there was a lot of plastic body filler in a panel. Seems like this would work here too.

 

[SmithNut]

I'm unsure on the quantity, but the pic below is a steel frame M39 that was in my collection some years back.

The serial number for this M39 was 62266.

Enjoy.............

 

[gmborkovic]

Mr. nut, yep, thats a steel frame. I put a magnet on it!

 

[Danny Abernathy]

Back in the 70s there was a company under the name B11.
They marketed a steel frame for the Smith model 39-2 as a replacement for the alimumin stock frame.
Skeeter Skelton converted one and did a story in Shooting Times about it.
He said that it added a lot of weight to the pistol but it needed a lot of fitting to make it work.
I took away from the story that he wasn't much impressed.
I have ran into two of the B11 conversations and they were ok but kind of rough functioning.
They are stamped B11 on the frame and finished in a satin finish.
I saw one advertised once and the fellow was trying to sell it as a steel frame model 39.

 

[kwill1911]

Boles International. See post #15:

https://smith-wessonforum.com/smith...entify-s-w-frame-forging.html?highlight=boles

 

[gmborkovic]

I remember the BII frames. Sold two of them back when they came out.
Were they stainless or steel? I remember the BII logo but not the left side where the Sn. and model were stamped.

 

[kwill1911]

Stainless steel.

 

[stansdds]

I remember the BII frames. Sold two of them back when they came out.
Were they stainless or steel? I remember the BII logo but not the left side where the Sn. and model were stamped.

BII receivers were stainless, but the stainless that is used in firearms still has sufficient iron content in the alloy to attract a magnet.

 

[gmborkovic]

Hello Mr. stans, my metallurgy class was back in 1969. I remember that stainless steel came in a lot of configurations. I believe Series 316 was the least magnetic. I dont know what series BII or S&W use in their guns.
Hey, it was 55 years ago, and it was the '60s.

 

[stansdds]

I think 416 is the most commonly used stainless alloy for firearms.