Steel vs Brass Stock Escutcheons
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Yes, steel is older. I'm thinking steel went away with the diamond.
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ezb57
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These stocks pictured are diamond grips with bright steel stock screw escutcheons. Sorry the pictures lost a lot in posting.
Im wondering if there is a date range or ?
Im wondering if there is a date range or ?
handejector
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During the Korean War there was evidently a shortage of brass. S&W medallions are made of brass that is plated. So, during the Korean War some medallions were made of gray plastic. LOUSY idea because the head of the plastic stud often breaks off of the metal circle on the back and the circle falls off when you remove the grips from the gun.
So, later in the War they made medallions of stainless steel.
A couple of years back while cleaning the escutcheons on some old grips like yours, I discovered the escutcheons were made of stainless steel. I had never seen that before, so I sent them to Jim King who writes the grip section for SCSW. Data about them MIGHT be in the new 5th edition.
Escutcheons of that era were previously made of made of white brass.
The number on those grips coincided with late Korean War timing, so S&W had apparently exhausted their supply of brass escutcheons and started using stainless steel.
What is the number on your grips?
So, later in the War they made medallions of stainless steel.
A couple of years back while cleaning the escutcheons on some old grips like yours, I discovered the escutcheons were made of stainless steel. I had never seen that before, so I sent them to Jim King who writes the grip section for SCSW. Data about them MIGHT be in the new 5th edition.
Escutcheons of that era were previously made of made of white brass.
The number on those grips coincided with late Korean War timing, so S&W had apparently exhausted their supply of brass escutcheons and started using stainless steel.
What is the number on your grips?
They are not sharp shoulder so mid 1950's to mid 1960's. Here is a thread that will help you when it comes to S&W stocks.
Smith & Wesson N Frame Stocks / Grips - A Reference Guide
So are all the silver escutcheons white brass? Are they brass that is plated to look silver?
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ezb57
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There is no number and doesnt look to have been one. I do not have these in hand.
The image is much clearer on my screen and looking close, Id swear the spun end of the right stock looks like steel, and the left brass. Even the smaller diameter of the right rivet head is smaller.
Sorry, Im geeking out on older K magnas lately.
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ezb57
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Im no expert, but these do look pretty sharp.
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ezb57
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Were there ever brass escutcheons that were plated a bright silver color that could look like steel?
I swear! We're all nuts!!
Folks here with stock stuff---me with sights, and I was in hog heaven when I discovered (read as stumbled upon) a sight nobody'd ever heard of! I say nobody, it turned out Jinks had heard of them. He'd not only heard of them, he'd been tracking them for years-----could tell you the serial number range they were in use for both .38 Specials and 32-20's.
It turns out no matter how smart you think you are, there's going to be somebody who's a whole lot smarter----happens every time!!
Ralph Tremaine
Folks here with stock stuff---me with sights, and I was in hog heaven when I discovered (read as stumbled upon) a sight nobody'd ever heard of! I say nobody, it turned out Jinks had heard of them. He'd not only heard of them, he'd been tracking them for years-----could tell you the serial number range they were in use for both .38 Specials and 32-20's.
It turns out no matter how smart you think you are, there's going to be somebody who's a whole lot smarter----happens every time!!
Ralph Tremaine
From my limited examples of stocks from 1951-53, it appears the steel, or at least non-brass escutcheons were no longer being used after 1953.
Bill
Bill
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