Hey Old Fluff, some information I just came across...

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Mike Irwin

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A few months ago you and I were talking about when S&W adopted the hammer block on the side plate.

Just found some information about it in Roy Jinks book.

On page 165, in a photo caption:

"The two styles of Smith & Wesson hammer blocks. Top illustrates the 1915 hand-operated cylinder stop called the wing style hammer block. Bottom illustrates the rebound slide hammer block incorporated in December 1944."

There's also some narrative pertaining to the design change on page 164.

If we go by that date, it looks like that would be the primarly reason for the "Fourth Change" Model of 1905 in 1915 in the .38 M&P line.
 
Thanks for the information. Now we have some of the story at least. I checked a 32 Regulation Police that I'm pretty sure was one of the first ones made in 1917 and it had the sideplate-mounted safety. However a 1917 era .45 model 1917 did not.

I suspect that "N" frame revolvers didn't have a safety (other then the rebound slide) until sometime after World War One. Why this was I don't know. Additional details will follow.
 
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