Vintage Smith & Wesson catalog- Magna stocks explained!

Interesting. Thanks!

[QUOTE="I sure love seeing the vintage S&W stuff. The quote "An elegant weapon, for a more civilized time." comes to mind.[/QUOTE]

Amen.

Thanks!

fireman 9731

The quote "An elegant weapon, for a more civilized time." comes to mind.

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You can thank Obi Wan for that one!

And you're not alone: I think most of us here "love seeing the vintage S&W stuff" too!

Always nice to learn something new.

So are you going to bid on it?

"Tremendously powerful 357 Magnum cartridge"

Mosin Bubba said:

"Tremendously powerful 357 Magnum cartridge"

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The year of this catalog is 1938. It had only been 3 years since the 357 Magnum was introduced in 1935, the 44 Magnum was not introduced for another 18 years. So at that time, the 357 Mag was the most powerful revolver cartridge in production, and it was considered to be pretty hot stuff.

Driftwood Johnson said:

The year of this catalog is 1938. It had only been 3 years since the 357 Magnum was introduced in 1935, the 44 Magnum was not introduced for another 18 years. So at that time, the 357 Mag was the most powerful revolver cartridge in production, and it was considered to be pretty hot stuff.

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Yeah, I'm familiar. Just seems quaint how the "middle of the road" 357 used to be the biggest, baddest pistol cartridge around.

Very nice, thanks

OK, if you believe that catalog why does the model 29/629 come with target stocks? I've found the target stocks to be better on some guns while the magnas work on others. But on a .44 Mag I want a bigger stock like the target.

joed said:

OK, if you believe that catalog why does the model 29/629 come with target stocks? I've found the target stocks to be better on some guns while the magnas work on others. But on a .44 Mag I want a bigger stock like the target.

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As has been previously stated, the book pictured was published in 1938, I don’t believe Smith & Wesson offered “target” stocks until the 1950’s.

At the time this book was published, magna stocks were the magnum tamers of that era.

ATCDoktor said:

As has been previously stated, the book pictured was published in 1938, I don’t believe Smith & Wesson offered “target” stocks until the 1950’s.

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That is correct. Target stocks for N frame Smiths were first offered in 1950, for K frames in 1952. J frame Target stocks followed soon after.

The earliest wooden S&W stocks (S&W insists on calling them stocks, not grips) are known today as Service Stocks. This 38 M&P Target Model shipped in 1917 and it wears typical Service Stocks. There were several different styles over the years, with and without medallions at the top.







Magna stocks were first available as an option on the 357 Registered Magnums in 1935. These were considered more recoil friendly for the hard kicking 357 Magnum cartridge because they offered more surface contact for the hand than the earlier Service Stocks. In 1936 Magna stocks became available for K frames. This K-22 Combat Masterpiece from around 1953 is wearing Magna stocks.






When I bought this Model 19-3 in 1975 this style of stocks were called Oversized Target Stocks, and they are made of Goncalo Alves. Unlike Magna stocks which leave the front strap exposed, Target Stocks like this cover the front strap, cover the bottom of the grip frame, and extend to the trigger guard to prevent the knuckle of the middle finger from being whacked in recoil, much like a Tyler T Grip does. The earliest Target Stocks did did not have a cutout for the extractor and wound up getting scratched by the extractor. This pair has the 'football' shaped extractor relief on the left hand grip. Later Target Stocks have a cutout down to the frame where the 'football' is, for speed loaders. Sorry, none of my Smiths is new enough to illustrate the speed loader cut.

I figured the target stocks didn't show up till much later. To me they seem to work better with hotter loads. Here's a pair with the cutout on a 24-3.

One other thing about the Magna and service stocks that I saw mentioned here ONE TIME and that was that these grips point very well when used for hip shooting. Like you see in some of those old Bill Jordan and FBI training movies. And it works. If you have some of those grips try a hip shot at the next practice session. I never really liked the way those style of grips felt until I learned this.

I have those style of grips on a 6" model 10, a Ruger Security Six and a model 28. And they shoot close to your intended POI when shot that way. At least the Ruger and the model 10 do. The model 28 has never been fired except at the factory when it was built.

Nearly all of my S&W revolvers have Magna stocks and a grip adapter. I have one (maybe 2) with Service stocks and an adapter.

For me, it is the preferred combination.

Kevin