The "Generations" of the Colt small frame revolvers is somewhat confusing.
Right or wrong, collectors have settled on the following standard:
First Generation: 1927 to 1965 The original DS. This has the "skinny" barrel, exposed ejector rod, and the full length grip frame.
Second Generation: 1965 to 1973. Same as the First, only the grip frame was shortened into the "stubby" grip with wood grips that overlap on the bottom to give a full grip.
Third Generation: 1973 to 1986. The barrel was changed to the heavy, shrouded ejector rod version.
Fourth Generation: 1993 to 1995. Simply the Third Gen as re-introduced in 1993.
These last Generation guns usually had rubber Pachmayr type grips.
This is a somewhat over-simplified standard since there were changes made over the years that probably should count as a Generation, but this is what's generally accepted as the Generations.
There were changes made over the years that probably should be considered as Generations, but aren't.
As example, from 1927 to 1933 the DS had a long square grip frame.
In 1933 it was changed to the long rounded grip frame.
