oldstyle design versus modern style

[Bezoar]

is there anyway to actually compare an original smith and wesson from say the 1930s to the same model being made today with all the modern metals and safety features?

Its that you can buy an original smith that most would say were the best fit/shoting ability for around the same amount of money you can buy the newly made versions of the same model revolver.

Is it worth it?

 

[CMcDermott]

I started answering this, and found you really have to write a book to describe all the differences. Lets just say that the guns of the thirties were much better fit than at any other time period, with much more individual care at a much higher skill level of the workers.
Few of the same models are still made, todays Model 10 is the same as the M&P K-frame 38 special, 617 is close to the K22 Outdoorsman. S&W is supposed to be re-introducing the Model 63, which would be close to a 22/32 target model. I suppose a 317 is the closest you can get to the 22/32 kit gun. There aren't any 32 caliber guns still made by S&W, they just discontinued the last of them this year, but the 431 isn't that far from the 32 caliber I-frame guns. When you get to the N-frame guns, things change as the Heavy Duty and Outdoorsman models were 38 specials, and S&W stopped making 38 Special N frames in 1968. The Registered Magnums (the first 357 firearm) are so much more expensive than anything S&W makes now, and so much better made, that they are difficult to compare. Todays Performance center 327 are much lighter than a registered magnum, but the trigger pulls really can't be compared, nor can the level of polishing & finishing as todays guns aren't polished at all. I suppose the 44 Special guns would be todays 44 Magnums. Most S&W guns made in the thirties were fixed sight guns, today almost everything S&W makes has target sights; it indicates the different use that the guns had back then to todays target shooters.
S&W makes many more models of guns today, some with titanium cylinders, scandium/aluminium and plain aluminium frames, but actually during the thirties it was much easier to get the gun YOU wanted as the factory would accept a custom order directly from the end customer, something they refuse to do today.

 

[Cosmoline]

is there anyway to actually compare an original smith and wesson from say the 1930s to the same model being made today with all the modern metals and safety features

Certainly you can compare them. I've done it, and I've consistently found the two-digit pinned & recessed Smiths to be superior to anything in the modern era other than Performance Center specials. As CMcDermott notes, they took more time back in the old days because labor was ten or twenty times cheaper. Plus, they had a more experienced workforce to do the fitting. By the 60's more and more gun makers started cutting corners on production to save money. S&W eventually fell into this trap. None ever go back once they've gone down that road.

 

[Old Fuff]

With the exception of the N-frame models, most pre-war revolvers of 1920 - 1940 vintage can be purchased in almost-like-new condition for less, (sometimes much less) that the MSRP on the same model, or whatever comes close. Often the same can be said about revolvers made between 1946 - 1966.

My last score was a 99% condition, 15-2 Combat Masterpiece /4" / blue (4-screw/pinned barrel) for $320.00. You can't touch anything that's new for anywhere near that.