"Magna" stocks are indeed like your Dymondwood ones, or the ones on SaxonPig's guns. They were introduced by S&W in the 30's as an "upgrade" (hence the name "Magna") over their basic service stocks, the ones with rounded tops that fit just into the frame cut-out at the top. What is "different" about them is that they have the horn on top that comes up and mates to the sideplate and meets the knuckle. After WWII, they became standard on most all guns except those routinely fitted/shipped with target grips. Nowadays we take them for granted as being "standard" grips as they are widely copied and were widely used - or at least until wood grips were pretty much discontinued in 1994.
Your gun probably came with Magna grips when new. It could have been special ordered with the plain targets, but given the duct tape inside them to shim/fit them to your gun, I think they were later additions and not shipped from the factory that way (note: he sent me some other photos of the grips showing that; it's not here in the thread). Technically your Dymondwood ones are "PC Magnas" as they are rounded on the bottom - these were commonly fitted on particular models used by law enforcement, like model 10s, 64s, 67s, 58s, etc. The "PC" is for "plain clothes" and the idea was the rounded grip edge would "print" less underneath a suit jacket when worn by an agent or detective, for example. I know the factory originated the term "Magna" for the grip style; I do not know who created the term "PC" magna - whether it was the factory or the S&W customer/collector community I don't know for certain.
The only real complaint against Magna grips is that they seem too thin fore-aft for a good tight grip with stiffer loads. For decades Mershon, pachmayr, and the S&W made inexpensive plastic grip inserts for them. Other people strongly prefer the Tyler "T-Grip" adapter to fill out the trigger arch. Here's a pair of T-grips on a Round-butt 19 with aftermarket "Magna" style grips I fit to the gun:
Your gun probably came with Magna grips when new. It could have been special ordered with the plain targets, but given the duct tape inside them to shim/fit them to your gun, I think they were later additions and not shipped from the factory that way (note: he sent me some other photos of the grips showing that; it's not here in the thread). Technically your Dymondwood ones are "PC Magnas" as they are rounded on the bottom - these were commonly fitted on particular models used by law enforcement, like model 10s, 64s, 67s, 58s, etc. The "PC" is for "plain clothes" and the idea was the rounded grip edge would "print" less underneath a suit jacket when worn by an agent or detective, for example. I know the factory originated the term "Magna" for the grip style; I do not know who created the term "PC" magna - whether it was the factory or the S&W customer/collector community I don't know for certain.
The only real complaint against Magna grips is that they seem too thin fore-aft for a good tight grip with stiffer loads. For decades Mershon, pachmayr, and the S&W made inexpensive plastic grip inserts for them. Other people strongly prefer the Tyler "T-Grip" adapter to fill out the trigger arch. Here's a pair of T-grips on a Round-butt 19 with aftermarket "Magna" style grips I fit to the gun:
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