What is this backstrap?

[dovedescending]

This S&W Model 40 seems to have an aftermarket backstrap on it... unless I'm having a brain fart and this is what all Model 40's look like. http://www.jgsales.com/smith-wesson-model-40-38spl-blued-revolver,-new-s-w.-p-5893.html

 

[Chuck Perry]

It's a spring loaded grip safety. They came from the factory like this.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Yup, looks like your referring to the grip safety that was part of the M40 since it's introduction

 

[rcmodel]

The original Centennial had a grip safety, as it did when the numbering system came in and it became the Model 40.
http://www.snubnose.info/docs/m640.htm

Then S&W dropped the grip safety and the Model 40.

Then it came back in 1990 as the 940 without the grip safety.

A couple three years ago it came back again as the "Classic Model 42" and it had a grip safety.

Now they stopped making it again near as I can tell.

rc

 

[Old Fuff]

Ya, but what you inexperienced young guys don't know is that the hammerless design with a grip safety originated in 1887 In a .32 and .38 top-break model called the "Safety Hammerless," or "New Departure."

They became so popular that the .32 was made until 1937, and the .38 until 1940 or perhaps '41.

Now what would you do without the Old Fuff?

Ah... On second thought don't answer that.

 

[dovedescending]

Well, this young whipper snapper learned something new. Does the safety depress flush with the frame when gripped, or does it beef up the grips slightly?

 

[Old Fuff]

No, it hardly moves, but a little goes a long way. In the pre-war top breaks the fact that the grip safety didn't go flush with the frame didn't matter because these revolvers were chambered in .32 S&W and .38 S&W, which by today's standards were far from being hard thumpers. But when the .38 Special came along the recoil was enough to make the safety hurt. When S&W reintroduced the guns later the grip safety (which wasn't really necessary on an inclosed hammer revolver) became history.

I should charge for all this education...

 

[Hondo 60]

As others have said, it's NOT after market.
That's a grip safety.

These are known as "Lemon Squeezers"

 

[Brian Williams]

Then it came back in 1990 as the 940 without the grip safety.

640 maybe, the 940 was a 9mm and it did not have a grip safety either.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Yes that's been around for years. Here's a couple of examples of mine.

A .38 S&W Safety Hammerless New Departure and a Model 40.

 

[Guillermo]

Now what would you do without the Old Fuff?

I don't even want to contemplate, even though my revolvers would not live in fear of being Fitzed.