|
The original grips were made to fill out the round butt and give it the look of a square butt. The wood came up to that notch in the rear grip strap. Since the standard grips would cover a serial number in its normal place on the bottom of the butt, the serial number was moved to the front of the grip. It is not clear why S&W put the frame notch in when they didn't do it with other guns having "filler" type square butts. One theory is that a revolver designed for police might be used to hammer on heads and the notch would prevent the wood stocks from cracking.
Jim
|