Today I bought what appears to be an unfired mod 12. The previous owner put some hidious lookin rubber grips on it, so as logic dictates when I got home I ripped them off and put on some K frame walnut takeoff's I had in the drawer. I then learned what probabley every one here but me knows. The grip frame profile is correct but the frame itself is probabley 1/8" thinner. I filled gaps with balsa wood and stained to match. S&W has no 12 grips. Ajax says they have only one pt # for mod 10 or 12 grips, so I know if I order I'll get wrong thing. Anybody ever faced this prob?
S&w Mod 12
- Thread starter popeye
- Start date
VictorLouis
New member
Yes, they are thinner between the horns of the stocks. It sounds as though you found an acceptable solution.
Johnny Guest
Moderator in Memoriam
popeye - - -
Congratulations on your new acquisition.
1. What barrel length?
2. Round butt or square?
About when was it made? If you don't know, I'll bet some member of this forum can tell you, from the serial number. (Use XXX for last three digits if you wish.)
Best,
Johnny
Congratulations on your new acquisition.
1. What barrel length?
2. Round butt or square?
About when was it made? If you don't know, I'll bet some member of this forum can tell you, from the serial number. (Use XXX for last three digits if you wish.)
Best,
Johnny
Radicalcleric
New member
I did not know the M12 had a thinner frame. Always been that way or only on newer guns?
VictorLouis
New member
I might be wrong; but,
I think it was thickened with the '-4's.
I think it was thickened with the '-4's.
Stephen A. Camp
Staff In Memoriam
Hello, all. The M12s have always been just plain "neat" in my opinion. Had a couple of round butt 2" guns and a round butt 4" and foolishly let them get away. On these, the frame was thinner between the stocks than the steel counterpart.
Best.
Best.
Mod 12-3, ser #ABC85XX
According to Supica and Nahas, your pistol was made in Dec 1982. They also state that, "Grips from a regular K frame will not fit properly on these models before the Model 12-4. A gap of .040" will be on each side with grips not fitted to the Model 12 due to the narrower frame width."
They are nice pistols. It would be worth searching for some proper Model 12 grips.
According to Supica and Nahas, your pistol was made in Dec 1982. They also state that, "Grips from a regular K frame will not fit properly on these models before the Model 12-4. A gap of .040" will be on each side with grips not fitted to the Model 12 due to the narrower frame width."
They are nice pistols. It would be worth searching for some proper Model 12 grips.
Johnny Guest
Moderator in Memoriam
Re: Stocks for M12 - -
If you have a lot of trouble, you may want to pick up an extra set of M10 factory wood and mess with fitting them. I understand you cam put the inside on a flat sanding wheel and take each side down the four-hundredths or so. Go slow, trying the fit often. You may have to drill the locater pin hole a litle deeper, as well.
Several years back, a friend came up with a few used, excellent ex-Postal Inspector guns, M10-3, 3" round butt, and I got one. Nifty gun but a touch heavy for the power. That friend got a 4" RB M12 and swapped out all the 10-3 parts to the lightweight RB frame. The resulting M12, 3" RB was a superb carry gun. No, not better than my LW Commander, but sometimes us old timers want to be a little traditional . . . .
When that friend died, I was unable to find the gun in the estate sale and didn't want to bug the widow about it. I figure she gave it to a family member or something. I've been looking for a round butt M12 ever since--I know I'll spend some money on gunsmith work, but its just something I'd like to have.
Best,
Johnny
If you have a lot of trouble, you may want to pick up an extra set of M10 factory wood and mess with fitting them. I understand you cam put the inside on a flat sanding wheel and take each side down the four-hundredths or so. Go slow, trying the fit often. You may have to drill the locater pin hole a litle deeper, as well.
Several years back, a friend came up with a few used, excellent ex-Postal Inspector guns, M10-3, 3" round butt, and I got one. Nifty gun but a touch heavy for the power. That friend got a 4" RB M12 and swapped out all the 10-3 parts to the lightweight RB frame. The resulting M12, 3" RB was a superb carry gun. No, not better than my LW Commander, but sometimes us old timers want to be a little traditional . . . .
When that friend died, I was unable to find the gun in the estate sale and didn't want to bug the widow about it. I figure she gave it to a family member or something. I've been looking for a round butt M12 ever since--I know I'll spend some money on gunsmith work, but its just something I'd like to have.
Best,
Johnny
It can be problematic to find out-of-the-ordinary S&W stocks. I've been looking for replacements for the walnut service stocks used on the Models 58 and 520. They're close enough to the "normal" N-frame service stocks that a lot of folks--including parts companies--don't know the difference. So I wind up with the wrong stocks.
As a couple of the posters have indicated, the frame of the late-production Model 12 was reconfigured to the same dimensions as the Model 10. I have a 12 with the old frame as well as one with the new frame, but never stopped to think that the grips wouldn't interchange. Interesting!
BTW, a friend of mine owns an NIB 4-inch nickel Model 12. As a rule I try not to be envious, but will make an exception in this case.
As a couple of the posters have indicated, the frame of the late-production Model 12 was reconfigured to the same dimensions as the Model 10. I have a 12 with the old frame as well as one with the new frame, but never stopped to think that the grips wouldn't interchange. Interesting!
BTW, a friend of mine owns an NIB 4-inch nickel Model 12. As a rule I try not to be envious, but will make an exception in this case.
Johnny Guest
Moderator in Memoriam
FPrice wrote:
Best,
Johnny
Frosty, S&W cataloged nickle finished Airweight five-shooters and Model 39s for many years. I've personally seen a few. Not their most popular models, but they are out there. I don't know about other models . . .
Best,
Johnny
Radicalcleric
New member
I think that nickeled alloy guns are actually polished on the aluminum parts and plated on the steel. But maybe aluminum can be plated?
What is different on the M58 grips?
What is different on the M58 grips?
Johnny Guest...
"Frosty, S&W cataloged nickle finished Airweight five-shooters and Model 39s for many years. I've personally seen a few. Not their most popular models, but they are out there. I don't know about other models . . ."
Interesting...this was something I did not know. But, that's one of the great things about TFL, the ability to learn something new every day about something that interests me very much. Thanks for the info.
"Frosty, S&W cataloged nickle finished Airweight five-shooters and Model 39s for many years. I've personally seen a few. Not their most popular models, but they are out there. I don't know about other models . . ."
Interesting...this was something I did not know. But, that's one of the great things about TFL, the ability to learn something new every day about something that interests me very much. Thanks for the info.
Mike Irwin
Staff
I'm not so certain that aluminum can be nickel plated.
I'd think that it would be an extremely difficult and expensive job, as aluminum, on contact with air, almost immediately forms an oxidation layer that is pretty non-reactive and does a good job of protecting the aluminum from further corrosion.
I'd think that it would be an extremely difficult and expensive job, as aluminum, on contact with air, almost immediately forms an oxidation layer that is pretty non-reactive and does a good job of protecting the aluminum from further corrosion.
Aluminium can be plated. Not a good idea on a part that is subjected to heating and cooling, expanding and shrinking....or flexing. Tends to shed plating like expensive dandruff.
Mike right in that aluminium does a good job of protecting itself when left to it's own devices.
Anodizing, on the other paw, is decorative, protective and can harden the surface for wear resistance.
Sam
Mike right in that aluminium does a good job of protecting itself when left to it's own devices.
Anodizing, on the other paw, is decorative, protective and can harden the surface for wear resistance.
Sam
Mike Irwin
Staff
Burrhead,
Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson (owning this shows my bias against Smith & Wesson, of course), says that the frame is a "clear anodized fuse alloy."
Beats the hell out of me exactly what constitutes a clear anodized surface, but I guess it's the same as black or blue anodizing. You're probably wearing through that layer and to the aluminum underneath.
Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson (owning this shows my bias against Smith & Wesson, of course), says that the frame is a "clear anodized fuse alloy."
Beats the hell out of me exactly what constitutes a clear anodized surface, but I guess it's the same as black or blue anodizing. You're probably wearing through that layer and to the aluminum underneath.