[Bvd1]

I have several of each speed and service sixes with the round recoil shield. I just bought my first speed six with the scalloped recoil shield and noticed that the topstrap is thicker in height. Were the recoil shield and topstrap changes made at the same time?

 

[bwinters]

Approximately so.

 

[ExArmy11b]

It's not so much that the topstrap was "thicker", it was just modified to make the rear sight notch deeper and easier to see.

But, it is an approximate change, I have a 1982 Service Six with the scalloped recoil shield, that still has the older "shallow" rear sight notch.

 

[Bvd1]

Thanks, ExArmy. I did notice the deeper rear sight notch and also notice the front sight had to be made slightly higher because of the higher backstrap when they made the change. I thought maybe the reason for the heavier topstrap was to make the topstrap stronger.