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S&W N frame grip question
toad67
Member Posts: 13,019 ✭✭✭✭
Recently purchased what I believe to be a set of S&W N frame target grips from LGS, don't really need them but for the price I thought WTH. My questions are #1, I assume that all grips need some sort of fitting to make them work correctly? #2, both sides of the new grips are relieved for speed loaders. I was reading in the S&W bible and I thought that only the cylinder side was relieved for speed loaders. The grips appear to be new and have June 1987 stamped inside of them. They match up well with my 657, but will not fit w/o some work. Thanks.
Todd
Todd
Comments
2. Never heard of LGS grips. The relieved areas for speedy loaders may just be part of the design. That might explain why its on both sides.
JIM...........
1. NO, Not all grips require "fitting" Grips made by reputable companies should go right on whatever model gun they were made for, without any fitting.
2. Never heard of LGS grips. The relieved areas for speedy loaders may just be part of the design. That might explain why its on both sides.
Lefty,
LGS is AKA Local Gun Shop...
JIM...........
I assume that all grips need some sort of fitting to make them work
No.
As mentioned above, large scale production revolvers SHOULD be manufactured to exacting enough tolerances that fitting of grips shouldn't be necessary. This is true of all recent manufacture Smith and Wesson revolvers (though apparently not true of one of its known South American competitors). Assuming you're talking a recent gun (and the 657 counts) properly made grips should drop right on.
quote:
#2, both sides of the new grips are relieved for speed loaders. I was reading in the S&W bible and I thought that only the cylinder side was relieved for speed loaders. The grips appear to be new and have June 1987 stamped inside of them. They match up well with my 657, but will not fit w/o some work. Thanks.
Ordinary factory Smith grips have had the left side cut out for speedloaders starting in the mid 1970s. Some fancy Smiths came with presentation grips that had cutouts on both sides so you could see the engraving the gun frame better, and there are a number of these types out there. I've never seen a left-handed Smith revolver [:p], but I have seen aftermarket grips that are cut out on both sides, too.
Are you sure these are factory grips? FWIW there are a number of aftermarket grips that use Smith medallions and stylistically mimic the Smith stocks.
Also, before you start filing away, are you sure these grips are for an "N" frame gun? The K/L grips are pretty close dimensionally, and IIRC you can get K/L grips to physically fit on an N frame gun, but the wood won't line up correctly. If you have a K/L frame gun handy, it might be worth seeing if they fit there.
Maybe the poor fitting issue is the reason for the lower than usual price on your grips. In what way do they not fit?
The grips are very right handed, someday I'll make a left handed copy for the other pistol.
quote:Originally posted by beantownshootah
quote:Originally posted by toad67
I assume that all grips need some sort of fitting to make them work
No.
As mentioned above, large scale production revolvers SHOULD be manufactured to exacting enough tolerances that fitting of grips shouldn't be necessary. This is true of all recent manufacture Smith and Wesson revolvers (though apparently not true of one of its known South American competitors). Assuming you're talking a recent gun (and the 657 counts) properly made grips should drop right on.
quote:
#2, both sides of the new grips are relieved for speed loaders. I was reading in the S&W bible and I thought that only the cylinder side was relieved for speed loaders. The grips appear to be new and have June 1987 stamped inside of them. They match up well with my 657, but will not fit w/o some work. Thanks.
Ordinary factory Smith grips have had the left side cut out for speedloaders starting in the mid 1970s. Some fancy Smiths came with presentation grips that had cutouts on both sides so you could see the engraving the gun frame better, and there are a number of these types out there. I've never seen a left-handed Smith revolver [:p], but I have seen aftermarket grips that are cut out on both sides, too.
Are you sure these are factory grips? FWIW there are a number of aftermarket grips that use Smith medallions and stylistically mimic the Smith stocks.
Also, before you start filing away, are you sure these grips are for an "N" frame gun? The K/L grips are pretty close dimensionally, and IIRC you can get K/L grips to physically fit on an N frame gun, but the wood won't line up correctly. If you have a K/L frame gun handy, it might be worth seeing if they fit there.
Maybe the poor fitting issue is the reason for the lower than usual price on your grips. In what way do they not fit?
They are so close to fitting (1/16th or less), but they are just a little tight at the top where they roll around to the back of the trigger guard. They're hitting the frame and not the trigger guard. Thinking about reselling them but if they don't fit I don't want to deal with any problems, but I don't really want to fit them to my gun if I'm not going to use them either. As mentioned before they look to be factory since the date stamp on the inside looks just like the one on my factory ones, except of course a different date. Thoughts?
I don't know what to tell you other than that you have to make a decision. Do you want these on your gun or not?
If so, then fit them to your gun. Sounds like that probably won't be too difficult, and personally I'd lean that way.
If you don't want them on your gun, there is no point in hanging onto them, and you might as well sell them.
If you're uneasy about listing them for sale because they may have fitting issues, then list them at auction with a specific description of the problem/issue, and sell them "as is". Description AND pictures of the grips on a gun to show the issue would be even better.
I don't see any problem with that. I'm sure there are plenty of individuals who would happily buy a nice set of Smith factory stocks at a good price then fit them to their individual guns.
Post a couple of pics of those [;)]