I'm near certain this is not the correct sub-forum for my question; but none seem to be the right one so I'll ask here.
In cataloging some S&W grips the other evening, I was "try-fitting" some on a square butt N frame and came across a puzzler to me.
On two sets of smooth targets, both N frame, fitted like a glove; I noticed one set was at least 3/8ths inch longer below the frame than the other. All else, (except grain and finish), is the same.
I've noticed some of the "football cutout" targets are much larger in the area below the frame than the later "speedloader cutout" types. I don't have pix, sorry. They were designed to be modified so started out "generous." Joe
Also keep in mind, back in the day, grips were hand fit to a specific gun. Later in years they became generic and fit most all type specified frame sizes.
That's why some have the last 3-4 digits of the serial number hand written in the grips. They were fitted to a specific frame then sperated and met back up when the gun was in final stages of production.
And in the 70's it became common for S&W to sell pre-packaged wooden grips and most all were generic and mass produced. And frames were mass produced as well. And no longer match fitted.
I've sold allot of grips over the years on auction sites and give a great discription along with photos and still had complaints from buyers trying to put a early grip on a late model gun. Or a late model grip on a early gun. It's hard to explain to someone why early football grips don't fit on a 80's model gun so well. Or why 80's combats have a small gap at the lower frame, when they try to put them on a 2000+ year model. Or why the grip pin hole is out of whack. They think because they have a J, k or N frame that all that type grips should fit perfectly.
And keep in mind the old sayings about, Friday Afternoon and Early Monday Morning production. Quaility is not always the same.
Smooth target grips
Linear Mode
