I am completely ignorant about Smith "Coke" grips. Why are they called "Coke" grips?

MD

Coke bottle stocks were introduced with the 44 Magnum in January 1956 and were standard on this model and later the 41 Magnum until late 1966 to early 1967. They are characterized by a large checkered area (when compared to standard target stocks) and have a slight palm swell and flare at the bottom. When viewed from the back, the palm swell and flare (with some imagination) resemble the profile of a bottle used for Coca Cola.

The first photo shows the side view of a pair of coke bottle stocks that date to July 1956. The second photo shows these stocks viewed from the back showing the palm swell and flare at the bottom (i.e. coke bottle profile).

Bill

And you can't image how great they feel until you wrap your hand around a set on the back end of a 44 mag.


Charlie

I have been shooting Smiths for 45 years or so and have shot virtually every grip type they have made going back into the early DAs and top breaks and had my first 29 in '77, but I heard the term "Cokes" in just the last couple of years. I obviously fail in the imagination department as I have never seen the coke bottle shape. Now I will have to get in the safe and stare at the rear end of a revolver until I get it.

What is the official, S&W name of these grips?

MD

The grips on the right are cokes. You can see the larger checkered area compared to standard target grips.

Jim

S&W called them "checked target stocks". The term "cokes", "coke bottle stocks", etc., was given to them by the users/owners of these grips.


Bill-

That is a very fine set. The profile is really noticable on them too.

Thanks for all the help. I wouldn't say that I could be 100% accurate in identifying these grips but I have a much better understanding now.

Bill, thanks for the high quality photos. They really did illustrate the profile of the grips. I can see the similarity but I would never have been the first guy to notice it.

Jim, your photos are quite helpful as well. The checkering is distinctive.

I don't know that you guys were able to eradicate my ignorance but you put a dent in it.

Thanks to all

MD

Bill's pictures are outstanding. I would also add that the "Coke-bottle" shape is not only visual but often even more evident from a tactile standpoint. If you lightly place your thumb and index finger on each side of the grip and lightly slide them to the bottom you will recognize it in most instances. In my experience, the amount of the bilateral palm swell varies from grip to grip.

Bob

MD...When advertised with the 44 Magnum in early 1956, the stocks were referred to as "Special oversize target stocks made of Goncalo alves". Except perhaps for the earliest ones, they were not really oversized when compared to regular target stocks, but do have a larger checked area.

The palm swell and flare and the bottom were most pronounced in 1956 and became less so over time. I suppose a collector coined the term "coke bottle" stocks and the term stuck. The first time I heard it was in the mid-1980s when Harrison Carroll, a well known dealer and collector, used the term in his list of guns he had for sale and published every two or three months.

Bill

If you want to have an interesting "tactile" experience, get a pair of late 1970s or early 1980s "target" stocks. Put them on a SB N-frame and wrap your hand around them. Then, on the same gun, put a pair of "Cokes". Wrap your hand around them and you will instantly "feel" the difference. It is quite pronounced.

Dave

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