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S&W Revolvers: 1961 to 1980 3-Screw PINNED Barrel SWING-OUT Cylinder Hand Ejectors WITH Model Numbers


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Old 04-15-2017, 08:01 AM
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Hi:
What era did S&W stop putting wood grips on their handguns and start rubber grips ?
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Old 04-15-2017, 08:19 AM
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They never really stopped, I just bought a new one with wooden grips. They closed their own wood shop in the '70's, IIRC, and started buying ones from manufacturers who specialized in grips.
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Old 04-15-2017, 09:15 AM
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Solid wood stocks made by at the factory were phased out in the early 1990s, but wood laminates were made in the factory or under contract for a while (some are stamped "Ace Company"). After this, some models still came with solid wood aftermarket stocks, such as Eagle grips on the 627 8-shot snubby. "Wood" (nearly all laminate) stocks available today are now mostly made by the Altamont company. Some of the current styles are available from the factory only.
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Old 04-15-2017, 09:39 AM
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When the silver washer was eliminated near the end of 1985 the factory wood stocks quality began it's decline.

The 625-2 Model of 1988 shipped with 1 piece Pachmayr rubber grips
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Old 04-15-2017, 09:55 AM
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Around 1995 is when the wood shop closed down,and employees were allowed to buy bags of remaining stocks for as little as $1.00 a bag.Lucky them!
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Old 04-15-2017, 11:54 AM
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Around 1995 is when the wood shop closed down,and employees were allowed to buy bags of remaining stocks for as little as $1.00 a bag.Lucky them!
Possible these same employees are now E-Bay sellers peddling their $1.00 a bag grips for $50.00 plus per pair ???
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Old 04-15-2017, 01:15 PM
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Possible these same employees are now E-Bay sellers peddling their $1.00 a bag grips for $50.00 plus per pair ???
You are probably right.I know for a fact that they were selling those off years ago too.About 18 years ago I bought one of 8 pairs of factory rejected N frame target stocks that was sold to my LGS from a former factory employee..Each pair had exceptional density and grain like I have never seen before.I picked up the one pair I believed I could work with having limited wood skills.Many hrs of sanding and reshaping was needed to make them usable.
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Old 04-18-2017, 10:26 AM
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Some time ago, a former S&W employee stated here that all that wood was his retirement nest egg.
Also said many of his former colleagues just used them as firewood.
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