I've been waiting for these for several months; I originally ordered them in walnut, but Altamont emailed me and said the walnut versions were indefinite back-order, but I could get them in a week if I took Rosewood. I already have a M19-3 with rosewood grips and they are beautiful, so of course i said yes. I bought this M57 no dash with a different set of Altamonts, black and gold, but they were too dark for my liking. I didn't get any OE stocks.

They came today, and look really good, I think.

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Nice for aftermarket grips.
I have not seen a top rib like that except in a pic from a vintage American Handgunner Magazine.
Any story about that custom addition?

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Dino in Pittsburgh's Rat Pack

The gun had that vent rib on it when I bought it. I asked around, but nobody seems to know who made it. The revolver dates to the late 1960's, but I don't have any idea when the rib was added. I'm on the fence whether to leave it or not. I like a "pure" gun, but this addition looks pretty cool, although I'd never have done it myself. It was nicely installed, I can't even figure out what kind of adhesive was used, there are no screws or other fasteners holding it in place. It doesn't distract from accuracy, is nice and tight, so I'll probably leave it alone, at least for now. I've had the gun for about 3 months.

I recall these ribs were available in the late 1970s. If I recall correctly they were aluminum and advertised in the small adds in the back of the American Rifleman.

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Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

Striking grips!

I've heard people complain about Altamont stocks but I have a few sets and haven't had any problems with them. I have a set similar to your on my 24-3 they're just a little darker.

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SWHF #595

I have a S&W model 14 and the gun's serial number is stamped into one of the grips inside. I own 10 other Smith revolvers and no other gun has that feature. Question is, how do you know if grips are original?

Unless the gun s/n matches the stocks s/n, you never really know for sure. And S&W only numbered the stocks for a few decades. You can research to find out if they are correct, but not necessarily original. I picked up a Model 58 at a gun show several months ago that had the correct rounded base Magnas, but unfortunately they were numbered to a different M58 (or M520). I was still pretty happy though; they are some hard to find stocks.

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USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

S&W started numbering their stocks as far back as the late 1800s then they were just written in pencil. later on into the 1900s they were stamped they dropped the whole process of numbering in the late 60s and 70s. The latest gun I own with numbered stocks is a 19-3 from 1974.

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SWHF #595

I have a M19-3 from about the same timeframe, (SN K121xx) but the Target stocks weren't numbered. I'm positive they are the originals because I got the box with the gun and it was listed as a 3T

I have many sets of Altamont grips and find the looks and fit/finish very nice.

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213th FBINA

My Model 67 combat masterpiece , traced to late 1980 manufacture...
has the serial number stamped into the inside of one stock. Ser.#90K36XX

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Dino in Pittsburgh's Rat Pack

Beautiful wheel gun. I love the Patridge front sight on a 6" barrel. Your stocks are probably like the ones I initially ordered; walnut.

Well Altamont is one of the few places where you can get a pair of S&W stocks really cheap, and still claim they are real S&W grips. Not claim they are original, but OEM.

I do wish they offered more grips in original styles, in original spec, and in real wood. Not to try to fool some poor sucker into thinking that they are original, but more to give your gun that original look.

I've only had one problem with a pair of their grips, but it wasn't worth contacting them over. I have a pair of their retros style target grips that were not sanded symmetrically. Your hand doesn't notice, and I used them for several months before I noticed.

They are a good company that makes a good product, and does it here in the USA.

Looks nice from the side but they are way too narrow. You'll find out when you touch a full magnum load in that gun.

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S&W Accumulator

Very nice! I've recently come to realize Altamont makes some of the best stocks on the market.

The stocks that came on the gun when I bought it were Altamonts, with the exact same contour, but a different color and style, no checkering. They fit my medium-size hands very well. I've put about 75 rounds through the gun since I bought it, all full power magnum hand loads with 210 grain bullets. There isn't any type of grip that will truly moderate the recoil and power that a .41 Magnum has. Pachmayr grips might come closer because they're rubber, but they have no character, and your hand is still going to buzz a while after a range session.

The OE Goncalo Alves stocks are truly unique and beautiful, and it's really nice to buy an older gun that still has them, especially if you are a serious collector. I have them (Targets) for my M19-3 and am happy about it, but it isn't a deal breaker if I find a desirable model and it doesn't have them. They are too big for my hands and I usually replace the stocks anyway, both to preserve the condition if they are original, and to install something that fits my hand better, and to make the gun individual to ME. I have the original magnas that came with my M28-2, but they are too small (sounds like Goldilocks, doesn't it?), so I have installed Altamont stocks on both these guns (They're juuuust right ). The M57 already had Altamont stocks, but I wasn't happy with the color, so I replaced them.

As for real wood, they are real wood, just thin laminated pieces that make a very solid and durable grip. Laser engraving is fast, more accurate and less labor than hand checkering, so they can be made less expensively, but look just as good. I wouldn't call them cheap by any means, or even inexpensive, but for a gun that you've paid a grand or better for, the price is well within reason for as good as they fit and make the gun look. And the big plus is that they are American Made, unlike too much else that's made today.

Still, it's a shame about the rib.

Reminds me of the joke about the Olympian who was so proud of winning a gold medal.... He had it bronzed.

Why would anyone "gussy up" an already beautiful revolver.

Good analogy. I always loved the look of a Python, specifically because of the vented rib, so I can't really dislike the one on my M57. However, I'd never have even considered putting one on it if I'd bought it without one.

I'll try to see it like Cindy Crawford's little "beauty mark" on her chin; I think she'd look better without it, but when you look at the rest of her, you tend to not notice it too much.

If I had to think of my M57 in feminine terms, I'd have to name her "Gal", as in Gal Gadot, the current Wonder Woman. She's drop-dead gorgeous, but could probably kick your and my backside at the same time. She's an ex-IDF unarmed combat instructor.

The original S&W target stocks were/are the best. Wide in the shoulders at the top....NO stinging hand.

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S&W Accumulator

I had a 28 - 2 that had magnax that were serialed to the gun. Right panel was stamped and the gun was from 1978.

I am more than guilty of stock swapping to fit my taste, or to preserve a factory set of grips. The worth of factory grips has gone completely nuts, but Altamont comes in with a win for economically affordable grips when compared to some of the aftermarket custom grips.

If you don't mind not having medallions, you can sometimes get a bargain if you look at their closeout page.

I rather like it. People look at guns that were modified by their owners back in the day, as being something to be ashamed of, or looked down on. Like this gun with the rib, or a GI .45 that someone worked over to make it more accurate.

We see it now, and think... Oh that's too bad. I find it fascinating. Someone took that gun and made it theirs. They loved it, enjoyed it, and sadly had to pass it on for whatever reason.

It's a living testament to that one particular person that owned it, and a lasting legacy of the man who did the work. That's pretty dang cool.

My problem with Altamont was that the Walnut stocks you received looked nothing like the Walnut stocks in their catalog. Looks to me like Altamont has finally got the Walnut color right again. I will pay more attention to their offerings now.

If you're referring to the stocks I put on the M57, they are rosewood, not walnut. I had initially ordered walnut, in the same pattern, but Altamont emailed me that the walnut stocks were on extended backorder with no anticipated release date.

The stocks on my M28-2 are walnut, in a simpler pattern. They are a bit lighter than I would have liked, but suit the plainer gun very well, I think.

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As to the vented rib: In my youth, I purchased a vent very much like that for my stainless 6" Ruger Security Six. I believe I might have been having trouble with sun glare at outdoor ranges, so I got a blued rib. It came as a kit; the rib is held on with epoxy (included in the kit) and never came loose, despite my idiotic penchant for shoot hyper-velocity loads at the time. I'm not sure you can get those off - but I'd try using heat to do so, because I've seen epoxy fall apart under heat. Of course, you'd have to be super careful about damaging the temper of the steel.

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NRA Lifetime Member

I've had mixed results with Altamont. Their N-frame combats like the OP's are simply huge. There's a good inch and a half of wood hanging below my hand when I grip the gun. I'm 6' with medium-sized hands.

I tried their faux ivory magnas, but paired with a T-Grip they cracked when tightened. They seemed fine otherwise.

I really like their Roper-style grips (Fauxpers!) as they're the right size for me and are well-made.

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Psalm 27:2

We have a number of Altamont grips in bonded ivory here. Wendy says that they do much improve the handling of the S&W 25 here to the point she quite likes it but admits she would prefer the barrel to be the shorter 4". She has never much liked or been comfortable with the target grips that were on it.

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KM
S&WCA 3110 S&WHF 625