617 grip suggestions

GT_80 · #1 02-14-2021, 10:42 PM

I picked up a pretty nice condition used 617 22LR 10 shot the other day, and I’m looking for grip suggestions. It has the factory rubber grips on it, and while they’re perfectly functional, I want something that looks better and still have finger grooves.

In my searching though, it seems that a lot of target grips just have smooth edges with a flared base- is there a reason why?

I had a charter arms target pathfinder with old pachmayr gripper grips, and they were great for double action shooting, but I found it hard to adjust my grip to cock the hammer. Don’t know if they were too long or too wide...

I’ve heard the old uncle Mike’s grips for the K frame were some of the best, also that the Pachmayr compac and compac pro are pretty good, I also like the look and feel of the renegade checkered in rosewood. I have those on my SP101 and they fit well, feel comfortable, and are not too big for my hand.

I’m just curious what you all have found are good target like grips with finger grooves for the K frame. Why do you like them? I wish they made the pachmayr diamond grips for a square butt, I have a set of those for my SP101 as well, and they’re grips and super comfortable.

I like rosewood, I like good rubber grips, I’ll probably end up with a couple sets lol.

This gun took a lot of cleaning to get it to look this good- previous owner cleaned the barrel and cylinder well, but there was a lot of lead buildup on the sides of the barrel that i carefully scraped off with a razor blade, then used brass and plastic brushes to clean it off.

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lihpster · #2 02-14-2021, 10:44 PM

Tried Hogue?

GT_80 · #3 02-15-2021, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lihpster

Tried Hogue?

I looked at them, they were on my short list to try if I get them cheap. I really like wood,
Would like to go that way, but we’ll see

.38SuperMan · #4 02-15-2021, 12:12 AM

I bought a nice set of Altamont Roper grips in Walnut for my 617 and they’re excellent.

Here’s a link to a company in Turkey that’s making some beautiful grips. I’m considering a set for my 625. These might be what you’re looking for.

Smith&Wesson K & L Frame Roundbutt - KSD GRIPS

RoyM52 · #5 02-15-2021, 12:18 AM

Shoot it first before changing anything. Those Hogue rubber grips it came with,
work ...for grip etc.

CH4 · #6 02-15-2021, 12:40 AM

Here’s my 17-6(blued 617) wearing Altamont olive wood ropers.
I like the way they look and feel. I also like the way the original combats look and feel.

gr7070 · #7 02-15-2021, 04:46 AM

Not these

Personally I the rubber that came on them.

DS-10-SPEED · #8 02-15-2021, 08:56 AM

I like the Hogue grips, I have this same grip on both of my 10 shot 617's.

I do like the older rubber S&W Hogue grips better than the ones that come on new S&W's.

prairieviper · #9 02-15-2021, 12:20 PM

Ahrends Retro Combat grips in Goncalo Alves wood with tung oil finish. These are the round to square butt conversion. Ahrends is no longer in business but you can still find grips on Ebay.

GT_80 · #10 02-15-2021, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DS-10-SPEED

I like the Hogue grips, I have this same grip on both of my 10 shot 617's.

I do like the older rubber S&W Hogue grips better than the ones that come on new S&W's.

Dang that is a fortune in speed loaders! I like your style -

GT_80 · #11 02-15-2021, 01:55 PM

I honestly am liking the look of the Hogues on these as they move your hand closer to the trigger- anything that wraps around the back of the frame seems to be for people with larger hands... The K frame is larger than what I am used to, and like I said with the Pachmayr gripper on my charter arms, it made it much harder to cock the hammer, but I did have a good purchase on the gun. Just fealt too big for my hand... I have kind of short stubby fingers, in between medium and large glove sizes which is annoying...

I think I will grab a hogue overmolded ones (because they are cheap) and a set of Pachmayr Rosewood laminate "renegades" because I love the look, and on my SP101 they feel nice. The good thing is, the grips are plentiful., and relatively inexpensive for these.

GT_80 · #12 02-15-2021, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gr7070

Not these

Personally I the rubber that came on them.

Did yours come with Hogue or the were they the Smith and Wesson ones?

GT_80 · #13 02-15-2021, 02:44 PM

Well, the renegades are only made for a round butt, so those are out. Darn...

saemetric · #14 02-15-2021, 03:35 PM

My early 17-6 with Ahrends

colt_saa · #15 02-15-2021, 04:18 PM

I am quite fond of the older Factory round butt Combat Grips

If I do not have a set of Factory Combats available, I like the checkered Hogue wood but WITHOUT the Finger grooves like this set on one of my 610s

You really need to try the finger groove grips before you buy them.

My hand fits well with Smith & Wesson Factory Combats, but the Hogue finger groove spacing is just all wrong for me

DS-10-SPEED · #16 02-15-2021, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT_80

Dang that is a fortune in speed loaders! I like your style -

I make the loaders, I don't have enough ammo to fill all the ones I have.

lscocoa · #17 02-15-2021, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT_80

Well, the renegades are only made for a round butt, so those are out. Darn...

I was wondering what 617-? you have . Most 10 shot cylinder guns were round butt . If it’s round you would be looking at round to square butt conversions when looking at various manufacturers grips . Hogue,Altamonts, and Ahrends have really good selections.

H Richard · #18 02-15-2021, 08:07 PM

Iscocoa, you beat me to it. No one else asked the -#. I have a -6 and it is a round butt, and I have tried several Rd to Sq conversion grips and still haven't found one that suited my hand. I was hoping that there had been S&W Sq Combat grips made for the Rd butt, but to my knowledge I haven't ever seen any and don't were ever made. I still use the factory Hogue rubber, I did try their Rd to Sq conversion wood and just didn't fit my hand, too big, not the same pattern as the rubber.

lscocoa · #19 02-15-2021, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H Richard

Iscocoa, you beat me to it. No one else asked the -#. I have a -6 and it is a round butt, and I have tried several Rd to Sq conversion grips and still haven't found one that suited my hand. I was hoping that there had been S&W Sq Combat grips made for the Rd butt, but to my knowledge I haven't ever seen any and don't were ever made. I still use the factory Hogue rubber, I did try their Rd to Sq conversion wood and just didn't fit my hand, too big, not the same pattern as the rubber.

Years ago I bought my first set of S&W Ace grips made from 1994-1995 . I really liked the feel and as you can see my k22’s all wear them. My 617-6 wears the only round to square conversion I’ve ever seen.

PMRet · #20 02-15-2021, 09:45 PM

If you like finger grooves, it's hard to beat the factory original combats that came on the 617 no dash.

gfors · #21 02-15-2021, 10:18 PM

Factory combats look great and feel great but, I shoot better groups with target stocks.
Here is a 617 No Dash and original combats, pictured with a Model 53 ND, wearing original diamond target stocks.

357 shooter · #22 02-16-2021, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lscocoa

I was wondering what 617-? you have . Most 10 shot cylinder guns were round butt . If it’s round you would be looking at round to square butt conversions when looking at various manufacturers grips . Hogue,Altamonts, and Ahrends have really good selections.

His has the lock so it should be a round butt. I have one pre-lock , a 617-1 and 617-5 with lock and both are round butt as well.

I bought a nice set of Hogue in cocobolo for the 617-1 and probably will do the same for the 617-5.

gr7070 · #23 02-16-2021, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT_80

Did yours come with Hogue or the were they the Smith and Wesson ones?

Hogue

Seem to fit me rather well.

And while wood can be great looking, they're far inferior to rubber grips for shooting.

zipty6 · #24 02-16-2021, 02:17 AM

My opinion:
Finger grooved are overrated. They rarely fit my hand.
You don't need checkering to hang on to a 22.

Get some Culinas. They're worth it.

stratplexi · #25 02-16-2021, 07:09 AM

I went with Altamont on my recent 617. They are priced right and comfortable although they are a laminate and not 100% wood.

LEW1943 · #26 02-16-2021, 11:30 AM

Altamont rosewood round to square for my 617-6 4". Provides the same grip (for me) as my 586-8 4" with factory wood (both are laminate). The rosewoods also look awesome. Sorry - no pics.

Lew

3rdgeargrndrr · #27 02-16-2021, 12:13 PM

Nill grips.
I dont own any but I want to

prairieviper · #28 02-16-2021, 01:39 PM

I normally don't care for the finger grooves but the Ahrends Retro Combat grips (pictured in post #9) are an exception.

H Richard · #29 02-16-2021, 08:43 PM

The factory combats are what I really want, but have never seen any made for a Round butt conversion to a Square butt.

Guitarmageddon · #30 02-17-2021, 09:34 PM

Just put a red dot on mine! I swear by hogue big butts, on everything haha.

wproct · #31 02-17-2021, 10:48 PM

Another vote for Hogue. On my 617-1.

GT_80 · #32 02-24-2021, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lscocoa

I was wondering what 617-? you have . Most 10 shot cylinder guns were round butt . If it’s round you would be looking at round to square butt conversions when looking at various manufacturers grips . Hogue,Altamonts, and Ahrends have really good selections.

It is a round butt... I didn’t realize it till I got my square butt hogue grips, and realized there’s a huge gap in the frame... I looked it up and sure enough, al the 617’s I believe are round butt. Makes finding grips a little easier.

When I was cleaning it, the bottom of the frame was flat, so I thought it was square butt, but I should know better- I had square butt J-frame and it was really square lol.

I have a feeling I’m gonna have 3 or 4 sets of grips for this guy