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Old 07-24-2020, 06:18 PM
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Default Grips with incorrect screw placement

I recently bought these outstanding maple grips that were said to reside on a round-butt model 19 at one time; maker of the grips unknown.

When I tried to put them on a model 15 Heritage, the screw is directly in line with the mainspring, so they can't be fastened. Can anyone think of why this would be, or if they would fit on a different firearm? They don't fit on a round-butt N frame. The seller is a stand-up guy, but I don't want to return them if they'll fit - something. I'm not adverse to buying a new gun for the grips.

I have a hard time believing that the unknown maker would have the skill to craft these and then place the screw incorrectly, but of course anything is possible.





For now, it's back to the Roy Fishpaw polished Sambar stag:

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Old 07-24-2020, 06:26 PM
Walter Rego Walter Rego is offline
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It looks like you have a shortened strain screw. The mainspring doesn't have anywhere near the arc that it should have, which would also allow the screw to just barely clear.
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Old 07-24-2020, 06:38 PM
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That could be it. The model 15 in the picture is one of the 2001-ish Heritage models that I bought new, and have never modified. All my older K frames are square butt, so I reckon I need to buy a -2 or earlier round-butt to try.

Thanks for your input.

Edited to add: Tried them on a 2000 model L-frame, same problem, even though the L frame mainspring does have more curvature than the model 15 pictured. Maybe it's for an older gun. I'm not giving up, the grips are too groovy.

Last edited by Bullet Bob; 07-24-2020 at 06:49 PM.
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Old 07-24-2020, 06:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walter Rego View Post
It looks like you have a shortened strain screw. The mainspring doesn't have anywhere near the arc that it should have, which would also allow the screw to just barely clear.
+1... spot on.

The mainspring does not have the proper arc (pre-load), and the head of the strain screw is proud of the frame. It should be nearly flush, have you checked it to make sure it is fully tightened?

I was going to say that the grips look like they could be Fuzzy Farrant grips, but his grips have an exposed backstrap.
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Old 07-24-2020, 07:35 PM
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The Farrant small base grips I have owned and seen were for square butts that had been altered by cutting off the bottom front corner of the grip frame, but I haven't seen everything.

One of the several reasons I like these grips are because they do have the "big on top, small at the bottom" shape of the Farrants.

No matter what, I'm keeping them until I make them work on something, or I quit working.

Maybe a 2.5" model 19-2 in my future - they're pretty much giving away those old obsolete things now, right?
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Old 09-20-2020, 01:45 PM
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Broke down and bought an early 80's 3" model 65. Feels like perfection for double action work, hope to try them out next week.



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Old 09-20-2020, 02:09 PM
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easy to see why you wanted to keep those grips. Brother they are NICE. did i mention i'm a sucker for nice grips. kenny
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