Are these ‘N’ Frame Grips

NavySCPO · #1 02-01-2020, 10:34 PM

I bought two pairs of K Frame Target grips this week, or at least I thought i did, one set for a 1971 18-3 and the other for my 1978 19-3, both needed football cutout targets.

Pair 1 were purchased from a forum member and they are dead solid perfect, and have beautiful grain. Much too nice for the 18 shooter, real nice for my 3T 19-3.

Pair 2 were purchased from Flea Bay (yeah, yeah, I know, if the shoe fits, you probably didn’t buy them on E-Bay). When I put them on, there was a large and very evident gap front to rear. There’s also a gap on the top, front and back, but not as evident.

I suspect the seller just didn’t know, unless laid side by side, kind of hard to tell. I own more than 20 Smiths, but not an N Frame in the bunch. Maybe I need to get one for these nice grips...

Anyway, do you think these are N Frame smooth presentation grips?

D Brown · #2 02-01-2020, 10:43 PM

Yes. Those are N Targets.

THE PILGRIM · #3 02-01-2020, 11:12 PM

Nice N Frame Grips!
Now you need -
You know what you need!

CH4 · #4 02-01-2020, 11:17 PM

Yes, N frame grips. Miss marked grips are very common.

weatherby · #5 02-02-2020, 05:55 AM

The shelf and backstap fit sure looks like K frame to me.

spdguns · #6 02-02-2020, 10:27 AM

Nice grips. I have actually bought guns for grips I've had lying around. Jus' sayin'....

p8riot · #7 02-02-2020, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spdguns

Nice grips. I have actually bought guns for grips I've had lying around. Jus' sayin'....

I do the same in regards to holsters

jmace57 · #8 02-02-2020, 10:46 AM

"Nice grips. I have actually bought guns for grips I've had lying around. Jus' sayin'.... "

"I do the same in regards to holsters"

I'm glad I'm not the only one. Except I would add magazines to that list too...

mmande · #9 02-02-2020, 11:06 AM

I agree with weatherby! Those are K frame grips. N frame grips would stick out from the backstrap about 1/16" on a K frame gun. Just as K frame grips on a N frame would be 1/6" short of matching up with the backstrap. The routing on the inside doesn't matter because the pin at the base and the metal washer hold the grip in place.
Mike

CLASSIC12 · #10 02-02-2020, 11:12 AM

Those are very nice presentation grips, and they may have a greater value than K grips. At least it’s the case for the combat grips.

I have one pair of K presentation grips (all others are combats) and I like them a lot

PALADIN85020 · #11 02-02-2020, 11:35 AM

Very nice-looking stocks. If it can be verified that they do indeed fit a representative N-Frame revolver, I'd be very glad to take them off your hands - N-frame "smoothies" ring my chimes!

John

CLASSIC12 · #12 02-02-2020, 11:56 AM

Beautiful trio

NavySCPO · #13 02-02-2020, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmande

I agree with weatherby! Those are K frame grips. N frame grips would stick out from the backstrap about 1/16" on a K frame gun. Just as K frame grips on a N frame would be 1/6" short of matching up with the backstrap. The routing on the inside doesn't matter because the pin at the base and the metal washer hold the grip in place.
Mike

Not trying to be argumentative here, but I have several K frames, K22 (17&18), K32, K38, 686, the list goes on...and these grips don’t fit any of them. They are easily 1/8-1/4” longer than any of my other K frame target grips, and noticeably wider (front to rear).

I’m sure no expert, but if these are K frame grips, S&W sure messed these up. Here’s a couple of pictures, the first are the N? Grips on my 18, and the 2nd are known perfect fitting K frame grips on the same gun.

NavySCPO · #14 02-10-2020, 09:40 PM

I have a friend with a 629, he took the K/N grips home today and sent me some photos, they don’t appear to be a good fit on it either.

Looks like a factory second or some mistake in manufacturing, since they don’t fit correctly on the K or N Frame. Very odd, but just one of those things.

s&wchad · #15 02-10-2020, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NavySCPO

I have a friend with a 629, he took the K/N grips home today and sent me some photos, they don’t appear to be a good fit on it either.

That’s exactly what K frame target stocks look like on an N frame. You have K frame stocks that are a bit proud. Use them as is or carefully fit them to your gun and blend in some finish.

snowman · #16 02-11-2020, 11:25 AM

Navy,

I thought they were K's from your initial pictures. The gaps and the small protrusion of wood at the top of the backstrap in your 3rd and 4th pictures are common on K frame targets, in my experience. It's a little frustrating to those of us who tend toward perfectionism, but I've gotten used to it.

The most evident proof from your pictures was the width(length?) of the 'shelf' behind the washer in your fifth picture. There's not a lot of difference between Ks and Ns at that point, but enough to be noticeable, and there isn't enough shelf there to be an N target.

As s&w chad pointed out, the grips pictured on the 629 remove all doubt.

If they were mine, I would put them on your gun and enjoy them -they look very nice.

Regards,
Andy

runscott · #17 02-11-2020, 11:50 AM

You needed to get an N-frame anyway, so this was meant to be.

Given that you have a 19-3, try a 27 or 28 if you haven't already, just to see if the larger frame feels better - those grips would look great on either.

handejector · #18 02-11-2020, 12:45 PM

This pic makes me think they were originally N frame grips. There just isn't usually that much room in front of the grip strap---

-5289453a-d027-4171-b323-f68286e8787e-jpg

-5289453a-d027-4171-b323-f68286e8787e-jpg

Also, they look refinished to me.
So, one more possibility is that they ARE N frame grips that were heavily sanded by a novice refinisher,
OR,
someone has sanded down a pair of N grips to fit his K frame. Believe me, I have seen both of these ocurrences many times.

NavySCPO · #19 02-11-2020, 09:07 PM

So, one more possibility is that they ARE N frame grips that were heavily sanded by a novice refinisher,
OR,
someone has sanded down a pair of N grips to fit his K frame. Believe me, I have seen both of these ocurrences many times.

Thank you Lee, and thank you all who have added very educational comments to help this old ‘grip novice’ out.

One thing is certain, they can’t be made larger to correctly fit an N Frame (see Pipe Stretcher logic). But it would seem they could be made smaller to fit on a K Frame by someone with such talents, probably not me.

As Handejector stated, that is a very big gap for something originally designed for the K. IMHO they are far too sloppy and loose as they are now on any of my K Frames, and at least to me, they feel very odd in the hand. Then again they are far too nice to just be stuck away in a drawer.

Is there anyone on the forum who does this kind of work?

Thank you all again for the comments, very much appreciated.

cndrdk · #20 02-12-2020, 11:43 AM

I once bought (knowingly) a set of non-factory target grips complete with the S&W medallion with metal washer on the inside. Didn't fit well on either N or K frame. I highly suspect the maker used the same wood blank for both N and K and just altered the placement of the medallion. A little to the front for the N and a bit further back for the K. I ended up removing the washers from the medallion, epoxying the medallion in the grip and moving the washer to the front (or rear) to fit the revolver. A lot of time and effort but enjoyed the challenge.

weatherby · #21 02-12-2020, 12:18 PM

Danny get ahold of another Dan.
He goes by dots334 or similar user name.
I think he could help you.

NavySCPO · #22 02-12-2020, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weatherby

Danny get ahold of another Dan.
He goes by dots334 or similar user name.
I think he could help you.

Thank you Paul, found it, dotdsd334, much appreciated!

-db- · #23 03-04-2020, 10:47 AM

Senior Chief, I'm the eBay seller of those grips. I'd had them in my collection for awhile and just assumed they'd fit a K-frame properly, being factory stocks but having never actually put them on a gun. I'm sorry you're not satisfied with them. If you're not happy with the fit, feel free to return them for a refund as I stand behind everything I sell. eBay's 30-day return limit has passed but we can do the exchange privately if you'd like.

NavySCPO · #24 03-04-2020, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -db-

Senior Chief, I'm the eBay seller of those grips. I'd had them in my collection for awhile and just assumed they'd fit a K-frame properly, being factory stocks but having never actually put them on a gun. I'm sorry you're not satisfied with them. If you're not happy with the fit, feel free to return them for a refund as I stand behind everything I sell. eBay's 30-day return limit has passed but we can do the exchange privately if you'd like.

Thank you sir for the kind offer, I would expect no less from a US Marine!

Confused is probably a better way to put it than not satisfied. In fact they are absolutely beautiful stocks, and frankly they fit pretty tight on my K Frames, no slop at all when tightened down, they just look, and are, larger than most, especially on a 4”. I was seriously considering putting them on my 6” Model 19 but I love the period correct grips I picked up for it. On a 6” they don’t look nearly as large, I also may try them on the 5” K38 I just picked up just to see how they look, who knows.

At any rate, I sincerely appreciate your offer, but they just look so good I’m going to keep them. The smooth presentation stocks are IMHO some of the nicest S&W ever produced.

Thank you again and Semper Fi from this old Sailor!

-db- · #25 03-04-2020, 09:23 PM

Semper Fi, Senior Chief. I'm sorry I didn't earlier realize the thread was about the grips I sold but I haven't been on the forums much lately. It is entirely possible, as Lee points out, that they were originally N-frame grips someone modified to fit K-frames, which would explain their larger-than-normal width/bulk along with the excessive frame clearance on the inside. I should have spotted this prior to listing them.

In any case, glad you'll get them on a gun. They indeed are a nice-looking set of grips.