At a local gun show this past weekend I found a like-new K38 with its original (tattered) box. Only problem was it was wearing replacement grips--proper diamond magnas in excellent shape but they didn't fit well--overhanging wood at the edges. Funny, as they were numbered just a few thousand above the gun.

Anyway, would like to try to find better-fitting grips and thought I would ask you folks.

Regards, Ralph Boineau in central South Carolina

Ralph, as you may or may not know, factory stocks were individually hand-fitted to grip frames back then and it's unlikely you'll find another set that fit perfectly. At the least, it would be a costly undertaking purchasing multiple sets of expensive stocks just to try.

With the serial being close, the set you have may be the set to keep. You can either live with the slight overhang (myself, I prefer that to stocks being too small as I'd rather the wood take a potential ding than an edge of the steel frame) or perhaps have someone, if not comfortable doing it yourself, hand fit them to your gun. This would, of course, likely involve refinishing the stocks once properly resized.

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SWHF #448

Thank you, db. There must have been more frame variations back then than later in the late-1960's to late 1970's when I was buying K-frames left and right and swapping grips without any fitment issues that I can recall. Certainly not the difference I see on this gun/this pair of grips

The frames were hammer forged back then and there was variation in the metal size. I lot of hand work instead of machining, this caused the grips to be hand fitted to the metal. I faced the same problem with a pre 17. Tried lots of grips till I got a set that fit good enough for me.

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Bob
Sic Semper Tyrannis