I was looking at some of my K frames with assorted grip styles and trying to get an idea of how those grips would fit and feel and the effect of how I would have to hold the gun. I like to hold my S&Ws high on the grip with the hump keeping it from moving during recoil. Those grips are cut to fit flush with the bottom of the frame and if I held my hand low enough to put my pinky finger under the frame, it would be considerably lower than normal. Like I said earlier, it looks like he might have been an old SAA shooter and was used to holding his gun in that fashion to prevent the grip rolling through his hand during recoil. I never cared for the T-grip adapter myself, but I do like the way target grips feel. It's possible he was looking for something to fill his hand like a T-grip, as you stated, or it's possible he just liked the way the grips felt overall, except for the length.