Since Roper, Sanderson, and others were making all-wood target grips prior to WW II, and there were apparently no patents involved, I’m having a hard time understanding why S&W in 1950, went to the additional effort of making those oversized grip panels and then adding what must have been even then a tricky plastic? Bakelite? Hard rubber? “Adaptor”.

Was Rube Goldberg in the design department back then??