Home Modified Grips- Pics

Burnston · Jan 15, 2023

I came across this photo browsing over on the single actions forum. Perhaps some of you have seen it before. Its a model 29 that's been with David Bradshaw for more than forty years, with many of his personal touches to make it his, specifically the grips.

It makes me wonder how many out there have modified their own grips instead of buying new ones to suit their needs for any given pistol.
I took a file and sand paper to a set of Ahrends , which some might consider blasphemous, and made them better suited to my hand for a 624 LH I'd carry on rainy days at work.

I'd be very interested in seeing what grip modifications you have made to your own working guns, whether for cost cutting purposes or because the custom grip line was just too long. Whatever the case, please post your pictures.

Picture #1 was posted with Mr. Bradshaw's permission.

Mr. Bradshaw's m29 sporting modified factories.

My own 624 with modified Ahrends, after the Oklahoma skies opened up on us.

153 · Jan 16, 2023

I cut down a pair of Eagle rosewood targets, added a speed loader cutout, shortened them, mounted stainless medallions and escutcheons. That was back in 1978.

My 66-1 now wears a pair of Fuzzy Frarrant handles.

Keith Brown · Jan 16, 2023

No photos of modified factory grips but I sure altered a few back in the day. I know Jeff Cooper sawed the bottom of a few sets of grips and I think I remember Rich Hacker doing the same as David Bradshaw. Mr. Bradshaw is of the skill level that Im not sure grips are even needed other than keeping his hands from being cut ! I probably ruined several thousand dollars worth of factory stocks in todays money.

Burnston · Jan 16, 2023

A few more pics from Mr. Bradshaw.

cgt4570 · Jan 16, 2023

This is a 1917 frame, 625-10 PC barrel and cylinder, reduced to K frame grip shape with a set of customized targets modified to work with an factory export-style lanyard ring. The bolt and thumb latch are from an early K airweight.
One of these days I'll splice wood onto the upper horns so they reach the edge of the frame.

MSD2343 · Jan 16, 2023

In a forum teaming with safe queen photos and in a collector world that endlessly obsesses on condition, David Bradshaw's Model 29 is a refreshing reminder of how a firearm that's seen a lifetime of use has a beauty all its own.

MSD2343 · Jan 16, 2023

In a forum teaming with safe queen photos and in a collector world that endlessly obsesses on condition, David Bradshaw's Model 29 is a refreshing reminder of how a firearm that's seen a lifetime of use has a beauty all its own.

MSD2343 · Jan 16, 2023

In a forum teaming with safe queen photos and in a collector world that endlessly obsesses on condition, David Bradshaw's Model 29 is a refreshing reminder of how a firearm that's seen a lifetime of use has a beauty all its own.

Baxter6551 · Jan 16, 2023

I modified a set of bargain bin Herrets to be thinner at the heel and have a palm swell. They look beautiful on my model 17.

bamabiker · Jan 16, 2023

I've modified some and have some another member modified but these are the only ones I have a picture of right now. Modified K frame targets on my M15-3.

series guy · Jan 16, 2023

I spend a couple of days on every set of Ahrends grips that I buy changing the profile to fit my hand and then refinishing.

mike campbell · Jan 16, 2023

I guess these qualify...

I came across a nice block of Claro walnut and sent it to Kim Ahrends to make me 2 sets in his standard patterns and return unfinished. I paid him a whopping $10 upcharge for each set to work with my wood. All told, they cost me <$100/set. I was sorry to see Kim get out of the business.

I reshaped both sets before finishing them.
I worked patiently to reshape the finger grooves, with several range trips, to get them to fit me like a glove.

These weren't modified since I made them from scratch, but they are sort of germane in that they were purpose-made to fill a need that no others could.

I made them with a "beavertail" to help keep the gun from diving deeper into my grip during rapid DA fire. They may look a little goofy but they are practical for shooting timed steel.

Baxter6551 · Jan 16, 2023

Mike - beautiful grips !! I too sent wood to Kim Ahrends - American wormy chestnut wood from a 1910 Amish chicken coop. Kim said the wood was so hard to work with he never would again (too dry). I also used it for knife handles. I also had him leave unfinished and used 1/3 military wax on them. Wish I had bought more of their grips before they closed.

mike campbell · Jan 17, 2023

That's cool. I like interesting wood and wood with a story is interesting.

bigmtnman · Jan 17, 2023

I shortened and re-contoured this pair. I also made them a round to square conversion for my round butt M629-4

Laketime · Jan 17, 2023

I'm inclined to think that there are a lot of modified stocks since most factory stocks were replaced when first bought.

StrawHat · Jan 18, 2023

Here is a set I modified decades ago to fit my hand, not the mythical one used as a model by the factory.

strawhat-albums-strawhat-ii-picture25045-d52df450-cfde-42a2-9704-7a6e0fd37384.jpeg

A pair of square stags I fitted to a Model 625-6 Mountain Gun,

strawhat-albums-strawhat-picture24844-7fd5e322-4402-4fbf-b2b2-56e9e81e7c36.jpeg

This Model 25-2 has been modified a bit. The grip frame is now K sized but the horns are N so this set of elk needed a bit of work.

strawhat-albums-strawhat-picture24503-5312a702-16da-434e-a32d-372efb0ffd25-custom-model-25-2-left.jpeg

If stocks do not fit the revolver or my hand, out come the rasps, files and paper!

Kevin

mikerjf · Jan 18, 2023

I've done a lot of reshaping, but usually on Glocks - so no pix!

squidsix · Jan 18, 2023

I sold these a while back, but they were very well done and felt great!

H Richard · Jan 18, 2023

24-3 round butt. I never liked the factory combat finger groove grips. I took a (no name) rosewood rd butt to sq butt conversion but finger groove target grips and cut about a 1/4" off the bottom, sanded nearly all the finger grooves off, and contoured the bottom and edges.

Home Modified Grips- Pics

Member

Member

Vendor

Member

Member

US Veteran

Attachments

Member

Attachments

Member

US Veteran

Attachments

Member

Attachments

Member

Member

Member

Member

Attachments

US Veteran

Similar threads