Last Saturday at a gun show I noticed a round butted 6-inch 586 and I thought how impractical. Except for some snubbies for concealment purposes, I've never understood Smith's penchant, starting in the '90s I think, to create round butts as a matter of regular production--and then put square butt stocks on them. (I know, I know, round butts were more the norm at the beginning of the 20th Century and the latter part of the 19th.)

For "full-sized" revolvers, I've always found the square butt to be more comfortable and I have regular sized hands, not smallish.

I'd be willing to bet that 80 percent or more shooters prefer the square butt, particularly on the 4-,6- and 8 3/8ths barreled guns in K-frame on up. And I find
the square butted Model 10 2-inchers just dandy!

Oh, you're talking about guns...I don't know, I guess I like round with them too.

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

I guess I prefer sq on the larger revolvers but do like the round on smaller (snubies).

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SC Army National Guard

I feel their design changes over the years tell a story. They were influenced by some people that really knew about gun fighting, then they were influenced by people that knew about hitting the X, followed by people that knew how to sell a used car and finally by people that know how to make the most profit.

I'm with you danski, I'll take the square butt in any barrel length and don't care at all for the round butt.

The round-butt fits my hand nicely.
Sonny

What I think is ridiculous is the large number of shoes made that are size 11 and smaller. How people can wear such things all day is beyond me; I can barely get those things on my feet. I know that, historically, some people did have smaller feet once, but to make them in this day and age just makes no sense to me.

Square butt?

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Proverbs 14:7

Callipygian, I believe is the word that we need here.

My 625 is a RB and with wearing my fatty pants with an IWB holster, is very
comfortable with no edges digging into my side. If I wished, a square butt could be swapped. Would not work in reverse.

I'm with you, absolutely. RB gripframes are for losers, SB gripframes are where it's at. Just take a gander at these fine models of S&W greatness, nobody in their right mind would ever chose a RB over a SB with the profile, the feel and the performance of the SB gripframe.
Tell me where I'm wrong......

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.............SmithNut

What size shoes do you wear?

That makes sense to me. If you want a SB you can have it. So, whats the problem?

I've never met a butt I didn't like

I have never found a set of square butt grips I could stand. I usually convert all of my Smith revolvers to round butt configuration although I have recently purchased a no dash 629, 6 inch, P&R, that I think I will leave as is. Currently trying various grip options trying to find something I can live with. Sure am partial to the K frame round butt factory combats.

I suspect the three on the right in your pic may be round butts. If not all 3, at least the blue gun on the right......

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

If that is true Lee, than I guess that would make him a self proclaimed loser....

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

Lee, I'm going to guess they're all round butts since all but one are MIMs. I also notice they don't look like they've been shot a whole lot and they are all wearing nice factory grips.

I don't have any MIM models right now, but I do have several pre-MIM 3" N frames with round butts. When I bought them the only N frame round to square butt conversion grip I could find was made by Pachmayr, and they were huge. I couldn't find any other N frame round to square butt conversion grip anywhere, and phone calls to several grip makers all came to the same end, they had no plans to make them at the time. When S&W started putting the Hogues on their MIM guns I tried a set out and couldn't stand them, so I pulled them off. I had a large box full of grips in both K and N frame for square butts, everyone made them and they were available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. I still have never found a suitable round to square conversion for an N frame.

So then, if anyone has a nice collection of round butt S&Ws, that aren't wearing factory grips, or expensive clones of them, and that actually get shot once in a while to make sure the grips feel O.K., and are wearing round to square conversion grips that have an open back strap. I'd like to see them. They also have to be reasonably priced too, I need 6 N frames, 1 L frame and 3 K frames. Hogues need not apply.

I wouldn't have a six-gun in any stouter caliber than .38 Spl with a round butt. I honestly would like to know how much the RB fans actually shoot their RB .44s and .45s. Last six-gun I had in .44 with a round butt was a New Model #3 in .44 Russian and it was PUNISHING to shoot. Now a .32-20 with a RB is all right, though.

I've got a 21-4 that I handload for, 240gr SWC over 16.0 of 2400. I replaced the factory itty-bitty grips with some laminate combats, and it is VERY comfortable to shoot.

I enjoy shooting that more than I do full-house .357 in my 28-2, actually.

So, to answer some of the questions/comments....

All the guns in the picture:

1- have round butt gripframes
2- have been shot extensively
3- are not MIM.
4- are wearing Spegel conversion grips, not factory.

Two of the guns are all forged, but for the life of me I'm not certain how anyone can tell from my (loser) photographic skills.
As for nice clean and shiney, thanks for validating my cleaning skills.
I know that comment was probably from the "I'm a shooter, not collector" standpoint, something I don't understand. Just because folks here collect and take pics of clean guns should not infer any specific shooting practices, IMO.

As to not finding any good RB to SB grips, I'd suggest you keep looking - they are out there - in the case of the ones I use (Craig Spegel's grips), I find absolutely no difference in feel, whether static or under recoil. For the record, I've tried Eagles, Ahrends and Altamont versions and they all have their good points, but for me there are other things that keep me from buying any more of their grips. If you care to know, Eagles - poor quality, Ahrends - the ones with pointy finger grooves are painful as hell for shooting anything other than .22lr and .38 Special chambered guns, and Altamonts are - in most cases - just waaaay to big - extending below the gripframe an inch or more.
The guns in the pic include a 45 Colt Mountain Gun and a .44 Magnum Mountain Gun - both shown with aftermarket installed Patridge sights - to include shootability with my old (loser) eyes, but recoil in neither case was prohibitive in the context of wood grips.

Thanks for all the comments, this is what makes this forum great - everyone on the same page exhibiting all the close like minded friendship that we gun owners all need (whether or not collector or shooter).

Enjoy your day.

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.............SmithNut

I wear two left shoes, one size 9 the other size 10 to mix things up. And I alternate, just to keep things interesting.

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.............SmithNut

I like round butt grips on anything with a 3" or shorter barrel.

I hate round butt grips on anything with a barrel longer than 3", except as an "oddity". This is especially true for N frame guns.

And NO, roundbutt "conversion" stocks do NOT a square butt gun make. I have relatively small hands. A square butt gun with minimal grips fits my hand. Those monstrous "conversion" grips don't.

I want a CHOICE.

I have smallish hands so I prefer round butt frames. It never made sense to me to make a square butt frame where the frame is largest at the smallest part of the hand (the little finger).

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You are what you learn.

Yeah, what he said. I find the round butt configuration makes it easier to get my short, stubby finger to the trigger. And, yes, my RB 629 gets shot a fair amount - several thousand rounds a year.

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Big bang, much smash'em.

MIM hammers don't have a hammer nose rivet.

Since I don't know where that comment is, or who made it, I can't comment on it. My comment about not being shot very much was because of the faint drag lines on the cylinders.

That is a very valid point. This forum contains many diverse people from many diverse shooting disciplines. They will all have different opinions on the same subject, not because they are wrong but because the paths they have walked have all taken them to different points, with the fact that they use or prefer S&W revolvers being a common denominator.

Did anyone else notice a hint of sarcasm here?
Those are nice looking grips in your picture, but they won't work for everyone. They look like target grips, wether they are factory or not, and I don't like the feel, the profile or the performance of target grips even on a square butt. They are too big and bulky.

One of the reasons many people like revolvers over autos is the abiltiy to change grips to get the firearm to fit the shooters hand better. In any shooting discipline a proper grip is essential to success. For people that like a square butt frame, taking a round butt and putting oversize grips on them isn't the same. At least not in my style of "shooting practices".

Also, the price of the grips that I have found are another issue. Especially when they have to be re-contoured.

Thank you sir, I wish you the same.

Fair comment and true, but it only tells half the story. Not all hammers without a hammer nose rivet are MIM. The factory has been making frame mounted firing pin models for over 70 years (rimfire models)., and MIM didn't exist prior to the late 90's.
Also be aware that the Performance Center still uses forged hammers, even though they've transitioned to frame mounted firing pins on their centerfire models.

As to Target grips not feeling right, I agree wholeheartedly when it comes to Factory grips. I've posted these pics many times, Spegel has been making Target style grips for some time, but his grips are not nearly as bulky as factory grips. If you ever get a chance to try some I think you'll be impressed.

Factory versus Spegel Target style:




So, if you have small hands like a lot of us do, there ARE options available that may work for you.

As for sarcasm, definitely there and it's a curse that I struggle with. It's almost as bad as painting with an extremely large brush. So, take my comments and posts as - hopefully - mind expanding options to show you that the problem with having small hands can be solved with proper grips, it's not necessarily a RB versus SB issue IMO. With proper grips, a RB gun can look, feel and perform just as well as a SB gun, and give you more options when it comes to small hands.

Peace be with you.

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.............SmithNut

SmithNut, It's only the internet, don't worry about it, we all have our curses.

My hands aren't really small, actually they're sort of big, but the fingers don't relate the same as a lot of other peoples. For the type of shooting I do I need to be able to get my trigger finger on the trigger to the first joint. Large grips, grips with a covered backstrap and thick grips aren't suitable. I also like to get my hand wrapped around the grip and some of the wide grips don't let me, I actually like magna style grips and can't stand Tylers.

I know this all sounds like nit picking but I used to be able to walk into a gunstore and fondle a wide selection of grips of different styles. All at reasonable prices too. S&W revolvers were a work of art, and I mean mechanically too. I don't have anything against folks that buy a nice model and put expensive grips on it just to take pictures of it and show it off. (Although if they saw all the factory targets and combats I have shoved in a plastic bag they might freak out.) I just want grips that work and don't need fancy, high priced show pieces. That's why I've been thinking about trying to make my own.

I really apprciate the comparison pictures. The Spegals still don't look like they would work too well, I'd have to try a set to see for sure.

I love the round butts! I've tried a lot of grips, but the square butt N frame is just to big for my hands. If I could afford it I'd have all my SB N frames cut to a K frame round butt size...that would be sweet!

SmithNut you are still my HERO, if I ever get to work more than 4 months at a time I'm going to get a set. To shoot bullseye I like the square butt, round butt the rest of the time - action, pins, etc.

Are N-frame square butts more comfortable to shoot than round butts? I only have RB's and when I shoot the 44 mag snubbie, it really pounds the web of my hand. Are SB's easier to shoot mags out of the large frames?

Well, I don't see it mentioned here but I thought the reason round butts -- talking guns here, fellas -- were developed was for concealed carry. I thought the point of 'em was that they are better at not printing. I didn't realize they were more comfortable to grasp for some folks.

I like square butts, m'self, but I do have large hands.

When rubber (yuk) factory grips became acceptable, S&W was more than happy to eliminate the SB option. They used rubber RB to SB RUBBERS to satisfy everyone (not me). So one frame fits all saved money. Anything with target sights should have a SB.

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SOS USA

I'm just the opposite.SB on J frames point shoot better IMHO.

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WALSTIB

Smith Nut, it's good to see you here, your posts, your beautiful guns, great pictures!

Pete

I'll second that.Welcome home,Smith Nut.

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WALSTIB

oldfella /cowboy117 - I agree with you and love to see SmithNut post...................... but you do relialize that he made these post 8 1/2 months ago?

I don't like either style as they come from the factory. RB magna's are too skimpy for proper control. SB targets are, imho, backwards. Narrow at the top and wide at the bottom forces the grip down into my hand during recoil, changing the hold and causing POI change.
None of my revolvers wear factory supplied grips. The Uncle Mikes that came on my model 60 were comfortable but ugly, so they got changed too.
So model520fan has the right idea. Use what fits ya.

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Regards, Ron
USASA 1965/69

Dang - where is SmithNut, anyone know?

Pete

I had read a long time ago that the square butt frame was specifically designed to make it more difficult for someone to take the gun out of the shooters hand. The flare at the bottom of the SB grips fit the palm of my hand while the curvature of the RB lets the gun shift during firing.

It really is hard to fit everyone because not only are there so many hand sizes, different people have different likes and dislikes. My biggest problem is that there was a time when you could buy nice custom wood grips in a wide variety of sizes and shapes and they didn't cost all that much more, if any, than rubber grips. I almost always had to buy "other" grips to get the best fit, but they didn't cost as much as the gun did back then.

Grips that are too big or bulky can be cut down to fit, even the Hogues that I hated so much. It's too bad I traded the bag of them I had amassed for an even number of factory combats. I've seen shooters modify grips that were too small by wrapping them with white first aid tape, but it's hard to keep them clean once you start shooting.

Washington State.

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Sure you did

Square can make your butt very stylish....

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Thirty characters. Exactly...