Third Gen Factory Grip Flex?

All,

I have a numerous 3rd Gens, including a 4506-1.

The 4506-1 has the factory plastic Delrin grips on which I, at some point, replaced with a fresh set and lost the originals. Here’s my issue with that, albeit minor:

The grips, when installed, have some mild flex/play near the magazine release even if they otherwise fit well. Thinking it was a fluke, I’ve since purchased, fit, and returned several more sets of factory 4506/1006 grips. Some would fit super loose entirely as if they came out of the box pried apart to some degree. Others have had a tighter fit to the frame, but ALL seem to have this annoying play in them on the left side. It’s mildly frustrating when you can feel it (and hear it if you tap on the grips).

My question is simple: is this normal? My other 3rd Gens (all of which are double-stack frames) with their factory grips have no flex or hollow sound to them whatsoever when installed on the guns…and yes, I am more than positive the 4506 grips I’ve tried have been installed correctly.

I’d like to avoid the issue while maintaining the factory grips (I hate Hogue’s grip quality these days), but I don’t want to keep buying and returning the scarce supply of factory grips out there if this is a known thing…

Let me make you feel better.

I replaced the grips on this 4505 with new units.

They wobble literally forwards and backwards. They sound hollow. They flex.

Most here will get upset when I say this, but the fact is, these are not precision fit, craftsman quality guns. They were designed to be mass produced, "good enough" guns designed to be the lowest cost bid winners.

I own between 30-40 3rd generation S&Ws. I carried a 4566 on duty.

Now you can drive yourself insane and order a ton of new grips (when you can find them) and find ones that fit the way you desire. It will take you forever.....thats time you could otherwise spend shooting the gun and enjoying it.

Life is short. Go shoot the gun.

Agreed. Grips aren't exactly a precision fit item plus any minor variation in frame dimensions and you have what you've discovered. Not unique to 3rd gens or even Smiths in general.

The grips come out of molds. I've seen some that were pretty wide apart a the time, and others that looked like they could be spread barely wide enough to slide over the frames.

That said, it's relatively easy to forget to watch the frame window hooks while paying attention to the other parts of the grips when installing them, and miss seeing the L/side frame window hook positioned to slip over the front edge of the frame window, holding the leading edge of the grip flat against the frame.

Another couple potential problems encountered when installing the factory grip is forgetting to press the top/rear completely forward and flush against the frame underneath the frame tang. This is mentioned in the original grip installation instructions ...


It's easy to see if it happens, though ...

Versus the proper installation ...

The good news is that if everything else was positioned right, this can be remedied by simply grasping the grip/frame and squeezing firmly, which will usually snap the top of the grip forward to its proper spot.

Another 'hint' is that if the top of the grip isn't fully forward, the L/side manual safety/decocking lever won't drop all the way, but will bump against the grip.



The other problem is not paying attention to the L/top edge of the grip, to make sure it passes over the sideplate without bumping up against the bottom and snagging on it while pushing the grip into place. If the grip doesn't clear the sideplate, excessive pressure against the bottom of the sideplate extension can cause the rear bottom leg (prong) that snaps down against the head of the sear pin to become bent, or broken.

The one-piece Delrin grip is the Achilles heel of the 3rd Generation pistols.

I think they look good, I like that they are slender. You could make the argument that they keep the cost down (?!) but other than these items, the grip is the worst part of the fantastic pistol.

The original run of them were a genuine black eye for the brand and the run of pistols. Aftermarket support was poor because the one-piece grip design was odd and outside the traditional lines of all of the companies that marketed grip options.

Almost every facet of the 3rd Gen guns were an improvement over the 2nd Gens, most were large improvements but the one-piece grip was exactly the opposite.

Fastbolt said:

The grips come out of molds. I've seen some that were pretty wide apart a the time, and others that looked like they could be spread barely wide enough to slide over the frames.

That said, it's relatively easy to forget to watch the frame window hooks while paying attention to the other parts of the grips when installing them, and miss seeing the L/side frame window hook positioned to slip over the front edge of the frame window, holding the leading edge of the grip flat against the frame.

Another couple potential problems encountered when installing the factory grip is forgetting to press the top/rear completely forward and flush against the frame underneath the frame tang. This is mentioned in the original grip installation instructions ...


It's easy to see if it happens, though ...

Versus the proper installation ...

The good news is that if everything else was positioned right, this can be remedied by simply grasping the grip/frame and squeezing firmly, which will usually snap the top of the grip forward to its proper spot.

Another 'hint' is that if the top of the grip isn't fully forward, the L/side manual safety/decocking lever won't drop all the way, but will bump against the grip.



The other problem is not paying attention to the L/top edge of the grip, to make sure it passes over the sideplate without bumping up against the bottom and snagging on it while pushing the grip into place. If the grip doesn't clear the sideplate, excessive pressure against the bottom of the sideplate extension can cause the rear bottom leg (prong) that snaps down against the head of the sear pin to become bent, or broken.

Click to expand...

Always love your replies Fastbolt! Thank you for the input! I’m thankfully sure all of this is in line with how my grips were installed. Sadly I think there’s just not a perfect fit.

ThirdGen9623 said:

Always love your replies Fastbolt! Thank you for the input! I’m thankfully sure all of this is in line with how my grips were installed. Sadly I think there’s just not a perfect fit.

Click to expand...

De nada.

I've seen my fair share of grips that exhibited a little less 'tightness' at the top/left, meaning leaving a small space between the grip and the front of the sideplate. Didn't seem to affect normal functioning. Not many that 'bowed out' just around the mag catch, though.

I forget which recently acquired 3rd Gen it was, but when put grips on it I had to spread the lips so far I thought that the back of the grips might break. That didn't happen, but it was dicey for a few minutes.

As Fastbolt pointed out so well, they can be quite fiddley to install. For that matter the Hogue grips for the 6906 can be a downright PITA to install.

This thread just having piqued my intrigue, I went into my safe and checked the grips on every single one of my Third Gens, 8 in all at the moment, all with OEM Delrin grips, and every single one of them is as tight as a tick, whether steel frame, alloy frame, single stack, double stack, straight backstrap or curved. Every single one. And they're all installed correctly nder the backstrap as well. (I've only swapped out but one of the 8, my 4003 which came with a straight backstrap.)

Soooo...I don't get it? It seems like a non sequitur to me?

Tom

This is why I put Hogue rubber grips on all my 3rd gen guns.

All the OEM grips in my modest collection, both single and double stack, are tight, too. I've replaced a few with S&W curved items, but they've all fit snuggly. Not a fan of Hogue grips; they're too bulky for my tastes.

GaryS said:

I forget which recently acquired 3rd Gen it was, but when put grips on it I had to spread the lips so far I thought that the back of the grips might break. That didn't happen, but it was dicey for a few minutes.

As Fastbolt pointed out so well, they can be quite fiddley to install. For that matter the Hogue grips for the 6906 can be a downright PITA to install.

Click to expand...

The rubber wrap-around grips, right? I've installed a few of them. On a couple of my issued 6906's, an issued 4103TSW and my personal 4013TSW. I learned early that the hard plastic 'tabs' on the back of each side of the Hogue grip sometimes had to be 'adjusted' a bit, using one or another jeweler's file, so each of the tabs could clear and securely fit over the inside of the back of the frame ('under' the mainspring) on each side.

Once in a great while the Hogue people assembling the grips in their packaging seemed to grab the wrong plastic mainspring base. The first time I saw a base significantly sticking out the bottom of the frame , I figured it was a good idea to start collecting 'extra' Hogue mainspring bases to keep in my parts kits in case a future grip set came with the wrong one. Not a bad idea to have the extra screws, either.

I replaced a lot of S/W grips in my time at the armory. Almost every set worried me that I might split them trying to spread them enough to fit on the gun. Also fixed a bunch that were loose when installed by the gun's owners. Almost always at least one side or the other failed to get the little ear into the frame.

I don't know if new grips are made by the same vendor or if Smith made their own. Maybe put a narrow spacer 1/2" in the front of the grip and pinch the front together with a C clamp or two, vise might be better. Then place it under a warm light a few inches away, so it doesn't melt, blow dryer would work going up and down but only on the length of the rear center portion of the grip. Once it has warmed up or relaxed, remove it from the heat source and let it cool. See if that doesn't close up the front. We used to do that with kydex break front competition holsters till we got the tension you wanted. Worth a try if it really bother you. It would bother me. I liked the look, feel and the setup of the 3 piece grip better I believe. Easier to get wide grip panels, shims or modify.

Did almost the same for glocks that had the grip frame compressed. Usually from being in a hot trunk with gear piled on it, or a safe with gun boxes piled on it for years to the point a magazine couldn't be put in. Made a special smooth screwdriver handle sanded flat that was exactly the right dimensions,( slightly wider than a magazine) warm up the frame under the light, force the handle in let it sit under the light a couple hours flipping it at 30-minute intervals or so. Then cool, remove the screwdriver and try a magazine. Marked it as a glock tool before I left and told the guys not to throw it in a screwdriver drawer.