Coke Grip info needed

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I'm cerrtainly no expert,but aren't they simply refinished target grips and not Cokes?
 
You are correct, they're factory Cokes modified to accept a speedloader and they have definitively been refinished. I saw those grips (or a set exactly like them) on an 8-3/8" S-series 27-2 a few weeks ago at a club show. The owner took the stocks off a 29 and modified them himself. He also had a Model 63, in the box with tools and papers that he had round-butted to fit a pair of Herrett stocks he liked.

He was very proud of his work. :rolleyes:
 
VM said:
Yes, they are modified but you didn't get hurt for $80.
Matter of fact, if you want to make $20 profit........send me a PM :)
Click to expand...

I would but these are keepers. Always wanted a set of Cokes and these I could not pass up. The price was right even for modified. Looks to have been done very well.

Thanks for the confirmation gents!
 
Camster said:
I'm cerrtainly no expert,but aren't they simply refinished target grips and not Cokes?
Click to expand...

Nope!
Cokes have a unique checkering pattern that you will learn to spot on a gunshow table from a hundred yards. Much more of the surface area is checkered as compared to standard diamond target grips.
 
Photo 1 shows a set of diamond target stocks from early 1968 and photo 2 shows a set of "coke bottle" stocks from 1956. Note the difference in the checkering pattern. Additional photos and discussion can be found in my expert commentary: "Stocks Used on the 44 Magnum/Model29".

Bill
doc44-albums-n-frame-target-stocks-1955-1979-picture590-goncalo-alves-1968.jpg

doc44-albums-n-frame-target-stocks-1955-1979-picture588-coke-bottle-stocks-1956-goncalo-alves.jpg
 
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Hello Doc44
I have Heard that some of the Coke Profile grips had a slightly elongated relief in them compared to ones from earlier production. Can you elaborate on that ? Here is a set I stumbled on while surfing the Internet for some. I found an add that stated the seller had a Mint set of Coke's for sale for $275.00 so I called the Phone number and the seller informed me that the add I found was 7 Year's old, and came from Gun List, and the grips in that Add had long been sold. He said he thought he may have one more pair, but had to check up in his attic for them. He took down my Phone number and said he would call me back. I figured that would be the last I heard from him, but less than 10 Minutes later he called me back and said he had located them. He explained that he had no way to send pictures and said he did not even own a Computer nor a Digital Camera to take pictures with, but gave an excellent detailed description of them. I took a chance sight unseen and sent him $300.00 that day in a Money order, and Two days later they arrived as shown. This just goes to show, There are still some good people in the world and I was very Pleased with them, and it makes me wonder how many more set's of these are Hidden in Attic's ? Regards, Hammerdown




Cokes2.jpg
 
Bill, aside from the palm swell, how does one identify the cokes at a glance? It appears to me that the checked area extends closer to the butt on the cokes and that the top line dips into the checked area more deeply. The stocks shown in the original post purchased on ebay seem to have the elongated checked area and the left stock has the pronounced dip. The right stock panel does not seem to dip at the top.
 
At a glance it is easy to see the large "checked" area of the Cokes (on the right) in comparison to the smaller checked area of the standard diamond targets on the left.

cokes001.jpg
 
Hammerdown...the relieved area on the left stock panel (I believe that is what you are wondering about) has varied in size over the years on S&W's stocks. I am sure it has to do with which employee was setting up the stock making machine. I haven't noticed a difference in the pattern from early 1956 to later in the year and beyond. Some stocks that I believe date to 1959 have a relatively small relieved area, but again, I think it is simply an artifact of the manufacturing process.

James...The "palm swell" and "flare" at the bottom seen on the earliest coke bottle stocks became less pronounced as time progressed. The best was to tell a coke bottle stock is by its larger checked pattern (as VM stated). Personally, I think the palm swell was not planned by S&W, but just it turned out that way when the stocks were made. Collectors were the ones who made it part of S&W's culture.

Bill
 
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Doc44 said:
Hammerdown...the relieved area on the left stock panel (I believe that is what you are wondering about) has varied in size over the years on S&W's stocks. I am sure it has to do with which employee was setting up the stock making machine. I haven't noticed a difference in the pattern from early 1956 to later in the year and beyond. Some stocks that I believe date to 1959 have a relatively small relieved area, but again, I think it is simply an artifact of the manufacturing process.

James...The "palm swell" and "flare" at the bottom seen on the earliest coke bottle stocks became less pronounced as time progressed. The best was to tell a coke bottle stock is by its larger checked pattern (as VM stated). Personally, I think the palm swell was not planned by S&W, but just it turned out that way when the stocks were made. Collectors were the ones who made it part of S&W's culture.

Bill
Click to expand...









Hello Bill
Thank's for the excellent explanation of the relief diameter size here, I appreciate it. Your comment on The Palm swell raises a questionable discussion here. Back when Matheis Gagne was making his Custom shooter grips for Walter Roper, He Made them with a Palm swell and bell shaped Bottom. His Son Albert Gagne worked along side his Father and Later went to work for S&W when his dad retired. I have read where Walter Roper took his Target grips idea to S&W for them to Build them, but they declined to do so. he then Hired Matheis Gagne to Build his custom level Grips. Albert worked in The S&W Stock Room when he went there, and about this time span we saw The Coke Bottle profile grips evolve. It is Known that Gagne used a More Pronounced palm swell, along with The Oval shape and More Pronounced bell shaped bottom that we see as well in The Coke Grips. Do you think these similarities may have been Prompted by Gagne's Son Albert since he was working in the Stock room back in that time span, or do you think it may just be a coincidence here ? Below is a set of Matheis Gagne's Custom grips made for a-N-Frame revolver. They show the features I speak of as well as the K-Sq. set I have showing them from the rear. Regards, Hammerdown









Ropers.jpg

Ropers_Rear_View.jpg


DSCF3890.jpg
 
Hammersown...It is hard to say, but since S&W only described these stocks as special oversize stocks made of Goncalo alves wood (which they really weren't...oversize that is), I doubt if the minimal palm swell and flare at the bottom were designed into the stocks. If those features were "planned", I am sure S&W would have included them in their marketing materials.

Bill
 
I'll jump in with what little I've put together through handling and measuring other peoples coke stocks. (I've never owned a set myself) I have had in my hands about three dozen sets to work on over the past few years and started taking measurements for future reference about halfway through. I not found any that had more than .010 palm swell per panel, it's mostly an illusion due to the checkering. The checkering was done with a rotary cutter that was pushed from bottom to top and then lifted up. When this was done from the border to the diamond edge it was deeper by a little bit in the middle of the cut, this contributes to the coke feel but most of what is actually felt is in the contour of the rest of the stock. If you hold them up to a light in silhouette you will see that the points of the checkering are pretty much level with the top of the diamond. The flesh of the hand sinks into the checkering contributing to the overall feel. Several sets of very early smooth and checkered cokes I have or have had in my possession do have a more pronounced palm swell and flair at the bottom but these features probably went away quickly with the need to step up production. These are shorter in length by about 1/10 inch and the checkered ones do not have a routed border but instead are edged with a V carving tool.

Keith
 
Keith, thank you so much for clearly explaining what this mechanical/shop dummy could have never figured out on his own.

Bob
 
Thanks, Keith, for the precise and accurate assesment of the production techniques used for the so-called 'Coke' grips.
Whenever something achieves semi-cult status, lots of misinformation tends to accumulate around it.
It's a real treat to hear from a craftsman who knows the wood and the ways it's worked!
Don
# 1702
 
bis45 said:
When this was done from the border to the diamond edge it was deeper by a little bit in the middle of the cut, this contributes to the coke feel but most of what is actually felt is in the contour of the rest of the stock. If you hold them up to a light in silhouette you will see that the points of the checkering are pretty much level with the top of the diamond. The flesh of the hand sinks into the checkering contributing to the overall feel.

Keith
Click to expand...

Keith, doesn't the more oval shape of the butt area also contribute to that "feel" you mention?
 
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