So I picked up a nice shooter grade .38 M&P. The bluing is a bit thin in places but the function is great and it shoots well. The original stocks (serial number to the gun) are pretty rough, especially the right panel. Makes me think the gun was carried by a LEO or security guard - carried daily but shot very little. The serial number has an S prefix so it seems to date to 1945 - 1948.

Paid $200 so I don't have a lot tied up in it but I would like a better looking set of stocks if possible. I have a lot of K frame stocks but discovered none of them will fit. When I bought the gun I assumed standard square butt K frame stocks would swap out but apparently not.

How specific do I have to be in looking for a better set of stocks? Am I looking specifically for ".38 M&P Post-War S prefix" stocks or is there a broader, more generic description for stocks that will fit my frame?

Unless the frame is modified or manufactured improperly standard K frame square butt stocks should fit. Are the ones you tried factory stocks or aftermarket? Those may not fit.

I have two Victory Model revolvers and I put early 1950s Magnas on both with no problems.

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No life story has happy end.

I tried a set of factory diamond magnas and a set of factory target stocks and they won't fit. I have a number of non-factory takeoffs from other K frames (Jay Scott, Sile, Pachmayr) and they won't fit either. And by not fitting I don't mean a little gap here or there - they will not line up at all. Yet the grip frame does not appear to be modified so I'm confused.

Your M & P's grip frame probably has just enough variation in its dimensions to prevent other stocks from fitting. At that time stocks were individually fitted to each frame. Sometimes the stock pin (on the bottom of the grip frame) has just enough variation to keep the panels from fitting, and a minor modification to the hold on the panel allows them to fit.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

If the numbers match, save those stocks. But Im pretty sure that`s what you are thinking. It is confusing that magnas do not fit.
Maybe you could find some Pachmyers or Hogues and make them fit. Hogue`s have the clip on the bottom so you do not need a thru & thru screw.
Hope this helps.
Jim

I sense we have something more than a minor fitting issue. By any chance does your ".38 M&P" have an ejector rod shroud? If so it may be an S-prefix Heavy Duty which is an N frame. It wouldn't be the first Heavy Duty to be mistakenly identified as an M&P.

Russ

I agree - My experience is that all K-frame grips fit all K-frame revolvers fairly well. A K-frame grip on an N-frame doesn't work so well. S-series N-frames started in 1946 in the low S62xxx range.

Thanks for the ideas and suggestions. There is no ER shroud and I tried a couple different N frame stocks I have on hand (factory Target stocks and nylon set made by Hogue) and it's definitely not an N frame (too bad - that would have been a nice surprise.)

Weird. I'm not going to try to modify a nice set of diamond magnas. Maybe I'll see what I can do with an old set of Herrett's. Bummer.

Forgive the obvious question, but are you sure your gun has a square butt frame?

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No life story has happy end.

No offense taken - I'm hoping for an obvious explanation.

It looks like a square butt to me. I don't have a round butt K frame for comparison but it looks my other K frames to me.

Post some pictures of the grip frame and some with the k frame grips on it to show the fit issues. Maybe someone will see something that you can't.

Check the stock pin as mentioned above. I have seen these bent sufficiently to cause problems fitting the stocks.


Charlie

Here are some photos - hopefully they will help in identifying the problem.

The gun as I bought it with the stocks that have the same serial number stamped on the inside of one panel:





With the stocks removed. To my eye it looks like a typical K frame.





Here I'm trying to show how this other set of factory diamond magnas don't line up very well at all. If I line up the upper section to the grip frame the bottom is way off. If I line up the bottom of the panels to the frame the top does not set in place.





One last photo - these are the original factory stocks in place and you can the fit was never great at the top to begin with.



Any thoughts.....?

I'm with murphydog, thinking the pin location is just off from most other guns. I would fill the hole in the stocks and fit them over the pin while lining up the shape and profile, then use pressure to locate a new point to drill a pin hole and I think your stocks will fit OK. Remember, as stated above, most all stocks of the era were hand fitted, so do not be suprised if you need to do a little sanding here and there.

Another option is to have a stock refinisher re-do your matching stocks. Even though they are rough, an expert refinisher can do wonders with these old stocks. There are a few members of this Forum that do great work wirth recheckering and refinishing.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

It is probably just the camera angle and the photo perspective, but it looks as though the grip frame may be bent forward? Must be an optical illusion.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Thank you for saying that. I was also thinking the gun looks bent. Is it possible the grip frame is pushed forward? The butt doesn't appear level but instead looks canted.

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No life story has happy end.

What murphydog said. I see the bent grip frame also.

I agree. It is bent forward near the bottom. The only way to get a good fit is to have a grip customizer fit the grip to your gun. Or if you are capable, do it yourself.

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Tom
NRA Pistol Inst

Might be just as easy to have a gunsmith or a tool & die maker re-bend the butt frame. If you have another 38 M&P, it would be fine for a pattern. I do not think it would be too hard to do it yourself by properly anchoring the frame in a vise and using a brass hammer, but not everyone wants to take on projects.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Thanks for the comments. Most likely explanation seems to be a bent grip frame. There's no "trauma" that I can see but then it's a pretty old gun that has seen it's share of carry time. Maybe it was a cop's gun and got used a few too many times as a billy club...

I've been fiddling with an old set of Herrett's Shooting Star K frame grips I bought a while back for $5 and I think I can get an acceptable fit by making a few modifications. I sure don't want to start carving up a nice set of factory stocks or even a nice set of old Jay Scotts or the like.

Thanks again guys.