A fellow gun club member has recently acquired a Model 17-3 six inch non-target model. It has molded black rubber grips with a S&W logo on them. The grips cover the lower half of the back strap. The friend swears that the gun has a round butt and the grips are round-to-square conversions. However, every reference I can find, including my Supica and Nahas, say that the six inch 17-3s are all square butt guns.

This guy is a senior member of the club and it would be awkward to question him about it and ask him to pull the grip to be sure.

Has anyone heard of six inch 17-3s with round butts? This one is from the early 70s.

The reason I am interested is that I have bought a 17-3 (made in 1975) and it is on the way in the mail. Pictures of my gun clearly show target grips and a square butt. In fact I have already bought new grips for the gun, counting on it being a square butt K frame.

Any insight would be appreciated.