24-3 is a K frame??

[sheep.dog]

Well I got some Altamont bonded ivory panels for a N frame and they don't fit right either, i can see daylight between the "ears" and the frame. And the panels extend further than the front strap making a tyler T not really usable.
I'm really baffled by this one. Wondering if going with inexpensive grip manufacturer is the problem.

Can i rasp/sand down the bonded ivory grips to get a better fit??

 

[625 Shooter]

Now this info has me wondering.

This M24-3 came with factory grips. I purchased a set of used Jerry Miculek N frame grips, pictured below:

Seems to fit "okay" but I do note the backstrap is a bit below the grips (towards the bottom):

Unfortunately, I do not have any K frame or L frame grips to try on it.

Seems to be two schools of thought/info on the subject. I sure hope someone comes up with a definitive answer.

 

[Retired W4]

I have tried several factory K-frame RB grips on my LH 24-3 and they fit well except at the top of the back strap which protrudes from the wood. The S&W combats that came on it fit perfectly. I was hoping Keith Brown could make me a set of his "Hide Out" grips for my gun but I might have to send him the gun in order get that correct fit. There does seem to be a difference between the two and apparently I am not the only one having this problem. What does KB say about all this? I would be prepared to pay the big bucks for the right grips as I already have big bucks tied up in the gun which I really like and plan to keep for a long time.

 

[625 Shooter]

To me, this seems to be an open subject.

Some say K frame grips fit the N frame M24 and some disagree.

Any more (hopefully definitive) answers?

 

[jtcarm]

The 24-3 3 inch is an N frame, with K frame grip. If my memory serves well, I believe the 624 3 inch is in same configuration...

Only the 3" Horton versions. The regular factory 24-3 & 624 with 4" & 6.5" barrels were square-butt N-frames.

 

[viceunit]

Ret W4, I have the hideout grips made by Keith on my LH 24-3 and they fit perfectly without him needing to have the gun for fitment.

I bought my gun when these LH first came out and remember some gun press reporting that it had a K-frame round grip frame. Which, is not 100% true. Before I got my gun I thought it would be great with a set of RB magnas and a T-grip. I tried those magnas on when I got the gun and found what everyone else has - they don't fit at the top. Short of radically modifying the N frame, there is no way to fit K RB grips to this gun. But, the gun rags at the time perpetuated the myth of the K on an N frame. In the December 1984 issue of Guns & Ammo there is an article authored by Howard E. French about the LH model 24. On page 54, in a photo caption is written, in part: "The Smith and Wesson Model 24-3 is a non-standard sixgun. In that it combines the "N" frame .44 Special with the "K" frame round butt." In another caption on page 51 it states basically the same thing, describing how controllable the N frame is with a K frame round butt mated to it. They likely got that info from the Lew Horton advertisement. It would have been more accurate had they described it as a "K" frame like grip on an N frame. Really, it is a "N" frame round butt.

I read those articles with great anticipation while I was waiting to get the gun I ordered. Unfortunately, we all learned it was not true. But, KB to the rescue and now I have what I consider the best grip for me on this gun.

 

[sheep.dog]

I was able to sand down the altamont n frame round bonded ivory grips and achieve a pretty nice fit. pics soon

 

[rbmcmjr]

Seems to fit "okay" but I do note the backstrap is a bit below the grips (towards the bottom):

What you are showing there is a typical fit for Hogue grips on a round butt. That is one of the reasons I only like them on square butts.

 

[Robert999]

Forgive the thread necromancy, but I have a 24-3 that's been converted by a previous owner from a square to round butt configuration. The gun when purchased wore a pair of Pachmayr K frame Grippers. I tried putting an N frame round butt Compac grip on it, but they didn't fit. All the K frame Pachmayrs I tried (sq and rnd butt) do though. So either the gun had its grip reshaped from its original N frame square butt configuration to that of a round butt K frame, or had it's K frame square butt configuration altered to that of a round butt.

 

[petemacmahon]

Come on Man! Would someone please go scientific? All we need is for one of you folks that owns one of these LH specimens along with one K, L, N of regular dimensions to take the grips off all of them and trace the frame on to paper and show us a picture for comparison. What are the actual dimensions of the grip frame?

 

[flundertaker]

Come on Man! Would someone please go scientific? All we need is for one of you folks that owns one of these LH specimens along with one K, L, N of regular dimensions to take the grips off all of them and trace the frame on to paper and show us a picture for comparison. What are the actual dimensions of the grip frame?

There is a thread about this in the 61-80 subforum complete with pictures. the only N or larger frame round butt guns using a K/L frame grip are the X frame .460 and .500 mag. The LH 24-3 uses a N frame round butt stock.
I have tried various round butt stock on the following guns 66 snub, LH 24-3, 629-5. The stock from the 66 doesnt fit the 24-3 or 629-5 correctly. The stocks from the 24-3 dont fit the 66 but does fit the 629-5.

 

[H Richard]

My 24-3, 3" LH, is an N Frame. It shipped in July 84. Is it only a particular issue of the 624 that was available in "K" Frame,or all the 624's??

 

[theoneff]

Forgive the the thread necromancy

Word of the day, excelent Robert, I had to look that one up, Thanks, Theo

 

[JohnAC]

Here's a copy of the Lew Horton ad. Don't look at the price or you might get queezy.

Thanks for that pic. That is now the second LewHorton ad that specified a k frame grip on a N frame revolver. Check out post #41 in this thread http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1980-present/147523-lew-horton-24-3-pics.html

They CLEARLY state "The first factory produced K round grip on an N frame"

They either had a clueless marketing department, misunderstood what the engineers meant, or there were in fact some 24-3's made with K frame grips. I still don't know the true answer.

My example has N frame grips, btw...