So on Tuesday, a friend of mine randomly offered to sell me his collection of 53 pairs of pistol grips. I became very interested when he said there were 18 pairs of S&W grips included. He of course would not separate them.
I ended up buying them. There are all different frames, different eras, a nice group. Me and him both over looked the gem of the group initially. Its a pair rare enough to where I haven't seen many pairs. I did however have a pair on my K-22 1st model target masterpiece of 1940 aka K-22 2nd model - they are pre war K frame magnas.
My friend included the S&W K frame target hammer and for $20 more, the K-32 box. A good friend. He knew the grips were worth more, but didn't want to take the time to part them out.
He didn't know about the K frame pre war magnas, but I told him and then told him I owe him a big favor. He laughed.
Later in the day, I went to a small gunsmith I had never been to before. I went there because I needed work done on my Winchester 88. He is a FFL as well and had a few guns for sale. I figured my awesome grip buys were over, at least for that day, but you never know. In the display case I noticed a S&W safety hammerless aka new departure 32. It appeared to have pearl grips, but I thought "nah, can't be". It also appeared to have a lot of finish loss as well. While I waited, I decided to see how ridiculous the price was, and to my surprise the tag was "$100". I saw the gun was a 32 new departure first model, 40XXX in poor condition finish wise, but still works great. He accepted my charge card, after he initially offered to hold the gun, which I declined because I wanted to run out the door with this one, esp after I saw that the grips were factory pearls. $111 OTD
A good day to be a S&W collector. Total haul - 19 pairs of S&W grips including N frame relieved diamond targets, pre war N frame service grips, K frame pre war magnas, N frame diamond magnas, numerous post war K frame magnas, J frame diamond sq butt and the pair of 32 DA / 32 new departure factory pearls.
I plan to send the pre war K frame magnas to DWfan so that he can work his magic.
The S&W grips acquired from my friend (N top, K, then I/J)
The K frame pre war magnas pictured with my K-22 model of 1940.
The other grips from my friend. Mostly rubber but a few good sets are there, mostly custom.
My modest S&W grip collection before the purchase
My improved collection after the purchase
The unopened hammer (what era?)
The K-32 box with end label
And finally....the pearl grips. The only imperfection is a small chip in the right panel. They appear unnumbered.
I ended up buying them. There are all different frames, different eras, a nice group. Me and him both over looked the gem of the group initially. Its a pair rare enough to where I haven't seen many pairs. I did however have a pair on my K-22 1st model target masterpiece of 1940 aka K-22 2nd model - they are pre war K frame magnas.
My friend included the S&W K frame target hammer and for $20 more, the K-32 box. A good friend. He knew the grips were worth more, but didn't want to take the time to part them out.
He didn't know about the K frame pre war magnas, but I told him and then told him I owe him a big favor. He laughed.
Later in the day, I went to a small gunsmith I had never been to before. I went there because I needed work done on my Winchester 88. He is a FFL as well and had a few guns for sale. I figured my awesome grip buys were over, at least for that day, but you never know. In the display case I noticed a S&W safety hammerless aka new departure 32. It appeared to have pearl grips, but I thought "nah, can't be". It also appeared to have a lot of finish loss as well. While I waited, I decided to see how ridiculous the price was, and to my surprise the tag was "$100". I saw the gun was a 32 new departure first model, 40XXX in poor condition finish wise, but still works great. He accepted my charge card, after he initially offered to hold the gun, which I declined because I wanted to run out the door with this one, esp after I saw that the grips were factory pearls. $111 OTD
A good day to be a S&W collector. Total haul - 19 pairs of S&W grips including N frame relieved diamond targets, pre war N frame service grips, K frame pre war magnas, N frame diamond magnas, numerous post war K frame magnas, J frame diamond sq butt and the pair of 32 DA / 32 new departure factory pearls.
I plan to send the pre war K frame magnas to DWfan so that he can work his magic.
The S&W grips acquired from my friend (N top, K, then I/J)
The K frame pre war magnas pictured with my K-22 model of 1940.
The other grips from my friend. Mostly rubber but a few good sets are there, mostly custom.
My modest S&W grip collection before the purchase
My improved collection after the purchase
The unopened hammer (what era?)
The K-32 box with end label
And finally....the pearl grips. The only imperfection is a small chip in the right panel. They appear unnumbered.
. I have N Frame Magnas 72551 and 169275. If anyone has that gun. Is there a database for orphaned stock? 
