Custom Grips Part 2: Walter Starks work on LAPD Chief Davis K-38

[mikepriwer]

In the previous thread, I had mentioned that, on reflection, the cutting of
the front corner of the frame appeared to be an effort to make the front
grip-strap more like a round-butt frame. These next three pictures look
at that idea, in more detail. They show an early round-butt grip
mounted on the frame. While the cut takes the frame further back
than a true round-butt, it is close. Had round-butt K-38's been available
back then (1950), it probably would not have been necessary to cut the
frame corner.

These next pictures were a real surprise to me. While the corner of
the frame has been cut off, these Walter Stark grips were apparently
made for a frame without the cut corner. I guess I had forgotten that,
or never paid any attention to it.

The interesting point is the amount of wood in back of the trigger
guard. It is massive, as it the amount of wood hanging down below
the bottom of the butt. It's as though this is the second pair of grips
that Chief Davis had made for this gun. Presumably the first pair utilized
the cut corner. This pair lowers the entire hand about a half-inch, or
more, down the grip frame. Clearly, this grip would work equally well
on an uncut frame !

Regards, Mike Priwer

 

[Art Doc]

I have an older I frame Colt cut this way. Maybe the point was to create purchase for the pinky to help support the revolver? Jeff Cooper wrote of modern revolver stocks being designed backwards, bigger at the bottom when they should be smaller to allow the pinky to help support the grip.

 

[Keith Brown]

That filler looks to be about 5/8 of an inch if measured from the frame. A deep filler is common with after market grips and is IMO wrong for almost anyone with hands smaller than say Bill Jordan's were. This places the bore line for most shooters way above the wrist increasing muzzle flip and recovery time. The Farrant grips with the extreme reverse taper that required the frame alteration also required a very firm grip to perform well, again just my opinion. This might explain why Chief Davis had the set on the gun that didn't need the cut frame.

Keith

 

[SDH]

Very Interesting...

 

[mikepriwer]

Keith

They measure 3/4" on the inside-edge of the grip, which hits the
center-line of the frame. There is 7/8" of wood at the outer edge,
which is the side of the frame.

These grips have the effect of pushing the muzzle of the gun down.
The rear of the hand sits up very high, probably even higher than
on grips without so much wood in the web of the hand. Relative to
factory grips, the gun is somewhat rotated in the hand. Because of
the rotation, its not clear how the centerline-alignment of the bore
is changed.

Regards, Mike

 

[SG-688]

Mike, a picture of the 'outside' please!


P.S. Is that round hole in the frame normal?

 

[ljmvaw124]

Pushing the hand down lower on the grip minimizes crowding the trigger guard with the middle finger. The increased length at the bottom allows a full grip with the little finger. Probably not the ideal setup for everyone, but for those of us with larger hands, this works very well ! It's all about fitting the grip to your hand - instead of trying to conform to what is an ergonomically backwards grip shape.
In my fly rod business, I make cork grips specifically for each customer - so why not have a handgun grip that gives the best control. And as to the argument over altering the frame - as long as the serial number is intact, it's your gun .......
I understand the collector and safe queen point of view, but for me, it's all about the shooting !

 

[ljmvaw124]

I own a 1952 vintage K22 (ser #K134XXX) and it has the same hole in the bottom of the grip frame ...........

 

[mikepriwer]

ljmvaw124

The K-38 is about 1950, so there must be some reason for the hole
in the butt of the frame .

Later, Mike Priwer