Delete diamond grip?

[G-Mac]

I see in my SCSW that diamond grips were deleted in 1968 on many models. Was there any rhyme or reason as to why this decision was made? I'm a fan of the diamonds and can't imagine that not having them would be seen as an improvement.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

S&W issued the order on October 11, 1965, to delete the diamond around the grip screw escutcheon. That was after Bangor Punta had bought the company, and I've heard, but have no documented proof, that it was a cost saving measure.

S&W never threw anything away so it took some time to use the inventory on hand. I've intermittently observed serial number matching diamond grips on Chiefs Specials through January 1969.

 

[G-Mac]

S&W issued the order on October 11, 1965, to delete the diamond around the grip screw escutcheon. That was after Bangor Punta had bought the company, and I've heard, but have no documented proof, that it was a cost saving measure.

Thanks for the reply. I had assumed that it may have been a cost saving measure as many of the engineering changes, I believe, were.

Which leads to my next question....how were S&W stocks checkered back then? By machine? By hand? How, exactly, would deleting the diamond save money? I'm not questioning that it did. I just don't understand the manufacturing process by which grips would be produced on such a large scale like S&W.

 

[Bullet Bob]

The answer to 9 out of ten questions is money.

 

[K-MO]

I discovered that Lance at LS Grips can duplicate just about any design. He recently set me up with some "vintage" grip inserts for my GP-100, and they came out great, much better than those made by Altamont.

 

[JP@AK]

S&W issued the order on October 11, 1965, to delete the diamond around the grip screw escutcheon.

This is part of the answer. Actually, there were three different change orders involved, affecting different sets of stocks.

Change Order #937, issued on October 11, 1965, affected K and N frame PC Magna stocks.

Change Order #944, issued on January 11, 1966, affected K and N frame standard Magna stocks

Change Order #1032, issued on December 28, 1967, affected target stocks on the N and K frame revolvers.

My thanks to Bill Cross for this information on the breakdown of the change sequence. I have no information on the change for J frames, and the I frames were no longer being made when Bangor Punta bought the company.

 

[Doc44]

Stocks were machine checkered.

Bill

 

[two-bit cowboy]

I have no information on the change for J frames....

Interesting info, Jack. I've read the Oct 11, '65, date related to J-frames. I didn't know about the others you posted from Bill. Thanks for sharing that.