Grip Question

[Adam Baker]

Hello Forum,
I have a set of K frame target grips marked inside KT-WAL and a 5210 and 5214 on the two halves.
Any ideas?
I have several early sets of loose diamond target grips for N & K frames. I've never saw theses markings before. What time frame was S&W marking their grips as such?
The left grip has a relief but not like the later football relief cuts of the 1980's.
Thank you in advance.

 

[weatherby]

KT- WAL is/= K frame Target in Walnut
The numbers are the product code for them.

N frame grips can be similarly marked NT with their product codes.

The 80's had a speedloader style cutout before that what we call football and before that no relief.

BTW diamond targets are pretty valuable

 

[s&wchad]

KT-WAL signifies K frame Target - Walnut.

Photos would help, but we should probably clarify some terminology.

These have extractor relief cuts (football):

These are relieved for speedloaders:

I've seen post-1980 target and combat stocks with hand written numbers on the inside of each panel done with a sharpie. I believe those numbers were intended to keep the two panels together and should match.

I do remember gunshow vendors selling large numbers of S&W stocks at shows decades ago at very good prices. The had non-matching "sharpie" numbers on the inside. I purchased a few and suspect S&W sold off reject and surplus panels that were later paired up and offered by dealers.

 

[Adam Baker]

I'll get some pics up this week.

 

[Doc44]

K-frame stocks were stamped KT-WAL or KT-357 to indicate the type of wood used to make them. The former being American walnut and the latter being Goncalo alves. I have seen these markings on stocks made in the late 1960s to early 1970s. I also owned a pair once marked KT-ROSEWOOD. Target stocks made of walnut were usually installed on Model 14s, 15s, 17s, 18s and 53s, whereas, stocks made of Goncalo alves were installed on Model 19s with a 4 or 6 inch barrel. Of course, target stocks could be special ordered for any model and made of any of these woods.

Similarly, N-frame targets made of walnut were marked NT-38 and those made of Goncalo alves were marked NT-430.

Bill