L Frame butt issues

[lev83]

Recently purchased very nice 686 that was advertised as being a RB. Detail strip cleaning revealed this to be a SB gun. My question then is how big a PITA would it be to just have the frame modified to RB. Has anyone else done this?

 

[scooter123]

Re-shaping the grip frame requires nothing more than the proper template and grinding. My memory is that Brownell's or Numrich used to sell the templates for doing this, so you could try looking at either of these sites. However, square butt 686's will become increasingly rare as the years pass, so I would be inclined to leave it as it is now, especially if it's serrated.

If you're looking for grip options, there are a lot of excellent grips available for the square butt grips frame and I prefer shooting with the square butt profile even on my guns with a round butt grip frame.

Personally, I prefer shooting with rubber grips, I like the extra traction rubber provide. For a square butt grip frame shooting mainly 38 caliber in your 686 my choice would be the Pachmayr Gripper Pro because I like the fit in my hand. For a lot of 357 Magnum shooting I'd look into the Pachmayr Decelerator for the square butt grip frame, it'll provide a bit more cushion. As for Hogue rubbers, love the 500 Magnum monogrip but it's round butt only. The Hogue standard monogrip is too small for me and I've replaced my standard Hogues with the the Gripper Pro.

 

[papajohn428]

I round-butted my 686-1 with a grinder and a Dremel in about an hour 20 years ago. I didn't have a template per se, I borrowed a friend's gun and traced the outline on mine with a Sharpie. It actually looked pretty good when I got done polishing it!

 

[C/O]

If you plan on keeping the gun do what you want to it. However, it may hurt resell value.

 

[lagavulin62]

I'm relieved to know it's just a 686 you are mutilating. ........ no it's ok, you own it and can do as you please. just messin with you on the "gone historical preservationist". I'm curious, what is the length of the barrel?

 

[lev83]

Barrel is a 4". Back strap is serrated.

 

[handgunner356]

If it has a serrated backstrap I believe I'd leave it alone. There are so many grips out there that change the feel of the gun, I would go that route first before getting out the grinder.

 

[wheelgun610]

Re-shaping may also remove part of the serial number from the butt. That's a definite no-no in the eyes of the BATF.

Why not go back to where you bought it and see if they do indeed have a round butt 686, or would buy your gun back so you could get what you really wanted in the first place....

Mark

 

[.357magger]

If it has a serrated backstrap I believe I'd leave it alone. There are so many grips out there that change the feel of the gun, I would go that route first before getting out the grinder.

This.

There are LOTS of grip options to try but as Smith is no longer serrating the backstraps (except in special runs), I kind of think of those with that feature as a "perk".

To each their own.

 

[lev83]

Common sense has prevailed I will not be modifiying this gun. Thanks again to all who responded.

 

[AZretired]

As big as a 686 is round butting it wouldn't make it that much smaller anyway. What kind of grips did it have that you didn't notice the square butt without "detail stripping"?