L vs N grip frame size difference?

[pilpens]

I know N is bigger than L but how much bigger?

- Has anyone tried to use an N frame grip on an L frame revolver?

- Can any one post a pic of tracings of the L frame and N frame grips?
Would be nice to have a trace of the L frame grip inside and N frame grip tracing.
OR
an L frame revolver in a N frame grip. Preferably, only 1 side of the grip is installed.

- Trace or pic hopefully would show how loose an L frame revolver would be in an N frame grip.

- Reason for request: I am having difficulty finding a closed-back K/L Sq-butt wood grip for may 586. I am seeing some n frame grips I like but are N-frame. I am wondering if I can modify the N frame grip to fit securely on an L frame revolver.

Thanks

 

[skeezix]

Depends on the grip

Open-back factory N-frame target grips fit snuggly on a K/L frame gun, but the grip is "proud to the frame" at the top. A little judicial sanding will convert this N-frame grip to fit a K/L-frame gun.


For closed-back grips, it probably would depend on the grip. I only have a set of Jay Scott N-frame closed-back grips for comparison. These fit tightly on an N-gun.


On a L-gun, the fit is not tight - there's about 3/32 inch wiggle front to back at the top. You can see that the top of the grip does not contact the top rear of the frame as it does on the N-gun.


I suppose you could do some "plastic wood" fill-in to make these N-grips fit snuggly on a L-gun, but it probably wouldn't look very good.

I don't know how other makes of closed-back N-grips would fit a L-gun, but there would probably be some degree of modification necessary.

My dollars worth.

 

[bwsmith2850]

ebay has some closed back K/L that look very similar to factory targets with finger grooves. They are variations on this theme.





Something to consider.

 

[scooter123]

Note, the following pertains to the round butt grip frame, which seems to be what S&W is moving towards standardizing on.

The grip frame on the N and L frames are actually very close, however as noted there are differences. I would like to use the 500 Magnum monogrip on my 610-3, unfortunately it has a gap at the top where it doesn't follow the arch on the backstrap. Same grip fits perfectly on my L frame 620. S&W has standardized the grip frame for the round butt K, L, and X frames but the N fframe is the odd man out. Hopefully in the next few years the N frame will get updated to match the rest of the medium and large frame lineup.

 

[pilpens]

skeezix,
exactly what I wanted to see.
thanks.

will post results when I get a wood grip.

thanks again.

 

[Shooting4life]

I think s&w will move to all k/l size grip frames in the future