Victory grips, Whats up?

[caryg]

Bought a set of magnas from e-bay for my Victory model and when they arrived, they don't fit? Seems like the Victory frame is different? Has huge gap at top of grip. I thought all k frames fit this model? Guess I was wrong. Will go back on the hunt for original type of grip I guess. I will not pay what they are asking on e-bay for beat up grips. Looks like I might buy a set of reproduction from Numerich, $ 46.00, Ouch. Whats up with this model?

 

[DWalt]

No idea. K-frame Magnas should fit OK - maybe not perfect, but OK. Look on eBay for original grips. Sarco usually has them also.

 

[Absalom]

Are you sure the frame is the problem and not that particular set of grips? I've seen lots of post-war magnas, sharp-shoulder, round-shoulder, no-diamond post-68 style, on Victory frames, and while they may not look hand-fitted, "huge gap" sounds more dramatic than I've seen.

 

[opoefc]

There are no Victory Models that are not K frames. Except for the Model 12 grips, any K frame grip will fit a Victory Model. If your gun is a real Victory model, then the problem is that the grips you bought are not for a K frame, or were altered by someone.Not sure why you would want incorrect Magnas on a Victory Model, but it's your gun and your choice. Actually on the Victory Models that I shoot for fun, I use Pachmayr rubber grips as they are much more comfortable for shooting. Good Luck, Ed.

 

[DWalt]

There are known instances in which the grip frame has somehow been bent accidentally or purposely at some point in its existence. Maybe this is one of them. I'll agree that the rubber grips (I prefer Hogues) are superior for shooting comfort. In fact, the only grips I like are either rubber or smooth wood. I don't like checkered wood grips at all.

 

[caryg]

If you actually try a set you will see a big gap at the top of the grip. I tried from a friends k frame and his fit the same, big gap, I read that the Victory had different grips, I guess he knows what he is talking about, wished I would have listened to him, would have saved a few bucks. Anyway you learn by doing I have found in life, and when you listen to others, That's when you end up paying. ALL K FRAME GRIPS ARE NOT THE SAME. BUYER, BE WARE or at least know what you are buying.

 

[caryg]

There are no Victory Models that are not K frames. Except for the Model 12 grips, any K frame grip will fit a Victory Model. If your gun is a real Victory model, then the problem is that the grips you bought are not for a K frame, or were altered by someone.Not sure why you would want incorrect Magnas on a Victory Model, but it's your gun and your choice. Actually on the Victory Models that I shoot for fun, I use Pachmayr rubber grips as they are much more comfortable for shooting. Good Luck, Ed.

If your not sure why I would wan't incorrect grips on my Victory why in the H--- would you want Pachmayr's on yours.?

 

[Alk8944]

OP,

You know that if you were to post photos of what you are trying to describe then we could actually see what you are talking about.

I have been shooting, repairing and collecting S&W revolvers for nearly 60 years. The only time I have ever seen stocks that do not fit the grip frame fairly closely, usually no more that 1/64-1/32" either + or -, is when someone has sanded the snot out of them, or if the stocks are on the large side and the grip frame is on the small side, there can be an overhang!

Sometimes grip frames do get bent, but rarely. The only real difference in grip frame sizes is what happens in the hand polishing process. Contrary to what you are claiming all K-Frame grip frames are, for all practical purposes, identical.

 

[BUFF]

Perhaps the new grips aren't K frame at all, but maybe N frame 1917's? As Alk80944 says, a photo is worth a thousand words.

 

[Absalom]

In the absence of pictures of the "gap" and since I really wanted to figure this out, I got out a couple of my Victorys and my post-war M&P's and took off the stocks to determine actual, rather than just theoretical, compatibility of the post-war magnas with the Victory grip frame.

I may now have at least a speculative hunch what went wrong. On all three sets of magnas I tried out, from 1946, 1947, and 1959, the external dimensions fit the Victorys perfectly. However, to install them properly and get a snug fit, one would have to widen and/or deepen the lower hole for the steel centering peg on the frame (see picture attached). If you don't do that, you indeed end up with a gap between frame and grip panel.

I've seen lots of Victorys with magnas, but I've never done the operation. At least judged by my limited sample (two Victorys, three sets of magnas), it's not a drop-in switch. I'm curious whether that might be the issue with the OP's stocks.

 

[caryg]

Sold and moved on.

Thanks for responses. Ended up selling the grips to a friend. I have started looking at pictures of Victory models and noticed the same gap at the top of the grip in many pictures. The problem is where the Smith Wesson insignia is. Its not as deep as the rest of the grip. They might seem to fit the Victory but the tops have a significant gap. Anyway I am waiting on a pair designed for them. The grips I sold to my friend fit his gun perfect. To me if you have to sand or remove the insignia's to make it fit, than its not worth the hassle. This is not my gun but another gun from internet. If you look close at top of photo you can see the gap I am talking about. If you were to turn the gun the gap is quite a bit both in front and to the rear. It wouldn't be bad but I wanted to make Tyler T grips work with these grips. With that amount of gap they would fall off.

 

[DWFAN]

Is the gap wider on one side than the other??

DW

 

[caryg]

The gap is the same on both sides. Its like the top part of the magna grip is not recessed enough at the top of the grip to fit in the frame all the way. They were original Smith Wesson grips also. The bottom of the grip fit flush, just the top part would not fit flush.

 

[Inusuit]

Nice Victory, nice set of diamond grips. Too bad they didn't work for you. Good that you could sell them and get some or all of your money back.

 

[Art Doc]

Dunno what the problem is. I have Magnas on both of my VMs for shooting comfort and they fit fine.

 

[Absalom]

Dunno what the problem is. I have Magnas on both of my VMs for shooting comfort and they fit fine.
....

Did you put those on without any fitting? I do seem to have an thing about me that attracts guns with weird oddities, so nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to S&W's I bought. I guess I could force those magnas onto the Victory peg for a tight fit with a few good whacks with a rubber mallet (which I'm not going to try for obvious reasons), but they definitely don't fit right on.

 

[caryg]

How is the fit Saxon

If you have a picture of those same grips behind and in front it would be nice to see a picture of it. Everyone always shows the picture from the side, how about the rear of the back strap and front ?

 

[caryg]

After looking at your grips closely, you have the gap also, bet a set of Tylers would not fit yours right either.

 

[Art Doc]

They fit fine. Went right on without fitting. I don't need to take a photo I can look right at them. There is no gap. I have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[caryg]

OK no picture, no proof, anybody can take a picture from the side.