S&W full cutout wood target stocks: What was 1st year these were offered?
- Thread starter boa2
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Sir William
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Uh, what are you asking about? Do you mean when did S&W put such large grips on that they interfered with speedloaders?
SirWilliam:
What I'm referring to, is the fact that the first(Older style)of the S&W wood target grips, just had a depression on the left side of the grips, for a speed loader-but later, S&W made a complete cutout(Instead of just a depression in the wood!)and, my question is approximately what was the first year that S&W started offering this second style of their wood target grips(Either in regular gun production or as an optional accessory?)? In other words, I'm wanting to know this, so I can determine the earliest years of S&W K-frame revolvers, that could have had these later(Full cutout)target grips put on them, and still be the correct year vintage target grips to coincide with the years of these earlier years of revolvers? For example, on a 1971 year S&W K-frame, could these full cutout wood target grips have still have been correct for this revolver(Or, would only the wood target grips(With just the small depression(Instead of a full cutout?))be the only correct ones for this year(1971)? This would be true, only if the full cutout type wood target grips, were not available from S&W in 1971?
What I'm referring to, is the fact that the first(Older style)of the S&W wood target grips, just had a depression on the left side of the grips, for a speed loader-but later, S&W made a complete cutout(Instead of just a depression in the wood!)and, my question is approximately what was the first year that S&W started offering this second style of their wood target grips(Either in regular gun production or as an optional accessory?)? In other words, I'm wanting to know this, so I can determine the earliest years of S&W K-frame revolvers, that could have had these later(Full cutout)target grips put on them, and still be the correct year vintage target grips to coincide with the years of these earlier years of revolvers? For example, on a 1971 year S&W K-frame, could these full cutout wood target grips have still have been correct for this revolver(Or, would only the wood target grips(With just the small depression(Instead of a full cutout?))be the only correct ones for this year(1971)? This would be true, only if the full cutout type wood target grips, were not available from S&W in 1971?
I don't know the exact year they were first offered, but it would have to be sometime in the very late '70s or in the 80's.
He's referring to the way S&W reshaped the left grip panel on it's wheelguns. At some point, let's say early 80's IIRC, S&W offered grips for their K-Frames that had a half-round cutaway behind & below the cylinder thumb release. Earlier grips curved gracefully up from behind the trigger guard to the rear of the grip frame. The new ones had what looked like a "bite" taken out of the top of the grips to allow a speedloader to align straighter with the charge holes.
The attached image shows the new S&W grips. The grip panel on the left is the right-side grip and the one on the right fits the left-side. Notice the leftside grip is cut out and has "fingers" compared to the rightside grip. Earlier S&W grips had both sides contoured the same as the image for the rightside grip.
He's referring to the way S&W reshaped the left grip panel on it's wheelguns. At some point, let's say early 80's IIRC, S&W offered grips for their K-Frames that had a half-round cutaway behind & below the cylinder thumb release. Earlier grips curved gracefully up from behind the trigger guard to the rear of the grip frame. The new ones had what looked like a "bite" taken out of the top of the grips to allow a speedloader to align straighter with the charge holes.
The attached image shows the new S&W grips. The grip panel on the left is the right-side grip and the one on the right fits the left-side. Notice the leftside grip is cut out and has "fingers" compared to the rightside grip. Earlier S&W grips had both sides contoured the same as the image for the rightside grip.
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Sir William
New member
OK. I am probably thinking you are referring to the Coke bottle grips. The dish in them IIRC was for your thumb to rest. It wasn't for speedloaders at that time. The later ca. 60s Magna grips weren't usually "cut" for speedloaders. I think S&W made some changes to keep their law enforcement customers happy ca. 1975. I think they were optional. Customers usually pitched the factory grips for Pachmayrs. BTW, did you know Goncalo Alves is not a person who designed grips? It is an exotic wood from the same mamed tree. Somebody will pop up with the info from the Supica and Jinks book. Sorry I can't pin it down.
Hal:
If that is the case, since the 19-4's began in 1977, this could mean the beginning of the full cutout in the wood target grips in this year(Unless both styles of these grips were used before then?)?
The problem that I have is that I just purchased an S&W model 18-3(Made in 1971)and although I know that the factory grips would have been the square butt(Magna style)grips, sombody had changed to a nice set of the later style of the full cutout wood target stocks! And, in view of this, I thought that the correct type of target grips, should probably be the older style with just the oval depression in the wood? If so-then, this would mean that I will need to obtain these older(Correct vintage)style of target grips-so to be the correct ones(For 1971)?
If that is the case, since the 19-4's began in 1977, this could mean the beginning of the full cutout in the wood target grips in this year(Unless both styles of these grips were used before then?)?
The problem that I have is that I just purchased an S&W model 18-3(Made in 1971)and although I know that the factory grips would have been the square butt(Magna style)grips, sombody had changed to a nice set of the later style of the full cutout wood target stocks! And, in view of this, I thought that the correct type of target grips, should probably be the older style with just the oval depression in the wood? If so-then, this would mean that I will need to obtain these older(Correct vintage)style of target grips-so to be the correct ones(For 1971)?
Here are the S&W target grips circa 1981 when this M57 was made.
Note the dished "thumb groove" on the left side to aid access by speedloaders. This was their first go at relieving that area. Earlier grips lacked this cutout.
Remember too that there may be overlap. The factory may have been shipping the more popular K-Frames with the new style grips due to police use while the N-Frames carried on with existing stocks of the older style grips.
Note the dished "thumb groove" on the left side to aid access by speedloaders. This was their first go at relieving that area. Earlier grips lacked this cutout.
Remember too that there may be overlap. The factory may have been shipping the more popular K-Frames with the new style grips due to police use while the N-Frames carried on with existing stocks of the older style grips.
BillCA:1)Yes, those grips in your picture, show the older style depression, that I had assumed, should be appropriate for the vintage year, 1971!)?
2)The full cutout target grips, are what is on my M18-3, now(Unlike the ones in your picture)!
3)You brought up a good point(About the possibility of an overlap in the grip cutout styles!)as my M27-2(Circa, 1980)has the same style of grip "Cutout" as on your gun, in your picture!)yet, I had previously, owned an M27-2(Circa 1978)that had the full "Cutout" style of grips(Which is the latest style that I've mostly seen on newer S&W revolvers)! So, S&W must have been mixing these up for awhile(Until they had run out of the earlier, "Depression" style of cutout, in their grips!)?
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I'm not sure what year the latest "cutout" grips were introduced, but why not just write S&W and ask? They can give you the straight dope on it.
For what it's worth, it had to be the late 70's/early 80s' I think. I purchased a M65 from a fellow PD academy student in about '80 and it came with the newer grips. I thought they were great -- no more wiggling the speedloaders to get them to fit.
(Footnote: That's the reason the earlier model HKS speedloaders "rattled". It was to provide enough play to allow you to slip past the bigger grips!)
For what it's worth, it had to be the late 70's/early 80s' I think. I purchased a M65 from a fellow PD academy student in about '80 and it came with the newer grips. I thought they were great -- no more wiggling the speedloaders to get them to fit.
(Footnote: That's the reason the earlier model HKS speedloaders "rattled". It was to provide enough play to allow you to slip past the bigger grips!)