S&W Grips: Does one size fit all?

Thanks CGC,

Very nice attempt at describing shapes :). I'm trying to envision a coke shape without success. Does someone have a picture of a coke shape and a C-shape?
 
Special and "correct" stocks aside, you need to specify not only the frame size but for the K/L and J frames whether the butt is round or square.

FWIW, J frame round butt wood grips will fit the old breaktop .38's but are a bit too long and will have to be cut down, but they look good.

Jim
 
Everyone's a funny guy It didn't bother me the grip type, but I couldn't tell based on your first post whether you knew or not. Thats a nice gun, I assume its a 29 no dash, maybe around S185XXX or S190XXX ?
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Good eye! Yep it's a no dash 29 #200207, probably shipped sometime in late '59 or '60.
 
TMI, in a short time period.

Ohh my God, my head is spinning. I never heard of "Coke bottle" grips, but I have a set of wood Coke bottle style grips on my J-Frame M37 (early 80s?). Big grips on a small square butt J-frame.

TBS, I can, and have, mounted them on my S&W M638 round butt snub. Also at the same time, I could actually mount my stock rubber 638 round butt grips on my 37. It wasn't pretty, but they bolted right up:D. LOL

Sorry, I lost the pics.
 
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but I have a set of wood Coke bottle style grips on my J-Frame M37 (early 80s?). Big grips on a small square butt J-frame.
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Well they were evidently some other type of grip because "Coke bottle" grips are only N frame grips made from 1956 until approx 1965 when they were discontinued. They were only standard on the pre 29, the 29 no dash, 29-1 and early 29-2s and the model 57. They were a special order option for any other N frame of that same period however. From the rear, there is a distinct palm swell, like a coke bottle has, hence the name.

If I had to guess, perhaps your J frame had the "banana style" target grips. Aside from those, it could have had magnas, presentation stocks, or combat stocks but not cokes, as Coke bottle J frames do not exist.
 
This "fit all" question needs to be refined to a "generally fit all" and "individually fit all"...

I just bought a very nice pair of vintage diamond magna grips for my "new" pre-27 (it came with 3rd party target grips). They "generally" fit OK but not without some "smithing". It's clear why S&W numbered their grips to go with their revolvers as, at least back in the 50s, some hand-fitting was necessary.

In my case, the distance between the top curved inset and the hole for the bottom pin was slightly too great. The problem was solved by very carefully increasing the size of the pin holes in the two grips (in increments of 1/64th") until the holes were just large enough to allow the top to fit and the pins to fit.

The fit is now very good along the top and two sides and only the bottom of the grips extend about 1/32" below the frame. I'd like it to be perfect, of course, but it is what it is :)

From the numbers, the grips were made about 2 years after my gun...
 
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