Brazilian S&W 1937 grips

[fatelk]

I just ordered some spare clips for my new .45 acp handgun! Of course from the thread title I'm sure you all have figured out it's a revolver, so I won't be getting any "It's not a clip; it's a magazine!" lectures here...

I had absolutely no intention of buying another gun anytime in the foreseeable future, but then I stop at a local gun shop and see this Brazilian 1937 sitting under the glass with a price tag of $225, and I just couldn't help myself. Finish is worn and spotty, but not bad for 83 years. Bore is excellent; timing, cylinder gap, and end shake feel great. Now I need to get rid of these ugly Pachmayr grips, and find some replacements without spending an arm and a leg. Originals go high on eBay! I may just try my hand at making some. I've done things like that in the past that have turned out great, but it takes a lot of time to do it right.

Anyone have any idea where to find some inexpensive grips that are a bit more original-looking? Worn and not so pretty is fine.

[Texas by God]

You got a good deal on that one! Hopefully your luck holds out for the grip search. I think any square butt N frame grips will fit but I could be wrong. I had one 1917 and one Brazilian as a young man but they had the old chewed up original grips that I left on them.

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[samari46]

I have a set of "N" frame grips on my Brazilian 1937 contract revolver. And the above revolver is definitely a "N" frank. Put a want to buy for your grips on this forum. Pachmayers can be found in new condition to used. Wood ones as there are plenty of reproductions out there. Frank

[Uncle Grinch]

Before putting Pachmayer grips on this model the lanyard assembly needs to be removed from the bottom of the grip frame. Be sure to file it away so you can restore it when needed.

[nicholst55]

Reproduction 1917 S&W grips: https://www.gunbroker.com/Pistol-Gri...13&PageSize=96

[fatelk]

Thanks guys. For clarification, this one came with Pachmayrs on it. They're fine for shooting, but I just don't like them myself. I want original-looking wood grips on it. It's nice to see that reproductions are available, and not too expensive.

Funny thing, speaking of the lanyard ring- since it has aftermarket grip the lanyard was missing. I looked on eBay and seen that they aren't cheap either, but as soon as I saw the photo a memory clicked in my head. I have a box with all my accumulated gun parts and odds and ends from over three decades. I have part and pieces that I don't even know where they came from or what they are. I knew I'd seen that lanyard ring before and that I had one, somewhere. I searched for about a half hour, and I found it. It is exactly what I thought it was, and I have no idea where I got it, but I've had it for decades, apparently just waiting for a gun to use it on.

[wwmartin]

Gun Parts(Numrich) listed both smooth and checkered the last time I checked.
Bill

[fatelk]

Thanks, I didn't even think of Numrich. Simple, smooth wood grips are exactly what I want, like what was on it originally.

As I get looking at photos of reproduction grips though, I think that these would be just about the simplest grips to actually make. I may hold off on buying some, and try my hand at making a pair when I get time. I've made grips before, and they've turned out very nice. I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist, so it takes me a long time to finish something like that.

[fatelk]

Well, I made a pair for myself today. This was the third set of grips I've ever made, and the easiest. If I had to pay myself minimum wage though, I didn't save any money.

They turned out OK, at least so far. I still have to finish sanding them and oil them. I had a nice piece of wood that someone had given me probably 25 years ago, that had been laying around waiting for a project like this. That ugly scratch on the frame was there when I bought it, just covered up by the Pachmayrs.

[Texas by God]

That looks very good,sir. Send it to my FFL when you get a chance!

[fatelk]

Pretty much done now, put a little tung oil on them. They're not perfect, but they're great for what they're for. There was an old, hidden nail hole in one piece that didn't appear until I started shaping it. It doesn't bother me- gives it character. I filled it with epoxy and it looks fine. The wood I used was a leftover piece that an old gunsmith gave me about 25 years ago. He was going to throw it out so he gave it to me instead, telling me to "make some grips or something with it someday".

[artu44]

First brazilian contract guns had classic S&W medallion grips while second 1946 contract plain US 1917 style grips.

[fatelk]

Yeah, I read that too somewhere. I looked at the reproductions that Numrich has for $57, they look decent. I've been told by a couple people to keep the Pachmayrs on it, but I just don't like them. If I want to shoot a comfortable gun at the range, I have any one of a number of more modern revolvers to choose from.

I bought my first set of Pachmayr N-frame grips about 30 years ago, for my first Model 29. I put them on for a while and hated them. They just don't feel right to me, too narrow or something, and I just have this strong preference for wood grips as opposed to plastic. I know my home-made grips here aren't perfect, but I enjoyed making them and they look good enough to me. That's what counts.

My 9yo son "helped" me make them. I told him that some day, decades from now, he just might look at these grips and remember this day.

[Gewehr-Guy]

Wow, thats a whole lot of gun for only $225. Good thing you jumped on it, deals like that usually don't last the day.

[fatelk]

I agree. I was surprised to see it sitting there so cheap. I asked the guy what was wrong with it, and he wondered the same thing. I got the idea that it had just been put in the case. He asked the on-site gunsmith, who said nothing was wrong with it, other than the wrong grips. He REALLY seemed to look down his nose at the Pachmayr grips on it, said they were ugly as sin. He said something about a guy bringing it in on trade for something else. Nothing's wrong with it at all. It shoots great.

[Dutchman]

1937 S&W Brazilian navy.

[Dutchman]

[photomicftn]

I bought a couple of grips from this auction seller for my Colt New Service, and was pleased with them for the price. He has several styles for the 1917:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SMITH-WESSO...8AAOSwwghdjKVe

[Baltimoreed]

Bought these grips from GPC [i think] years ago. They fit fine but had bogus ? medallions so I removed them and installed a set of old Smith medallions that I robbed from a set of busted grips that I bought and darkened them up a bit. Look just fine. I prefer checkered over smooth grips.

[StrawHat]

Here is a Brazilian that I modified more to my tastes. For a while, it was my EDC but has been replaced by other, more modern, ACP revolvers.

Kevin