rintinglen
02-19-2021, 02:59 PM
278032
I recently was reminded why the name on the barrel doesn't always mean that the gun is the same, even though the manufacturer is the same. It can be troublesome when you are looking for grips or other aftermarket parts.
In the first photo, you can see the three generations of D-frame, steel revolvers. The bottom is a 1923 with the long, skinny grip frame made from 1908-1941. The nickeled 1961 gun has the long, wide grip frame made from cerca 1946-1966. (There were no Police positives made During WW II, save perhaps a few hundred assembled in 1944-1945 of left over pre-war frames and parts.) The Dick Special at the top has the short frame that was made from 1966 until the 1990’s. In addition, there is one other grip length found only on the 1956-1963(?) Colt Aluminum frame Agents which was even shorter.
278033
If you have one of the early guns, or the Pencil Barrel Agents, you may have a heck of a time finding hand-filling aftermarket grips. Most of the ones offered for sale only fit the last short frame models. My Agent now wears a set of Eagles that I customized, while my 1924 gun still wears its original black Gutta Percha. If I want better grips for that one, I'll have to make them myself.
I recently was reminded why the name on the barrel doesn't always mean that the gun is the same, even though the manufacturer is the same. It can be troublesome when you are looking for grips or other aftermarket parts.
In the first photo, you can see the three generations of D-frame, steel revolvers. The bottom is a 1923 with the long, skinny grip frame made from 1908-1941. The nickeled 1961 gun has the long, wide grip frame made from cerca 1946-1966. (There were no Police positives made During WW II, save perhaps a few hundred assembled in 1944-1945 of left over pre-war frames and parts.) The Dick Special at the top has the short frame that was made from 1966 until the 1990’s. In addition, there is one other grip length found only on the 1956-1963(?) Colt Aluminum frame Agents which was even shorter.
278033
If you have one of the early guns, or the Pencil Barrel Agents, you may have a heck of a time finding hand-filling aftermarket grips. Most of the ones offered for sale only fit the last short frame models. My Agent now wears a set of Eagles that I customized, while my 1924 gun still wears its original black Gutta Percha. If I want better grips for that one, I'll have to make them myself.