WTB: Grips to fit a S&W Pre-Model 10? (.38 M&P Mod. 1905, 4th Change)

[VariableRecall]

Not too long ago I purchased a S&W K-Frame Pre-Model 10 .38 Special revolver with a Square Butt. It's a real beauty, with most of its bluing still remaining, and apparently all matching. Given its serial number and the Supica Catalogue of S&W's, it's a Model 1905, 4th Change, made from anyhwhere between 1914 to 1942. Basically, they are the latest K-Frames before the Model 10 Victory was a thing.

Unfortunately, its original grips are lost to history, and there's a Pachmayr Gripper in its place. One thing that I had noticed is that even the gripper doesn't seem to fit nearly as well as it could be. Curious, I attempted to install my Model 10-5's grips on the Pre-Model 10, and they simply do not fit.

From what I've heard, grips before the Victory were hand-fit to the revolvers, which is likely going to make finding a replacement tricky.
I'm hoping to get grips that are the shorter, non-Magna kind, about the same size of the military grips with or without S&W Escutcheons.

If you don't happen to have any Pre-Model 10 grips available, perhaps you could point me to where I can find them?
Would simply commissioning custom grips that will fit my Pre-Model 10 exactly be the more economical solution here?

[oscarflytyer]

Try NC Ordnance. But their grips for all my old Smiths and Colts, to shoot, so I don't ruin/break an original. All have fit nearly perfectly. I have a 1905 3rd change (iirc) round butt and their grip for it was perfect.

[VariableRecall]

Try NC Ordnance. But their grips for all my old Smiths and Colts, to shoot, so I don't ruin/break an original. All have fit nearly perfectly. I have a 1905 3rd change (iirc) round butt and their grip for it was perfect.

Thanks for the reference! I'll check them out when I get the chance.

[Outpost75]

I have original WW2-era Victory Model service stocks with the screw.

If you want square butt stocks for the old M&P Hand Ejector frame these are correct fit.



PM me if interested.

[VariableRecall]

I have original WW2-era Victory Model service stocks with the screw.

If you want square butt stocks for the old M&P Hand Ejector frame these are correct fit.



PM me if interested.

I have a pair of service stocks as well that I picked up from a Castboolits member! unfortunately, I tried those too! and they don't fit the Model 1905 either! They are a near perfect fit in my 10-5, though! I'm starting to see why the previous owner of my revolver picked a style of grips that could stretch and squish a bit into place.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Are the grips on the top revolver what you're looking for? Not S&W factory. These came from Altamont.



DG

[varmintpopper]

https://imgur.com/9hrghcz
https://imgur.com/Sm33QVI

These are the Grips Your looking for. Sorry, not for sale.


Good Shooting

Lindy

[VariableRecall]

https://imgur.com/9hrghcz
https://imgur.com/Sm33QVI

These are the Grips Your looking for. Sorry, not for sale.


Good Shooting

Lindy

Yes! That is the era of grip design I'm looking for. Although, I'd rather test a pair of grips in-person so that I can rule out a pair of grips on the spot.

[50target]

I have been fooling with S&Wesson since the early 70's and can tell you that. The pre magna stocks for that Era and later were fit to the grip frame before final finish and reunited at final assembly and were marked with the serial number of the gun most likely first in pencil, later stamped in two lines near the top; then in one line at the bottom of the right grip only. To find a pair from another gun of the same K frame that are a perfect fit, even from the same production run would be a stroke of unimaginable luck. You will find due to minor matching differences, stock pin off by a couple of thousands that you have quite a task ahead of you to find a perfect fit. Better to find a pair that is a little proud, work them down and refinish. May have to open pin hole at bottom of stocks to get alignment better and fill in hole with bedding compound to keep alignment. Be sure to use plenty of release agent on frame.
Good luck with your quest.

[VariableRecall]

I have been fooling with S&Wesson since the early 70's and can tell you that. The pre magna stocks for that Era and later were fit to the grip frame before final finish and reunited at final assembly and were marked with the serial number of the gun most likely first in pencil, later stamped in two lines near the top; then in one line at the bottom of the right grip only. To find a pair from another gun of the same K frame that are a perfect fit, even from the same production run would be a stroke of unimaginable luck. You will find due to minor matching differences, stock pin off by a couple of thousands that you have quite a task ahead of you to find a perfect fit. Better to find a pair that is a little proud, work them down and refinish. May have to open pin hole at bottom of stocks to get alignment better and fill in hole with bedding compound to keep alignment. Be sure to use plenty of release agent on frame.
Good luck with your quest.

Thank you for the advice! I think I may just find a company that does that sort of thing, and get a beautiful pair of grips fit for such a classic. Perhaps I can buy a reproduction pair from NC ordnance and have a gunsmith fit them to the Model 1905?

Funny enough, my Model 10-5's left grip is not its original. The grip features a Silver escutcheon instead of the Gold one on the right side, and the top end of it stands proud, away from the frame, which had attracted lots of lint into the cavity over the years. The right grip is a perfect fit, while the left is just ever so slightly off. Both are a comfortable fit with a T-Grip though!

It really amazes me to find out just how much the early hand ejectors were hand-fit before they were more completely standardized by Wartime production! Finding a Victory model is almost a lost cause these days, but considering my Model 1905's vintage, it could be more than a decade older than one of those!