Darn grips won’t work

[Riomouse911]

A couple of weeks ago I brought home one of the cleanest used 6” S&W Model 66-2’s I’ve ever seen. There is not a scratch or nick on it, the sights are clear and the screws appear untouched. I can assume it was fired a few times years ago, the grips were changed and maybe it was fired a couple of times again...then It was placed in the owners safe until it was put up for auction.

The grips that came on it are the old Pachmayr gripper style, which I immediately replaced with a set of wooden finger-groove grips from Amazon. (Apparently from the same Southeast Asian maker/seller who sells a lot of them on GB) They look great and feel good in my hands.

I fired the gun DA last week and it shot well for about 18 shots...but I realized the DA trigger pull felt a bit wonky compared to my other S&Ws that I had brought. I don’t shoot SA very much with these revolvers (I save that for the Colt Bullseye Gun ) but when I pulled the hammer back slowly the SA started to not function correctly (It would slip after being held for a fraction of a second.)


Looking at the placement of the grip screw holes on these new grips, they appear to make the grip screw sit directly behind the hammer spring. Apparently it’s too close, so when the spring bows as the hammer is pulled back it is interfered with by the grip screw. This appears to be the cause of the SA malfunction, because when I pull the grips off it goes into SA mode without a hitch and the hammer doesn’t slip even when I push on the spur towards the frame.

Clearly the new grips gotta go and the blah old Pachmayr grips go back on until I find some grips that compliment the gun and work with my hands.



I bought two other pairs of these grips, both work just fine on the Model 14 and Model 17 they were installed on. I guess I’ll wait for the Model 48 to be returned from S&W and see if these fit on that gun. If not I’ll send them back.

I think I’ll try the Roper style ones, I think Altamont makes some.



Another modification that looks good to the eye and feels good to the hand, but when put in use it doesn’t work .

Stay safe.

 

[v8stang289]

I wonder if you could file down the threads towards the center of the grip screw to provide enough clearance, or find a screw thats only threaded on the end and has a smaller diameter main shaft?

 

[Alaskan Ironworker]

Maybe you could inlay something into the wood grips that would cover the old hole and drill a new hole in the inlay?

 

[EMC45]

I actually like those Pach grips. I have a set on a 4in HB model 10 and they feel nice.

 

[ontarget]

Maybe you could inlay something into the wood grips that would cover the old hole and drill a new hole in the inlay?

I'm with Alaskan Ironworker on this if you are handy with a dremel and a drill.
I'm sure you could find an appropriate inlay for such a fine revolver.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Just add them to your box of old grips. I am correct that most shooters have a box of old grips like me, right?

 

[edwardware]

That leaf spring moves forward in use, so the interference must be slight. I'd file the threads off the screw shank and see. . .

 

[UncleEd]

OP, do you have any spring kits? If so
perhaps try a different flat spring, one
that doesn't curve as much.

Or back off the strain screw a turn or
turn and a half and see if that alleviates
the problem. (Some will immediately
counsel not to, never, back out the
strain screw a tad.)

 

[chicharrones]

I wonder if you could file down the threads towards the center of the grip screw to provide enough clearance, or find a screw thats only threaded on the end and has a smaller diameter main shaft?

That leaf spring moves forward in use, so the interference must be slight. I'd file the threads off the screw shank and see. . .

I'd be doing the same thing.

 

[Pat Riot]

Personally, I would find other grips. With my luck things would work just fine after I modified the screw then somehow, some way that mod would come back to bite me.

I have those Pachmayrs on my models 19 and 17. They are ugly but they work so well.

Sorry to hear those grips are a problem, Riomouse911.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

You werent lying, that thing is clean!

 

[Riomouse911]

I wonder if you could file down the threads towards the center of the grip screw to provide enough clearance, or find a screw thats only threaded on the end and has a smaller diameter main shaft?

The screw for the Pachmayr grips are like that, fatter on each end and narrow in the middle like a weight-room dumbbell.

The brass screw on these grips is really thin from the get go. Even if it’s just a tiny bit of material I’m going to see if they fit the 48 before I start thinning them out more.

OP, do you have any spring kits? If so
perhaps try a different flat spring, one
that doesn't curve as much.

Or back off the strain screw a turn or
turn and a half and see if that alleviates
the problem. (Some will immediately
counsel not to, never, back out the
strain screw a tad.)

Those I don’t have, but it’ll be something I’m ordering soon for my aging fleet of K frames.

Stay safe.

 

[Riomouse911]

OK, I figured it out! (Mods if you want to move to gunsmithing/repairs I fully understand!)

The Dremel idea looked like it could be an issue solver, so I traced the arc of the mainspring on both sides. I did see a spot or two where the wood was a tiny bit proud and appeared to be touching the spring, so I pulled out a barrel-sanding bit and went to work.



After sanding out a channel on each grip to clear the spring I put one half on the grip frame to check the action. The hammer still wouldn’t stay back.



I then looked at the top of the grip as I held the hammer back and saw the issue; the top of the wooden grip was a tiny fraction of an inch too tall and was juuuuust touching the underside of the .500” target hammer spur this revolver has. (My other K frames that wear the other grips I ordered, a Model 14 and 17, both have the .375” hammer spur.)

I took the panels off, screwed them together so they wouldn’t shift and used a pad sander held in my vise to shape the top of the grip to clear the spur. A touch up with sandpaper and I got a perfect fit.



I never would’ve thought about bringing out the Dremel. Once this didn’t solve it, then taking a close look at the entire grip for fit and finding the problem. The suggestions you guys made helped me solve the issue and saved me from needlessly buying another set of grips. Thanks a bunch!

Stay safe.

 

[doubleh]

Fill the screw holes with epoxy. Re-drill the holes slightly to the rear. No one will ever notice but you.

 

[Bill M.]

Or trash them and order a set of Hogue wooden grips that use the u shaped adaptor.

 

[whughett]

Nice solution OP. I’d still prefer the functionality of those Pachmayrs of the flash of the wooden ones. , those wooden ones are prettier though.

 

[bannockburn]

Riomouse911

Way to go! I really like it when folks here can find a relatively easy fix for a gun problem they're having!

 

[Jonesy814]

A buddy of mine had the same problem when he put a set of Thai grips on his model 19 which has a target hammer. In his case the hammer wouldn't lock back in the cocked position at all and it only took a minute to figure out why. Yep, hammer spur hit his grips. A little sanding and all was good

 

[SwampWolf]

I am correct that most shooters have a box of old grips like me, right?

I keep my extra grips in the grip drawer; the one on top of the holster drawer.

 

[Pat Riot]

Glad you figured it out.

 

[DT Guy]

I keep my extra grips in a drawer; the one on top of the holster drawer.

All your extra holsters fit in a drawer?



Larry

 

[Riomouse911]

All your extra holsters fit in a drawer?



Larry

Mine are in an apple box...and a Tupperware bin... and a closet cabinet drawer... and...

 

[hemiram]

I've had to "adjust" a lot of wooden grips over the years with files, sandpaper, and the dremel. I would have redrilled the screw hole and that would be that. I have a pair of N-frame grips right now that are way off and won't come together well at all due to them being too thick and warped. I got them cheap, and I'm going to probably mark the high spots and start sanding. If they ever fit, they will look very nice on one of my 28-2's.

 

[wiscoaster]

I have the Roper grips from Altamont on my 66 and I just love 'em.