New shoes for the 624

[Gary W. Strange]

Just got these Culina, black and white ebony grips in for my Smith and Wesson 624. I put in an order for a set of these a little over a year ago. I was told up front, it would be a while before they got the wood. It was a long wait, but I am glad I waited. I have always thought b&w ebony was beautiful wood for grips. About 3 weeks ago they sent me a notice they were being made, then, about a week ago they sent me pictures of the finished grips, to approve. Got them in today and put them on. They fit like a glove and look great and feel good in the hand. Now one of my favorite revolvers just got even better.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Wow, beautiful!

Cant believe thats wood and not bone!

 

[sparkyv]

Well-matched set. Very nice!

 

[shoebox1.1]

I’m looking at their website. There’s no pictures or prices. What kinda money do they get for a set of rosewoods i wonder

 

[Gary W. Strange]

I paid $335 for this set. They offer many woods and many different grades. I bought a set of English walnut for a S&W k frame for $145. Not cheap but if you look at what other custom grip makers are charging, Culina is quite a bit cheaper. Below is a picture of my model 18 with the English walnut.

 

[shoebox1.1]

Fancy! Very nice

 

[bannockburn]

Gary W. Strange

Never heard of Culina Grips before but I'm really enjoying what I'm seeing! Love the Ebony/Black and White! Just like NIGHTLORD40K wrote hard to believe they're made from wood and not bone! Certainly well worth the price and the wait!

Love the English Walnut on your Model 18 too!

 

[Gary W. Strange]

Gary W. Strange

Never heard of Culina Grips before but I'm really enjoying what I'm seeing! Love the Ebony/Black and White! Just like NIGHTLORD40K wrote hard to believe they're made from wood and not bone! Certainly well worth the price and the wait!

Love the English Walnut on your Model 18 too!

You should give them a look. If you like wood grips. They do beautiful work. I would put them right up there with any of the custom grip makers out there.

 

[Slamfire]

Pretty grips! Never heard of Culina wood, based on the pictures, I would have thought they were mammoth ivory. Very interesting.

You must have big hands!

 

[Gary W. Strange]

Pretty grips! Never heard of Culina wood, based on the pictures, I would have thought they were mammoth ivory. Very interesting.

You must have big hands!

The grips look extremely big on a 4” revolver, but if you look close, they flare out at the bottom, kinda like a funnel, are thinner through the middle and have a slight palm swell. They feel really good in the hand and are comfortable to shoot with.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Interesting.

I went the other way with my 624.

I took off the original Oversized Target Grips.






I replaced them with standard Magna grips. I only shoot standard 44 Special loads in my 624. It is a big gun and I don't care for the big target grips. I prefer the smaller Magna grips.

 

[Slamfire]

They feel really good in the hand and are comfortable to shoot with.

Comfort/fit is an extremely important criteria for me. As shooting bud Quinn Moore used to say "Do you want to shoot your rifle or make love to it", shooting is what counts, long gun, or handgun.

these Pachmayr clam shells fit my stubby fingers extremely well, they are very comfortable on this K frame 38 Special



but they don't have cushion on the back strap, which I need



So, I installed these on my N frames. They work, a bit long front to back for my hands



I do believe that frames and the grips that fit on them are proportioned based on their appearance, how they look, rather than the size of human hands. Big pistols have big grips for proportionality of appearance. Appearances must be more important in sales than function. Same thing for knives, the smaller the blade, the smaller the handle. As if only dwarves, hobbits, and gnomes use the things. I have found for blades with 3 to 4 inches, folding knives are more comfortable to use because the handles are longer. Knife makers cannot make folding knife handles shorter than the blade!

 

[Riomouse911]

Those are absolutely amazing! Fantastic choice in grips.

Stay safe.

 

[Rodfac]

Beautiful work, Gary...look at the bookend matching on the bottoms of the stocks...perfect matching!

I too, have a penchant for that black and white look...here's a pair of stocks that I made up from poplar horse fencing, spalted from 30 years in KY weather. Poplar can be soft or very hard...the piece I cut these from was hard as wood pecker lips. Best regards, Rod

 

[Gary W. Strange]

Those are beautiful. I have herd b&w ebony called pail moon ebony. I think it is one of the prettiest woods for grips.

 

[Rodfac]

Gary...I do have a piece of black/white ebony...cousin up in NYS gave it to me after making up the grip portion of a recurve bow he was building. It's pretty, but far too narrow to make up into a set of Ruger stocks. I think I can get a set of 1911's out of it...we'll see. Nevertheless, those are some great looking grips on your 624... BTW, that 624's a great gun with a fine bbl. length for daily packing, and in the world's best caliber...long live the .44 Spl! Rod

 

[Rodfac]

Driftwood... I've looked long and hard for a 4" 624 over the years but never found one that didn't require a new mortgage on the farm. I too, find the standard Smith target stocks just too big, and prefer the older Magna's but with a Redfield, Pachmyr or Tyler grip adapter with them. Makes up for a thinner grip than the Target's. Best regards, and PS: I've enjoyed your pics over the years...keep on postin' 'em! We all appreciate good gun P*rn. Rod

 

[Gary W. Strange]

Driftwood... I've looked long and hard for a 4" 624 over the years but never found one that didn't require a new mortgage on the farm. I too, find the standard Smith target stocks just too big, and prefer the older Magna's but with a Redfield, Pachmyr or Tyler grip adapter with them. Makes up for a thinner grip than the Target's. Best regards, and PS: I've enjoyed your pics over the years...keep on postin' 'em! We all appreciate good gun P*rn. Rod

I have watched 624s on gunbroker, off and on. The price is all over the place. There is one on now listed at $1250. It is a new, in the box gun. They are beginning to be fewer and fewer listed. They are not going to get any cheaper as time goes on. At the time I bought mine, I had looked for either a 4" model 24 or 624. The 624 came along at a good price. I own a 4" 629-4. I like it, but there is just something about that tapered barrel. It has a different feel and balance. I love the .44 Special anyway. They are just a different animal than the 629.

 

[StrawHat]

...I replaced them with standard Magna grips. I only shoot standard 44 Special loads in my 624. It is a big gun and I don't care for the big target grips. I prefer the smaller Magna grips.

View attachment 908420

Driftwood,

I, too, prefer magnas on my N frames. I also add a grip adapter to fill in behind the triggerguard.

Kevin

 

[Rodfac]

Beautiful rig, Straw...I can't read the maker's cartouche?? Very nice...'bout as pretty a "BBQ" piece as I could imagine. Ivory stocks? A classic 'old school' set-up for sure. Thx for posting. Rod

 

[StrawHat]

Beautiful rig, Straw...I can't read the maker's cartouche?? Very nice...'bout as pretty a "BBQ" piece as I could imagine. Ivory stocks? A classic 'old school' set-up for sure. Thx for posting. Rod

Thank you. The holster is a copy of the Texas Ranger Sunday holster, this one was done by Josh Ashman. The revolver is a S&W Model 22-4 with smooth elk stocks and a grip adapter. The whole set is my EDC.

Kevin

 

[35 Whelen]

Very nice grips. I like the way they made them match on the bottom.

35W

 

[hemiram]

Very nice grips. Makes me think about a pair for one of my two recently bought vintage 28-2's.

 

[Gary W. Strange]

Very nice grips. Makes me think about a pair for one of my two recently bought vintage 28-2's.

I have bought replacement grips for many of my handguns, over the years. I have a set of ivory for one of my 1911s now and that’s the only bone type I have now. I have tried stag, bone of every type, g10 and other synthetics, but to me there is nothing more pretty than nice wood. Wood gives any firearm a look, like nothing else can. A handgun can be stocked with a very high grade of wood, it would cost way more to stock a rifle with high grade wood. For most, including myself, it is out of reach, except for maybe have a few. One can put high grade wood on most any handgun, for a reasonable amount. I would love to have a set of Keith Brown’s grips, on one of my revolvers, and will at some point, Culina makes grips in about any price range. They have three different grades, signature, signature plus, and exhibition. Even their lower grade grips are very nice and there higher grades are beautiful. I have a set of n frame, round butt finger groves combats on the way. Picture they sent me to approve is below. I have ordered 1911 grips from a company called wood caliber grips. They make 1911 grips in many different woods. I have a set of desert iron wood on a Colt series 70 38 super. They make very pretty grips. Grips are really a personal thing. What appeals to me, my not others. To me rubber or synthetic on a firearm, puts them in about the same category as a good hammer. I have firearms with synthetic stocks and use them when in rough places and it makes sense but there is nothing like being in a stand hunting, and not seeing any game, and being able to admire a beautiful firearm. A firearm is made to shoot, but they are also something to take pride in owning and admire.

 

[Rodfac]

Well said, Gary...we share some thoughts on blued steel and wood! Rod