Round butt vs square butt... What's the diff?

[VanGoghComplex]

I've seen many grips called round butt, and many called square butt. All of them look round in some fashion, and none look square. Well, Ruger SP-101s are kinda square. Is round/square a function of the revolver's grip frame? Or is it just a description of the shape of the grip? Will a Hogue 686 "round butt" grip and a "square butt" grip both go on the same revolver? Or are there "round butt" and "square butt" revolvers out there?

I feel like the butt of someone's joke for not getting this.

 

[il.bill]

S&W Examples

two illustrations -

 

[owlhoot]

The designation is based on the grip frame shape. The round butt is shorter and rounded in order to facilitate concealment when the gun is carried. Round butts are most often found on smaller revolvers although these smaller revolvers are or have been available with the square grip though rarely preferred. Conversely, medium and large frame revolvers almost always have square grips but can be found with round butts.

Grips can be purchased that will give a round butt revolver the feel of the larger square butt, but while you can make smaller larger, you can't make larger smaller.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Older Smiths had both round and square butts. Usually short barrels were round and longer square. Since about 1995 all of them are round....I have 686's with both round and square.

 

[rondog]

Personally, round butt for carry/concealment, square butt for target shooting. Just works better for my big ape paws.

 

[gamestalker]

I've accidentally ordered square butt grips for one of my K frames that has a round butt, and I can tell you for certain, they don't fit a round butt revolver. Now some are made so you can sort of convert your square butt revolver to a round butt, or is it the other way around?

GS

 

[Radagast]

Current S&Ws use a round butt and round to square butt conversion grips when a square butt is needed. This method was originally used with the .32 Regulation Police back in 1917, so the idea is quite old.

 

[RugRev]

In some cases there are 2 aspects to the round vs. square butt. One as noted above is the shape of the grip frame on revolvers with grip frames. The second is the shape of the grip. On some revolvers such as Dan Wesson and Ruger that have studs and not grip frames grips have been offered in both round and square butt. In fact I have both configurations for some of my Rugers (SP101 and GP100). Also, as noted above grips have been offered to convert some of the S&W revolvers with a round butt to square butt configuration and I had both round butt and round to square conversions for a 686 I had.

 

[PJSprog]

Don't feel bad VGC, it can definitely be confusing. When I bought my 686 back in the '80s, I also had no idea there were different frame/grip shapes. I was furious when I couldn't find a Pachmayr grip to fit it. Tried three and none worked. It was only years later that I learned I was trying to put round butt grips on a square butt frame. D'oh!

 

[jad0110]

Now some are made so you can sort of convert your square butt revolver to a round butt, or is it the other way around?

Its the other way around. In that regard, round butt frames are more versatile as you can use compact round butt stocks or you can install round-to-square conversions, like those pictured on my 686 below from Ahrends. Note the point where the backstrap curves inward behind the conversion stock.

 

[Bama Drifter]

Didn't Smith put round but on 2.5" 19s, and square but on 4" & longer 19s?

 

[MCgunner]

Meh, my favorite frame/butt design is Ruger's. It allows for a MUCH bigger variety of grip shapes.

 

[Gun Master]

Round or Square Butt ? Your Choice !

Whatever fits your needs. I have both for such.
Mostly round for CC, and square for control. There are exceptions.
It's not an either or decision. It's what you need for each individual situation.
My answer is " Round / Square " .

 

[Elm Creek Smith]

I have two "square butt" revolvers, a 1977 S&W Model 10-5 and a 1982 S&W Model 681, and...several..."round butt" revolvers. I put Crimson Trace square butt grips on the 681 and promptly lost it to my wife. (Yeah, my wife's idea of a "ladies gun" is a medium/large frame service revolver with a 4 inch barrel in .357 Magnum. ) My duty revolver is a 4 inch S&W Model 686 round butt with the round butt Hogues replacing the conversion Hogue grips. My primary personal revolver is a 3 inch S&W Model 13 round butt, and my "always" gun is a snub S&W Model 37 round butt with buffalo horn magnas and grip adapter.

I find with the round butt grips that I have better control of recoil and can shoot faster and more accurately. YMMV.

 

[The Alaskan]

In response to McGunner's illustration and post (without reposting the illustration), I've been tossing around that grip design for a while now. It's easier to find and buy those guns, as they're current production, but the biggest thing I don't like about them is apparent inability to add a lanyard loop.

Guns with traditional grip frames (square ones, at least), such as the Security Six and the standard Redhawk, can be easily drilled and tapped or pinned for a lanyard loop. Those post type grips, such as the GP100 and Super Redhawak-I just don't see how you could do it because the grip fully covers/conceals the post.

Any thoughts on that?

 

[RugRev]

On the Rugers with grip studs IF one is using Hogue grips one could replace the retaining screw on the bottom of the grip with a a lanyard ring type screw. I think Hogue or someone offers these.

 

[MCgunner]

I never saw a reason for a lanyard since I don't ride in horse cavalry, but I do understand how it might be a handy thing to have in big, mean bear country. And, yes, I think it could be easily done with a Hogue grip which mounts at the bottom with a stirrup around the grip frame. Might have to fashion the loop and would probably need a slightly longer screw, but it could be easily done.

BTW, my favorite grips are Hogues.

 

[lemaymiami]

As a guy who used to carry revolvers on duty for many years (until we were finally authorized to carry autos in the early eighties...) there are several things about that old square vs. round butt deal.... at least as far as Smiths were concerned (and the illustration in post #2 is very accurate). All of the info so far provided has been valid/correct but most aren't aware that there was always a gray area as for what models had round butts available and which were "square butt" only (I'm only tallking about K frame pieces not the smaller J frame five shot models...). I carried both styles - a model 10 heavy barrel with square butt that I was issued the last week of 1973 (and still have since I was able to purchase it when I retired out of police work in 1995...), and two different model 64's one in square butt (a 4" heavy barrel) and a round butt in 2". You could also, if I remember correctly, special order a 3" in round butt...
Like I said, some overlap. For those not familiar with them -the 64's were the stainless version of the model 10.... a very durable street weapon with fixed rear sights (nothing to get knocked out of alignment for a young cop who occasionally came home with his uniform in rags....) even when you tore up your duty gear and occasionally had to go looking for your sidearm down some bad place or other after it fell out of the holster in a struggle.... Their very simplicity meant that you used them instinctively - and for me the round butt was my first choice in a six shot revolver.

The thing about the round butt in the larger K frame weapons was that it was not only easier to carry concealed - for some of us it really fit our hands much, much better.... I long ago sold off my 64's to finance other weapons purchases but their utility still remains in my memory. Remember for most of us, we lived with our weapons 24-7 but might have only fired a shot or two in over twenty years time on the street where it counted....

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Traditional K frame Square Grip shape with Magna grips.





Traditional K frame Round Grip Shape with old fashioned hard rubber grips. Modern wooden grips would fit the same way.





M frame .22/32 Heavy Frame Target revolver from 1923. The gun is very small, so the grips are larger than the grip frame. The wood is inletted to accept the shape of the grip frame.







View from the rear, where the metal grip frame 'disappears' into the grips.





This style of grip was patented in 1917.





One of the unusual Smiths where the Serial Number was not stamped on the bottom of the butt.






Here is the way Smith and Wesson does it today. This is a brand, spanky new L frame Model 686-6





Here is what the Round Grip frame looks like inside the oversized rubber grip.

 

[Confederate]

I've always wondered why the top revolver makers didn't offer their 4-inch and smaller barreled guns in round-butt configuration. I have some round-butt grips for the Ruger Speed-Six that I've used to convert my Security-Sixes. They're fantastic, but I'm not a fan of using them on longer barreled guns like the 6-inchers.





My 4-inch and 2.75-inch Rugers feel great with round-butt Pachmayr Compacs;
but I prefer the factory grips for my 6-inch Security-Six.