Those who have put service grips on their revolvers know that they rarely fit perfectly around the edges right out of the box. They are usually either shy or proud (or both) of the frame, and the reason is that the frames vary slightly from gun to gun. It’s more pronounced on older guns, but even the modern CNC machined frames will show slight variations. This makes it impossible to make “universal” service grips that fit perfectly on every gun.
It appears that Colt solved this by making the panels slightly oversized, then hand fitting them to the gun they were going on. More than likely, the fitting was done before the gun was finished. This is why you often find the serial number of the gun on the back of fitted grip panels, it’s there to make sure the correct panels were installed during the final assembly. You can also see the signs of more or less refined fitting around the edges. Back in the day, it was nicely blended in and near impossible to see, and on later guns the edges have a squared off look without any blending.
We are now using the same approach with our service grips. They are intentionally made to be fitted, so when you install them you’ll see that the panels are slightly proud of the frame. The fitting procedure is very straightforward and it’s a job that can be done on your desk or kitchen table.
The tools needed are very simple: 400 grit sandpaper and a rubber eraser as a sanding block. You may also want a round dowel of some kind. The concave contour right behind the trigger guard can be difficult to block sand, but it’s easy to get to with sandpaper wrapped around a dowel.
This is what the grips can look like before fitting. The square bottom corners of the panels will have to addressed first of all. The frames are usually different in this area, so we leave the corners square so they can be sanded to fit the frame. Also note that the panels are slightly proud of the frame in several places to allow for fitting.
Put masking tape on the front and back straps of the grip frame, and trim the edges with a sharp knife so the tape doesn’t wrap around the edges.
Install the panels and sand the edges until they’re flush with the frame. Use a crisscross pattern perpendicular to the edges, and sand with very little pressure. Use fresh sandpaper, change it as needed and let the sandpaper do the job. Once you’re down to the tape, do the final sanding along the grain to blend in any remaining sanding marks.
It’s difficult to sand through masking tape with 400 grit paper, but you still need to be aware of the risk of scratching the finish. You can put two or three layers of tape on the frame if you feel that you need added protection.
As mentioned above, Colt would often leave the fitted edges square. However, it will look much better if you round them off and blend them in after the fitting is complete. With some careful work, you can remove the signs of the hand fitting completely.
The last step is to touch up the finish. Once you’re happy with the sanding, take the panels off the gun, clean up the back edges and follow up by buffing it with 0000 steel wool or fine Scotch-Brite (like 3M 64660). Then you apply a wet coat of wood oil, for example Minwax Tung Oil Finish which works very well and dries completely overnight. Wait a minute or two for the oil to soak in, reapply on dry spots if needed, then wipe it off thoroughly and rub with a clean piece of cloth. Once it’s completely dry, buff lightly with steel wool or Scoth-Brite and repeat the process. Two coats will usually be enough, and if properly done you will have a finish that blends in perfectly with the rest of the panel.
