Terminology: Round Butts and Square

by
posted on December 7, 2011
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
wiley-clapp.jpg

Older revolver catalogs used to list two basic butt shapes for their products—round and square.This actually meant slightly different things in the literature of the two big pre-World War II gunmakers—Colt and S&W.

For Colt users, round butts involved a light rounding of the lower corner of the revolver butt, front and back. Smith & Wesson's use of the term involved rounding the corners and slimming the back strap.

Further, the Springfield product enjoyed a slenderizing of the front strap, so much so that you needed a different length mainspring screw on the two different K-frame guns.

Just thought this might be interesting to a few.

Latest

Springfield New Coas 01
Springfield New Coas 01

Making the A-Cut: Springfield Armory's COA-Ready Operator, TRP & DS Prodigy Pistols

Springfield has already released a COA-ready version of its Echelon earlier this year, and the new models will bring the A-Cut to the company’s hammer-fired handguns, including the 1911 Operator, 1911 TRP and 1911 DS Prodigy.

Skills Check: Snake-Eyes Drill

Our drill this month trains you to form a stable firing platform early enough to gain optimal control before the shot breaks. Timing is of the essence.

A Memorial Day Conversation With Grey Team

Grey Team was founded to help armed services members and veterans with the physiological impacts traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain and more.

42 New Handguns for 2026

Within the entire firearm marketplace, handguns continue to be some of the most popular offerings, and for good reason.

The Armed Citizen® May 25, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

President’s Column | Hope Is Not a Strategy

It was great meeting so many enthusiastic and supportive NRA members at the NRA Annual Meeting in Houston. Your words of encouragement and suggestions are propelling your NRA 2.0 forward.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.