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

Winchester Super Match 01
Winchester Super Match 01

Competition Ready: Winchester's New Super Match Ammunition

Winchester Ammunition has answered the call of competitive shooters with its new Super Match lineup, comprised of cartridges tailored to perform in a variety of events.

A Brief Beginner's Guide to Buying a Defensive Handgun

After running a gun shop and an indoor range for more than a few years, one American Rifleman contributor has a few tips for those looking to buy their first handgun.

Gun of the Week: Wilson Combat Bulwark

Wilson Combat has long been known for its custom work on 1911-style designs, but the company also develops its own firearms, and one of its latest in-house creations is the new Bulwark.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 4, 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.

NFA Wait Times Continue to Drop

In early 2021, it took the ATF about 280 days to process a Form 4 NFA transfer. In August 2026, using the recently implemented eForms system, that wait time had dropped to only nine days.

Pelican Air Carry-on Case Review

An industry staple just made air travel more convenient.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.