Short update on this particular personal saga ...
I am still waiting for the forcing cone reamer set from Brownells ... but parcel tracking tells me it is in Canada and creeping toward me on the back of a Canada Post Snail ...
The grips I ordered arrived some time ago ... unfortunately, the "RoyalWood" grips are a bit of a disappointment ... they look OK, I guess, but are just a bit too "plasticky" in appearance for my taste ... so I have renewed my backorder with VTI for a set of genuione wood grips. (Can't have too many grips, eh?)
On the other hand, the checkered "ivory-like" grips are quite nice ... a really secure grip in the hand, although a bit too white for my taste as they came. However, several soaks in a strong hot tea bath has made them much more "ivory-like". When not doing my NWMP impression, these will be my "go to" grips, for sure ...
I don't know if I mentioned it previously, but the holster I had altered to NWMP pattern (and which fit my original NWMP Enfield revolver so nicely) is too short for the S&W Russian ... although it fits into the holster quite well, the grip extends back too far, so the flap will not close over it and fasten. Accordingly, I am in the process of making a new NWMP-pattern holster to fit it ...