Colt Custom Grips

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Jim Watson

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A local store got a number of estate guns for consignment sale.
Naturally, an employee got the one of most interest to me, a Colt Trooper ca 1967.
It had unusual grips, with Colt medallions but unlike any factory I have seen.
Any ideas? The checkered panels are raised. IMG_1375.JPG IMG_1376.JPG IMG_1377.JPG
 
Hey I got the same revolver with the same grips mine is a 4 digit # the dealer said those were how they came I asked about em too.
 
Those are not original Colt factory grips. They may be standard factory grips that have been modified.

In 1967 Colt only offered one Target grip and that was the Second Type, also sometimes known as the half-moon or "smiley" grip because of the semi-circular checkering border under the medallions.
Many people think the Second Type were the best looking of the Colt Target grips....

Second Type Colt Target factory grips.
AsAUCgD.jpg

One possible method of determining whether a Colt shipped with Service or Target grips is to check the rear side plate screw.
Revolvers that shipped with Service grips have a round head plate screw.
Revolvers that shipped with Target grips have a flat head screw so the Target grips can fully seat on the sides of the frame.
This is not a guarantee because it's easy to replace a side plate screw.

Note that the above pictured revolver has a round head plate screw.

It's possible these were made from a set of First Type Colt Target grips as used by Colt from 1953 to 1961.
It would be a simple matter to sand off the checkering and open up the lower front strap.

First Type fully checkered Colt Target grips. These were for a Python, indicated by the Gold medallions, All other Colt's of that period had Silver medallions....
8MFGGDj.jpg
 
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