First Ruger Purchase, How much more for Thick Sambar Stag grips on a used gun?

[Dnaltrop]

Ok, the wait is over, Uncle Sam has returned to me what was taken...I Went to the LGS today... and they're closed... (The owner takes random medical days when he has to, I don't begrudge him that one bit. )

Assuming it's still there tomorrow... There is a Consigned Ruger Blackhawk Convertible 45 ACP/Colt. Wear isn't too bad, light line on the Colt cylinder. Action is smooth and the cylinder goes right into position.

Gun is sold, silent when shaken, locks up without too much play, and conveniently there was a NIB one right next to it for side by side comparison. The New one was actually rather noisy when shaken.

I didn't get the SN to run on the Ruger site for age, but I'll check that if the revolver is still there tomorrow. The prior owner was in the back of the LGS talking to the Shop owner, with the seller's son running around the back being helpful. I didn't get a chance to ask if anything had been "done" to the pistol, as I didn't want to interrupt their conversation.

The Used gun however has a VERY thick set of what appear to be Sambar Stag grips... the sort so thick that they've been polished almost completely smooth, rather than retaining the typical stag ridges and patterns.

Looking at similar grips online, (if genuine) the grips new would have been anywhere from $200-300 or more.

As it stands, and my debate tomorrow if the pistol is still in the case.

Are grips of this magnitude enough to warrant a $100 premium on the older used Blackhawk? Or should I get the NIB one? (for a good bit less than the Bud's current price on them, I have an Honest shop)

This will be my first Ruger, and in the sad event that someone else has purchased this one, I''ll be debating ordering in a SBH/Bisley SBH or picking up the much more "rattle-y" Convertible.

Any other Ruger Specific suggestions? I've already run the revolver through most of the Revolver Purchase checklist, ( at least on the Colt Cylinder, I need to check the ACP one)

Wish me luck, and you'll have to camp out in front of the store tomorrow to beat me there.

 

[Coyote3855]

Did you buy it? In my opinion, the grips would add value to me only if the gun was still comfortable to shoot and fit my hand. If not, I might consider selling the grips, but that's a hassle. I had a set of fat stag grips for a 2nd Gen Colt SSA, and gave them away. Didn't work with my small hands.

 

[Dnaltrop]

Yes, the grips fit my hand almost like the Large Palmswell on the M&P.

I normally don't go for any sort of "extras". and tend to avoid non Antique used items that aren't cars that have lost most of their value to the first owner, But the grips are MUCH wider than the standard Ruger ones.

Shop supposedly opens in.... 53 minutes... Hopefully the Owner isn't sick and misses opening his store for the second day in a row...

Ahh the dangers of a Teeny-tiny gun store. Irregular hours, but personal service.

 

[CraigC]

Is it an Old Model or New Model? This can have a huge effect on value. Because they made so few Old Model .45's, fewer than either flat-top, shooter grade .45's go for $600 or more.

Real Sambar stag has gotten to be expensive, since India stopped exporting it. I would say that given the current market, if they look good, are evenly matched between sides and either fit well or can be fitted well, they can easily be worth $300 or more. Pity is, it's often hard to meet those criteria.

 

[Dnaltrop]

Shop is open, Off I go. Lets see if someone else picked it up before I could get back for it.

I could have put it on layaway, but I'm a big believer that if I didn't have the wherewithal to get it on the spot, to the victor go the Spoils.

 

[Dnaltrop]

And here it is...

New model, 4" barrel (It'll do the trick, I'll get a long-barrel one later) Fat beautiful grips, Minor holster wear at the muzzle end, Smooth action. one scratch on the ACP cylinder.

I'll consider the grips as well worth the price difference of a used one, as I'd never splurge on a luxury such as this otherwise.

I'll try to get it out this weekend, see how it shoots.

Now just have to head out to Ted Blocker in Tigard and get my shoulder rig ordered, (and see if they need to make it larger for a 6'5" guy)

http://www.tedblockerholsters.com/product.cfm?pi=5D385CF5-C828-8D11-4C77899B850DD2F9

Yes, that is the shoulder rig ( or the vertical variant) they used at the start of the original "Miami Vice" .

Happy nearly birthday to me




(added Images for 2 friends who wanted to look but are too lazy to join THR. Sign up ya lazy bums!

 

[Dnaltrop]

Just Looked up the S/N on the Ruger site, and the gun Dates to 1987/1988 unless i'm reading this wrong. 47-17xxx

http://www.ruger.com/service/productHistory/RE-NMBhawk45.html

Great plum coloring on the loading gate...

 

[mainmech48]

Just MO, but those grips look and from your description sound, a lot more like the Elk antler items as sold by "Eagle Grips". True "Sambar" stag antlers have been very difficult to obtain for several years now due to an Indian government ban on their trading and export.

The reason I am of this opinion is that I purchased a set of the Eagle items for my little Ruger NM Bearcat in hopes of dressing it up a bit. Lett had gone OoB and the faux ivory item of theirs I originally had in mind were unobtainable from any source I could access.

FWIW, the ones in your photos appear to be a much better fit than what I received. On my Bearcat they're so bulky (approx. 2.5X thicker than the factory wood) that they look ludicrous on it and spoil the "feel" and handling, too. $125 down the drain, hope YMV.

 

[Dnaltrop]

That's what I was thinking originally as well, I'd heard they'd stopped exporting them.

The Gun is 25 or so years old, and the copper-corrosion/Green Patina around the screw was built up heavily enough in the recesses of the hole to imply to my mind that the grips had not been off the gun in many years.

http://www.gunblast.com/Eagle-Stag.htm

The coloration is very close to the ones on Mr Quinn's revolver on Gunblast.

Here are the non-camera-phone-camera-but-where-the-heck-is-my-mini-tripod-ohno-the-2-year-old-broke-it-dangit-I-just-HAD-to-have-a-second-cup-of-coffee-stay-still-darnit Photos of the grips to compare.

What do we think, folks with more experience ?

Genuine Sambars or something else?

Either way I only paid $50 over Bud's price on new ones, and the gun seems to function flawlessly. I'll be carrying target rounds in the glove box while we run around, and If I get within 2 miles of the Range I'll make the kids wait in the car for 3 minutes.

 

[CraigC]

Looks like Sambar to me. Elk is usually a lot lighter in color, in the bark.

 

[mainmech48]

From the new pics, I can see that they're almost certainly not the Elk stuff. The fit is too good, the colors and textures are markedly different and they're much thinner in profile than they appeared to be in the original photos.

Only wish that I'd been able to find something closer to real Sambar for my little Bearcat. Heck, at this point I'd be tickled to find a decent looking pair of plastic fakes. They'd almost certainly fit, look, feel and work better than what I got from Eagle.

 

[Dnaltrop]

Whew... Good to have external confirmation. Thanks folks.

I've always been a Wood man, before finding this one, I was considering finding some/having made Tamboti or Madrone grips to match my walking sticks, but the missus says this gun seems to fit me visually.

A lot moreso than the M&P does at least.