Help with an old set of Colt grips - factory?

[cpirtle]

A neighbor of mine stopped by my shop with an old Colt target 38 last night and wanted to know if I thought the grips were factory.

I don't have a clue so I shot some pic's with my camera phone and thought I'd run them by you all.

They are one piece grips with checkering and have a high beaver tail. They do show signs of someone carving on them to "improve" the grip for their hand but the checkering and ferrule look factory and the amount of wear is consistent with the rest of the pistol.

Any thoughts?

(sorry for the crummy pic's - the Treo has never been known for high quality images)

 

[rcmodel]

I doubt if they are factory.
Most Colt factory wood grips of that era would have had the Rampant Colt medallions in the grips on both sides.

I looked through the big Colt book by Wilson, and also a 1931 Colt catalog and didn't see anything even close to it.

Course, I could be wrong.


rcmodel

 

[Old Fuff]

I don't think they originated with Colt either. Colt did make checkered wood stocks without the trademark medallions, but the checkering was finer, and the grade of walnut was much higher. The style, while practical doesn't match what was usually seen in factory work during the 1920's through 40's.

 

[XavierBreath]

I'm pretty certain they are not factory as well.

During this time period, there were many fine grips available on the aftermarket, and a lot of gun owners seemed to buy and install them for a little more pizzazz. Some of the grips, such as Ropers, are actually more valuable on the present market than the guns they are fitted to!

 

[cpirtle]

Thanks for the info guys.

We tried to take them off but being one piece they would not slide off of the frame easily and I didn't want to damage them, so I could not see if they had any stampings.

I'll let my friend know. While these are a pretty amazing fit for a one piece that was not made on modern milling equipment they are definitely not as nice as those Ropers!

 

[Dienekes]

Definitely not Colt work. Probably something custom from the 30s or 40s, as suggested.

If Gil Hebard Guns is still in business, there might be one of the old-timers around there who might know something. They have been in the target pistol game since at least back in the 1950s and possibly earlier. Revolvers were still big then.