Ruger Standard

[JohnM]

Anyone know what the grip panels were made of on the pre '71 models?
The original frame.
They're wood and look like ebony, but I haven't been around that stuff for years and can't really tell.
Maybe some other black very hard wood?

 

[C0untZer0]

My standard was made in 64 and the grips remind me of the plastic that bowling balls used to be made of.

 

[JohnM]

That's a possibility. I thought I could see grain under high magnification, but maybe it's milling marks. I don't really want to scrape any off to heat it to find out if it's plastic or wood.
Do yours show signs of wear from handling? These I have do, like from long use.

 

[bannockburn]

I always thought they were made out of some sort of plastic resin. Wikipedia says they were made out of a synthetic rubber called Butaprene.

 

[JohnM]

I don't have much faith in wiki.
But, I had always thought they were some sort of plastic too.
Then I met someone who had worked for Ruger in the 50's and she said they had made some grips of a dark heavy wood, but didn't know what kind.
About 60-61 when I was in HS I worked in a cabinet shop where ebony was used for some jobs. I remember it very hard and tough to work.

 

[C0untZer0]

I know my Ruger was made before they started making bowling balls out of polyurethane (urethane), but it so reminds me of it.

I have a tiny hole at the bottom of one grip that looks like it was melted, I have no idea how it happened - my dad bought the gun in 1964, but it looks like someone took a hot pin and stuck it in the bottom of the grip, I took the grips off to look at the other side of them - it definitely is not wood.

 

[Drail]

I don't think Ruger started putting any kind of wood on them until the early 1980s. I have had 4 or 5 older ones and they were all some type of plastic. But almost everyone who buys one will also buy some nice wood grips at the very next gun show. The original grips will have Ruger part numbers molded into the back side.

 

[C0untZer0]

The number 13 is molded into the backside of my one grip.

 

[Drail]

That's not a good number to have on your gun.

 

[Willie Sutton]

I don't think Ruger started putting any kind of wood on them until the early 1980s.


One that I purchased used in the late 70's has factory walnut stocks, so..... ??


Willie

.

 

[JohnM]

I did the red hot needle trick to a hidden spot on the back side of these, they're some sort of plastic. Solves that question.
This set has no markings, but I'm pretty sure they're OEM Ruger parts.