Some new Colts...grip suggestions

[ArkieVol]

I picked up the one at the bottom last month and got the other two as a pair with consecutive serial numbers this week. I was not impressed with the case coloring on the pair, a little bland, more like a subdued camo. I’ll defer a decision on grips for them until later. I think I’m spoiled by the awesome case coloring on my Standard Mfg, Co. SA 45. (see below)

The bottom one has much better case coloring and I’m thinking a nice one piece ram’s horn grip would look nice. Anyone have any other grip suggestions? How do y’all feel about grip medallions? Yes? No? Gold? Silver?
Jack

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

To tell you the truth, I have always been happy with the standard grips. Never felt the need to change them.

A pair of 2nd Gens.






Another pair of 2nd Gens.






A 1st Gen Bisley






Another 1st Gen Bisley

 

[bannockburn]

Jack

I have always been partial to the look of Ivory though I'm also very fond of Stag as well. I would try Nutmeg Sports and Sack Peterson for custom grips for your Colt and Standard Manufacturing single actions.

 

[Dudemeister]

Wood, Ivory, bone, either way, I've always been partial of one piece grips.

Some laser engraved grips look really nice. Altamont grip company makes some nice ones, although they do not make single pieces grips.
https://www.altamontco.com/pistol-grips/colt/single-action/

Classic Single Action has a lot of single piece grips with various profiles and inlays, rare woods, etc.
https://classicsingleaction.com/

 

[ArkieVol]

bannochburn
“I have always been partial to the look of Ivory though I'm also very fond of Stag as well. I would try Nutmeg Sports and Sack Peterson for custom grips for your Colt and Standard Manufacturing single actions.”

I’ve had several grips in ram’s horn and giraffe bone made by Miss Emily at Nutmeg and she does beautiful work. I’m about ready to call her to see if she can do some more ram’s horn similar to the ones below but I wanted to shop around first to consider other options. Unfortunately, Colt SAA grips require fitting and grips from makers like Altamont, etc. will, unlike S&W, probably require fitting that I am unable to do. I don’t think Standard sells grips alone but I’m about to find out what their faux ivories are like. I just ordered a 44-40 with them and should have it in about 5-6 weeks.

I looked up Sack Peterson and will investigate further…looks interesting.

From Nutmeg...

From Nutmeg...

Dudemeister
Wood, Ivory, bone, either way, I've always been partial of one piece grips.
Me too!

 

[CraigC]

Grips are highly subjective and you have a ton of options. As you said, they will have to be fitted. If I have to ship a gun for grips, I'm not gonna skimp on material. Rams horn has kinda become the new ivory. Though it's even tougher to get Dall and bighorn sheep than elephant tusk. I generally prefer "white" grips on "white" guns but blued can go either way.

There's ivory or a good substitute. Nutmeg ivory on a USFA:



TruIvory on a pair of Cimarrons, it's a shame BarS went out of business.



Sack Peterson elk antler on a Ruger.



Walnut is always nice, factory upgrade on a USFA 12/22.



Fancy walnut on a Colt .38-40 by Tom Sargis.



Dall sheep tends to be a light and creamy color and can have pink or red streaking. These are by Rob Rowen.





Bighorn is highly variable and usually has a lot of darker brown and/or black streaking. Also from Rowen.

 

[ArkieVol]

Hi Craig,

A great variety of top of the line grips! Thanks for sharing and glad to meet another 44 Special fan,

The bighorn grips on your Freedom Arms is exactly what I have in mind.

Ivory from Nutmeg


Walnut from Standard Mfg.

Jack

 

[Dudemeister]

Grips are highly subjective and you have a ton of options. As you said, they will have to be fitted. If I have to ship a gun for grips, I'm not gonna skimp on material. Rams horn has kinda become the new ivory. Though it's even tougher to get Dall and bighorn sheep than elephant tusk. I generally prefer "white" grips on "white" guns but blued can go either way.

There's ivory or a good substitute. Nutmeg ivory on a USFA:

View attachment 924000

The case coloring on the USFA is absolutely gorgeous. The rest of them also leave me wanting... Do you ever shoot these? They look pristine, can't even see cylinder drag marks (except on the Ruger).

I'm envious.

 

[CraigC]

I much prefer the Turnbull/USFA case colors over the more muted Colt colors. I shoot them all but tend to take pictures when they're new and then never again. If you zero in on the first USFA, you can see wear where the bolt drops into the leede. The 12/22 has been shot A LOT.

The bighorn grips on your Freedom Arms is exactly what I have in mind.

There's a picture of an engraved SAA in one of Taffin's books with bighorn sheep grips on it. I've always drooled over it.

 

[Dudemeister]

I much prefer the Turnbull/USFA case colors over the more muted Colt colors.

I have a Cimarron Thunderball that has pretty rich case coloring, although I've heard that on most of Italian replicas that is some sort of chemical process rather than the traditional bone charcoal process. But it looks nice nonetheless. The blueing though is very fragile.

 

[CraigC]

Uberti has been doing great with their case colors over the past few years.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Go to your local feed store -- North Arkansas Farm Supply in Mountain View, Arkansas, is a good one. Most feed stores sell dog bones -- BIG dog bones, from big steers. You can make beautiful and highly unusual grips out of these. Mike Venturino, the gun writer, has a set of grips made from a bison thigh bone that is quite impressive,

 

[ArkieVol]

"There's a picture of an engraved SAA in one of Taffin's books with bighorn sheep grips on it. I've always drooled over it."

Big Bore Handguns page 40?

There's another one in his Readers Digest Book of the 44 page 105. Bighorn grips on a USFA Russian/S&W Special 44. That's the one that sparked my search.

I found this 3rd gen SAA so stamped a few years ago.

 

[CraigC]

Big Bore Handguns page 40?

That's the one. I think there's a color photo of it in Big Bore Sixguns. Can't find my Book of the .44. It's somewhere in a stack of stuff I was reading recently.[/QUOTE]

 

[Sneakshot92]

Howdy

To tell you the truth, I have always been happy with the standard grips. Never felt the need to change them.

A pair of 2nd Gens.

View attachment 923129




Another pair of 2nd Gens.

View attachment 923130




A 1st Gen Bisley

View attachment 923131




Another 1st Gen Bisley

View attachment 923132

Those first gen Bisleys.

 

[Paul7]

I prefer the black grips, to me wood makes them look like an Italian clone.

 

[Dudemeister]

I prefer the black grips, to me wood makes them look like an Italian clone.

The original grips for the SAA when it was first introduced were one piece walnut. Those are the same grips that Colt used for their Army contract. The 2 piece gutta-percha grips with the eagles did not start until 1880 or 81, and those were replaced by rubber grips with a rampart colt in the early 1890's.

So Italian clones are closer to the original SAA than you think.

Here is a link to a 1873 cavalry gun on one of the collectable auction places
https://www.icollector.com/First-Ye...ted-Colt-Model-1873-Cavalry-Revolve_i15827535

 

[Paul7]

The original grips for the SAA when it was first introduced were one piece walnut. Those are the same grips that Colt used for their Army contract. The 2 piece gutta-percha grips with the eagles did not start until 1880 or 81, and those were replaced by rubber grips with a rampart colt in the early 1890's.

So Italian clones are closer to the original SAA than you think.

Here is a link to a 1873 cavalry gun on one of the collectable auction places
https://www.icollector.com/First-Ye...ted-Colt-Model-1873-Cavalry-Revolve_i15827535

View attachment 924410

True, I am aware of that, but that's 140 years of non-wood Colt grips.

 

[CraigC]

Lots of Colt SAA's of the last 50yrs have had walnut grips. The New Frontier came with nothing but walnut.

 

[Paul7]

Lots of Colt SAA's of the last 50yrs have had walnut grips. The New Frontier came with nothing but walnut.

Their adjustable sights didn't exactly make for that vintage look.