What are these grips...factory or after market ????

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radicalrod

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Got these on an early Single Six a while ago and was told they are "prototypes".....well I didn't pay any extra so that was OK with me...so are they or aren't they....let me know what ya think.....RR.


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Chance

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Saw a set at one of the PHX shows this winter and the guy said the same thing, "they were Ruger prototypes". Maybe I should have grabed them. Think he wanted around 80 bucks.
 
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OK, I dug out a pair of "hard rubber" (black plastic) original XR3's. The "white" ones shown here appear to have been made in the same mold as my black ones. Not saying they were, you understand . . . but they sure look like it.

The four-point staking on the medallions appears to be the same, as well.

A "sample" offering for WBR's approval, perhaps?

:)
 

Ruger1441

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Ruger did make some different colored grips. I have seen two other pair just like them and was told they were original factory grips.
 

radicalrod

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BOB, Thanks for clearing this up :lol: :lol: :lol: soo they ARE FACTORY.....just not the factory we all follow.....did Ruger make their own grips....or contract them out as they did with the wood and others ???
 

bigbore45colt

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Rod,

These look like the repros that NC Ordnance was making a while back. They just took a mold of the originals and started to make them.

I've seen these with both black and silver eagle medallions over the years. All that I have seen had the "bubbles" like your do on the back, from the lower quality molding process that was used to make them.

Just my $0.02

BB45C
 

radicalrod

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Matt, I have seen those myself but the emblems are really cheesy looking copies unlike these that look right with crisp detail....maybe I will dye them black and stash'em with the other extra grips.....RR

Well I just did a little closer examination and the left panel has all the little air holes also has a mold mark of 1....the right panel is smooth like a stock black one with the mold mark 5......just my further observations...looks like old style screw and ferrules.....the medallions look factory.....maybe a latter run to see what the "BOSS" thought.....RR
 

flatgate

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Well, IMHO, the "staking" of the medallions appears like
the grips have "been around the block" a lap or two.....

:roll:

JMHO,
flatgate
 
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well think about it, it they were presentd as "prototype" to the factory ,for evaluation....don;t need to be a 'rocket scientist' to SEE they are a POOR example, so doubt it,but as BigBore said above we too recall sometime back that "someone", may have been NC offered white grips ,in BOTH semi auto as well as the revolver, you had to install the escutcheons and screw, as well as the medallions......E-bay had a bunch of the MKI for sale a year or so ago, and that guy told me he was "pouring" the molds himself, and they were 'cheap"...he even included the outline of the medallion as part of the molded grip panel, all "one piece".........
sorry radical One, those are "nasty" looking.............

those multicolor XR-3 grips that Tom Ruger "looked at & evaluated" ( and turned down) many years ago were in sparkle as well as solid colors as I recall,never had a camera back then to take any pictures,,,,seems Roger Dorsett had them up at Monroeville,Pa.
 

chet15

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The other plastic grips that rugerguy is speaking of were also XR3-RED. They have a large Ruger molded "RUGER" at the bottom and the Ruger eagle logo is also molded. Came in Black, gold metal flake, white with red swirls, red with white swirls and who knows what other colors. Was told Jack Behn would make appearances at the various trade shows and pull a pair or two out of his pocket for collectors. He also had the mold for them, so could make them out of whatever color he wished. But they are still neat collectibles that all have at least something to do with an idea that Ruger worked with about 1976.
Chet15
 

americal

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Neat grips--I would hold on to them :) I have see the ones that are molded --with RUGER boldly at the bottom of the grip. :arrow: black in color.Just when I thought I'd seen everything :)
 

BC Mike

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radicalrod said:
Matt, I have seen those myself but the emblems are really cheesy looking copies unlike these that look right with crisp detail....maybe I will dye them black and stash'em with the other extra grips.....RR

Well I just did a little closer examination and the left panel has all the little air holes also has a mold mark of 1....the right panel is smooth like a stock black one with the mold mark 5......just my further observations...looks like old style screw and ferrules.....the medallions look factory.....maybe a latter run to see what the "BOSS" thought.....RR

Just curious if these have that particular rubbery smell like the black originals after you hold them a while to warm them up.
 

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