44 flattop with stags

[nrobe50]

gun broker 183941812 hope they are Ruger grips. what do the experts think? I would have put the link from gunbroker on but don't know how to do that

 

[Chance]

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... =183941812

No expert here but they look like they could very well be the real deal from the medalion position. One thing for sure is you got a very, VERY nice gun.

Congrats

 

[HAWKEYE#28]

For that money, it was worth the chance.........Go to GunBlast and see bill Hamm's tutorial on Ruger XR3 grip panels........... 8)

 

[T.A. WORKMAN]

Nice Package!! Hope that those Stags pan out for you, I like
them!! I have read about everything I could find on Stags and
listened to what all the experts say and I still don't know what
I'm looking at!! :wink:.
Terry

 

[flatgate]

Well, I'm gonna vote "non-Factory" grips. Medallions aren't placed all that well and close inspection of the images shows the medallions being "proud".

I'd like to see the inner sides of both grips, as well.......

JMHO,

flatgate

 

[seeemmiss]

I'd like to see the inner sides of both grips, as well.......

JMHO,

flatgate

There is a picture of the inner sides on the gunbroker link

 

[nrobe50]

This picture is from Gunblast. The medallion does not seem to be centered very well on this stag either.

 

[rugerfan100]

I believe that you will not see the medallions perfectly centered all the time. I have seen some Ruger jobs that have surprised me - old and new right from Ruger. Positioning of the medallion is not really the tell-tale sign. IMO.

 

[contender]

The first thing I saw was the apparently polished out recess area around the medallion. Almost as if they tried to make the upper part of the stags flater to allow drilling the medallion hole easier. My judgement is VERY amatuer as I do not own any examples of factory stags,, and only comes from studying many examples in person,, and in pics. As Flatgate noted,, the backs can often give us clues as well.
Still a NICE gun with a NICE set of stags.

 

[flatgate]

The first thing I saw was the apparently polished out recess area around the medallion. Almost as if they tried to make the upper part of the stags flater to allow drilling the medallion hole easier.

That feature is usually associated with "good" grips, IMHO. I don't believe the goal was much flatter as it was thinner so the medallion studs were long enough to be crimped.

As far as medallion placement goes, my "old school" way of thinking may be passe' and these grips may just be the Real Deal.

flatgate

 

[Snake45]

Great pics, thanks for sharing! :wink:

 

[deserttrans]

Very educational...thanks.

 

[contender]

I have seen them flattened out,, just not quite as pronounced as those appear. I do hope they are "right" as they do look good!

 

[chet15]

Heck...aren't all of them right??? :twisted:
The are so many opinions of what's right and what isn't right, why not call all of them factory??
Chet15 (being a little sarcastic here)

 

[seeemmiss]

I believe all the ones I am trying to sell are factory but all the ones I am trying to buy are not. if I could only get teh sellers to agree to this. hahaha

 

[chet15]

Yup...the thoughts on this subject can go on and on.
I know what I would purchase and I know what I won't, but convincing the next guy is next to impossible.
So...they might as well all be worth $500+
Chet15

 

[AKGrouch]

To my old, but somewhat amateur eyes, they look like original Ruger stags, but not original to that gun from looking at the gunbrokers link pics. Look at the fit on the bottom of the grip frame and the grips. Still, all in all, I wouldn't mind having that one as a mate to the one I do have.... 8)

 

[flatgate]

To my old, but somewhat amateur eyes, they look like original Ruger stags, but not original to that gun from looking at the gunbrokers link pics. Look at the fit on the bottom of the grip frame and the grips. Still, all in all, I wouldn't mind having that one as a mate to the one I do have.... 8)

I don't believe you'll ever get a Letter stating a Ruger was shipped with fitted stag or ivory grips*. The grips were made by suppliers to Ruger's specs. They were not fitted to the individual guns but were likely fitted to a "generic" grip frame by the suppliers.

Medallions? Several opinions exist. One is that the Medallions were installed at the Ruger Factory however there also exists strong evidence that the Medallions were installed by the suppliers.

I wish I had the answers but I don't......... :roll:

flatgate

* Unless the gun was a special presentation piece or one ordered by one of WBR's close friends. Case In Point, BKH-3 s/n 100.

 

[REP1954]

nrobe, whatever the case about the grips the fact is the whole thing is one nice package that I would be proud to own. It would be a great feeling to take a whitetail with your new revolver.

 

[chet15]

Medallions? Several opinions exist. One is that the Medallions were installed at the Ruger Factory however there also exists strong evidence that the Medallions were installed by the suppliers.

Well, I believe the finite answer is out there (surprising how many...do I dare say MOST... do not want to believe a factory engineer who WAS there). Just need to see one of those invoices for stag or ivory, to see if that invoice says "medallions installed". Many of you guys know who has access to these :roll:
The first invoice for six pair of ivory says "medallions installed" and each of those six pair were fitted to the letter prototype Single-Sixes, and remain fitted to those guns to this day.
But I'll bet a lifetime membership to RENE that none of the other invoices have those magic words "MEDALLIONS INSTALLED". Anybody willing to put up on that bet???
Be the first to post a copy of such an invoice here!
To me, conversations with the engineer who built the tool to install those medallions is proof enough for me...and backed up by another employee's conversations with a collector decades ago (reportedly the man who did the installing! Remember...these two quotes from two Ruger employees, one high up on the chain and one getting a regular wage, occurred decades apart...coincidence??? It is to me).
Show me an invoice and then maybe I'll believe that side of things. My RENE lifetime membership stands to the first to do so.
Chet15