Flat top 1958 BKH34 w/Cocabolo grips

[Chinook3]

Acquired pistol with what looked like dirty old grips, no big deal. I started looking a little closer and believe them to be Cocabolo wood. I was expecting walnut. When did Ruger start to use that wood? I thought that was a much later option, not 1958 perhaps I am wrong. I realize they could have been switched but they were made for the XR3 grip frame. Odd or no?

The gun itself appears correct for its 5 digit serial #.—-Thanks

 

[rugerguy]

nice grips and appear to be from that era 44 cal flatop as the grip panels have the indent ( cutout??) at the top rear of each panel like what was used on the 44 mag Blackhawks back then...lots of folks put those on their 357 'flatops' to replace the hard rubber ( plastic) grips of that era.......they would clean up and refinish nice and repaint the medallions you'll be good to go......

 

[Chinook3]

Thank you! Yes, i think they will clean up nicely. They look as old as the pistol. I did not realize that Ruger used that wood that early. A little work and they will be as good as new>

 

[chet15]

Thank you! Yes, i think they will clean up nicely. They look as old as the pistol. I did not realize that Ruger used that wood that early. A little work and they will be as good as new>

With the grain pores like that, you may be correct in that they aren't walnut.
There are a few pair out there of what collectors believe to be rosewood... maybe the same stuff. Ruger's XR3 walnut were made by a company in Italy by the name of SILE. I'm not sure that Ruger intentionally experimented with a few pair of XR3 in rosewood/cocobolo, I've just always thought it much more plausible that a stick of rosewood/cocobolo accidentally got into the mix as they were making Ruger's panels.
Your pair do appear to be early with the flare at the top of each panel, but they are also well used, with no traces of the original varnish on them.
Chet15

 

[Chinook3]

Here they after some soap and water and BLO.
I am not too familiar with rosewood but I do not believe them to be walnut.

The eagles cleaned nicely!

Thank you for the info!!

 

[woodperson]

Well...they look like walnut to me. They look like quarter sawn or edge grain. Not the usual flat grain orientation you usually see. I see them as a nice pair of walnut grips. Hard to be sure on the internet but I do know walnut pretty well.

 

[Ride1949]

Browse by Common Name | The Wood Database

www.wood-database.com

 

[Chinook3]

No need to debate the type of wood. I learned the answer to my question!

Thanks

 

[thedogdidit]

No need to debate the type of wood. I learned the answer to my question!

Thanks

so what is the answer?

 

[6GUNSONLY]

I think they are very pretty and unique. I'd do i refinish on them with a tung oil finish. BTW, a lot of tropical hardwoods get lumped under the "rosewood" moniker.