Horn Grip Question

[Rainman]

I picked up these horn grips today at a gunshow. After a little minor fitting on one side, they matched up nicely on my 38-40 Vaquero.

My question is how durable are horn grips? I'm careful with all my guns but this is my first experience with them and was wondering if I needed to take any special precaution using them.

Sorry for the less-than-perfect pictures. The Vaquero is polished stainless.

Dan

 

[cellar701]

Dan, they look nice! But, they look like some type of horn rather than bone?? I have some custom horn grips on a .45 Blackhawk and they have held up pretty well. However, I have not used them hard, which may be your question. Like the other natural grip materials, just need to use them and not abuse them and any use marks will just add to the character over time IMHO.

 

[Rainman]

cellar701:
My age is showing! I was thinking horn as I typed bone. Thanks for the correction.

Anyone have any idea as to what kind of horn they could me? The maker's marks on the backs are just numbers and a price. No idea as to who made them.

Dan

 

[bedrockfred]

nice grips! look like cow, bull,steer?what ever. i have some for my browning hi power, but when they were left off the gun, in the box they warped so much i cant use them! your material is much thicker and should be fine left on the gun. when you store them you might want to wrap them together with rubberbands? horn is strong stuff! maybe not as stag, but not like mother of pearl

 

[toysoldier]

I can tell you that some sort of critter chewed up a couple of powder horns I had in storage. Looked kinda like bug trails. I'd keep the pistol in something bugproof.

 

[dlhredfoxx]

Those are really nice looking rainman, me likey!

 

[georgem]

When I was defending our country from communist insurgents in Asia, I traded a carton of Salem Cigarettes (~$3.00) for a knife (big) with buffalo horn grips. Put it up in a poker game for $10.00. Lost to a higher straight in 7 card stud. George M.

 

[caryc]

They look like sheep horn to me. Might also be musk ox. Sometimes you can find buffalo horn in that lighter shade also. Just wipe them down with a little mineral oil once in a while and they'll be fine. Just don't be tacking up any wanted posters outside the sheriffs office with them.

 

[CraigC]

They look like horn to me too, not bone. Bone wouldn't take a fine polish like that. Horn tends to be pretty durable, because the critters they come off of usually use them for fighting. For some reason folks think ivory is fragile but 10,000lb elephants use their tusks for fighting and pushing over trees. My only complaint about horn like that is that they are very slick when it's hot and your hands are sweating.

 

[caryc]

That is horn material, definitely not bone. No bone material has that translucent look.

 

[Rainman]

Thanks guys for all the responses. They are a really pretty greenish shade and look good against the polished stainless. I figured for $50 for a pair of new horn grips they were a pretty good bargain. I wondered all the way home if they would fit for that price, Suprisingly they did.

Dan

 

[caryc]

When I said wipe them down with a little mineral oil, I meant front and back.

 

[Major T]

That little critter that ate your powder horn is indeed a horn beetle. I have some of their tracks in a knife grip and in a shotgun butt plate made of horn, not plastic. No idea where they came from, but we see their work on skulls w/horns on ranches. They are black and just about circular, the same width as the trail they leave. I actually caught them in the act on the knife. Rub a little Off on them from time to time. jack

 

[Bob Wright]

That has to be one of the toughest challenges in photography, taking a photo pf horn grips on a stainless revolver!

Bob Wright

 

[Ranger Marlin Ruger]

I have Eagle Buffalo horn grips on both my .45 Blackhawks I use for Cowboy Action Shooting. I have had them on the guns for the last 5 years and normally shoot at least 600 rounds a year through each (practice and matches) of cowboy loads and a few hunting loads in one of them I care with me in the field. I have had no problem what so ever with them. The last couple years it has probable been more than that.

Just make sure not to overtighten the screw. I have a piece of a Bic pen I cut to space between the grips to help keep them snug without being overtight.

 

[agjones]

they sure look like sheep horn to me, very nice.AGJ