How to pick grips for a two-tone gun?

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Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
1,024
Location
Vinita, OK
My .44 Special conversion is back home now. It was an OM .357 Magnum. The gunsmith bored out the cylinder for .44 Special. I found a NM .44 Magnum barrel on this forum and bought it. The gunsmith turned the barrel down in a lathe to reduce the diameter just a bit and to remove the warnings.

The barrel length ended up being kind of "in the middle." We talked about 4 5/8ths and also 5.5". Once it was all done and installed, it ended up about 1/16th of an inch under 5". It has a Belt Mountain #5 base pin installed. A steel ERH. And a taller front sight.

The grip frame was where I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I had basically blown my budget at that point and couldn't afford another $200 to go all steel. So we wanted to just use the original alloy GF. The gunsmith reblued everything else and it looks nice. We finally decided to just do as some here suggested: bead blast it and leave it bare. And so I have a two-tone gun. Which I think looks nice and distinctive but now it has me baffled for custom grip selection!

Something like six months ago I bought a set of stag grips from William Jennings for one of my 1911's. I was very pleased with them. So I started thinking about ordering another set but for a Ruger this time. Actually my first plan was to order a set that would fit the 50th Anniversary Blackhawks. Since I have a .357 and a .44 M on hand with a .44 S inbound, that would give me three guns to try them out on. And I think light colored grips like that would be very nice on an all blued gun. But I mentioned my OM conversion Ruger to Mr. Jennings and he sent some sample photos of what he had in that size. And I see a set I like.

But my question is what will that end up looking like? The bead blasted GF is sort of a dull gray. Right now it has the old Ruger wood grips on it and they seem to look OK. I guess what I'm asking is if anybody else has a photo of stag grips on a gun that is finished like mine? Or any ideas for grips that others have tried on that style of gun?

No, I'm not going to post any photos yet! I'm trying to wait until the gun is actually totally finished before I show it off! And I would like such a public unveiling to actually be sort of a review as well with some targets for record. I've only plinked with it a bit at this point. My first thought on shooting it is that maybe the higher front sight was a mistake. It gives me lots of room to file it down but it shoots quite low right now. I adjusted the rear sight upwards into the middle of its range to get it close with a 240 grain reload. I could always go back to the front sight that was on the original or the one on the .44 Magnum barrel. Need to actually settle on what I want my basic load to be so that I can customize the sights to "fit" it.

Gregg
 
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
1,024
Location
Vinita, OK
I like the white ones but I notice your model grip frame is blued! That dull gray is what is giving me pause. Craig has one with a blasted frame and white grip panels but he hard chromed the steel parts of the gun. So it isn't a two-tone like mine.

I'll keep you in mind but there has to be some people with pictures of their two-tone Blackhawks and the custom grips they picked for them!

Gregg
 

contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,142
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
I too have to say that American Holly is a good choice. I've long been a fan of "factory original" grips & guns in my collecting. However,,, my shooters usually don't get much done to them either. However,, the new infernal lock mechanism along with the checkering on the plastic ones caused me to want to change grips on a few of my guns. American Holly is beautiful, and a lot less expensive than real ivory. Just my measly 0.02 worth!
 

Aggie01

Blackhawk
Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Messages
978
Location
Texas (DFW)
It's tricky to pick grips for two tone guns, you can get too much going on with multiple colors real fast.
I have a few two tones.
a couple pics to help you get ideas-
NM flattop 44M with a stainless bisley kit and factory gray laminates
DSCN0737.jpg

OM 357 with a stainless Vaquero gripframe and factory walnut
DSCN0722.jpg

OM 357 with Hogue Ebony on a beadblasted alloy GF
DSCN0716.jpg

.32 Single Six with a New Vaquero gripframe and 357 anniversary factory grips
DSCN0709-1.jpg
 

JWhitmore44

Blackhawk
Joined
Oct 23, 2008
Messages
987
Location
NW Kansas
Ivory or those American Holy look nice on a silver frame and a blued gun combo. Some one has a nice little 32 with the stainless birds head grip, blued gun, and ivory grips.

That being said, I do like that last shot of the two tone with the black grips. How about black Micarta or the black wood grips from Houge (can't think of the wood type. Oh yea, ebony duh :) )?
 

flatgate

Hawkeye
Joined
Jun 18, 2001
Messages
6,784
Location
Star Valley, WY
I went shooting today. One of my guns was a .32 cal. Single-Six with some nice Stags I got from one of my friends. Ouch! The damn stags hurt my hands shooting .32 magnums! :shock:

So, I switched to shooting a Ruger .45 cal. Blackhawk wearing "Factory" walnuts and I was firing 335 grain bullets at 1200 fps. No pain.

So, if you want stags, get the "smooth" style and not something with "bark".

JMHO,

flatgate
 

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