Question about grips

[mill428]

I did a quick search for this and couldn't find a definitive answer, although I will admit I am not the best "searcher". I have two questions that I figured someone here would know.

One: When did Ruger change from the black birds to the silver on the grips of BH's and SBH's?

and Two: When did they change the wood types over the years? I have some that are distinctly walnut and others that are much redder in color (not walnut), while the new wood seems to be a laminate of some kind.

I know the differences in the grip frames themselves but noticed the materials used for the grips were different. I have a few of each kind from used guns I bought over the years and was curious about the changes - what went where.

Craig

 

[flatgate]

The grip medallion change came about in the early 1970's, IIRC. The walnut was dropped in a later time period. I'll guess at late '70's/early '80's. Many of my "reference books" have this info, however I'm up in the living room, next to the wood stove and my books are in the basement........... lazy flatgate ain't moving

 

[andyo5]

deleted

 

[Hondo44]

It's a long list:

1. Red Eagle, two piece medallion, pistols - 1949-1950.
2. Red Eagle, thin one piece medallion, pistols - 1950 - March 1952.
3. Black Eagle, thin medallion, pistols - March 1952-about 1953.
4. Black Eagle, thick medallion, pistols and revolvers (pre-1966 style, skinny feathers), brushed surface, 1953 to 1954 or so.
5. Same, with chromed surface, pistols and revolvers 1954 to mid 1966.
6. Black Eagle, thick feathers - 1966 to 1971.
7. Black eagle, neck feathers - 1966-1967.
8. Silver Eagle, highly polished (also called squashed chickens) 1971 to about early 1975.
9. Silver Eagle, poorly plated (or not plated at all) 1975 to 1976.
10. Silver Eagle, nicely plated (or maybe it’s the raw material used that makes it look good?).
11. Silver Eagle, SR, red background, first used with Ruger's 50th Anniversary .22 pistols (not revolvers) in 1999. Then after 1999 all of Ruger's .22 pistols (not revolvers) were assembled with red background medallions.
12. Silver Eagle, SR, red background, next used with some of Ruger's 50th Anniversary revolvers starting w/the .22 single six in 2003.
13. Silver Eagle, R, black background. New in 2010.
14. Silver Eagle, SR, red background. New in 2010.
15. Current black eagle...used on special Ruger SA models today and very close to the 1966-1971 type Black Eagle medallion. First used with the 50th Anniversary .357 Blackhawk in 2005.

Grip wood is a little more difficult:

Italian walnut to about 1970
American Walnut for about 2 1/2 decades except rosedwood on some special editions
Roughly around the mid to late '90s we started seeing more reddish grips
The last 5 years or so we've seen the laminates in red and black.

I'm sure someone can add more detail to that.

 

[wolfee]

Is the red laminate grip, and GP panels, real rosewood? If so, is it red and dark layers of rosewood or alternated with some other wood?

 

[Hondo44]

Sorry, I don't know. I don't like them and therefore don't have any.

 

[mill428]

Holy cow! I had no idea there were so many variations. I will have to go back and check to see if I can determine which category my extra grips fall into. I know I have some with black eagle medallions but I have nothing older than 1972. Not sure where they would have come from.

Also, are the reddish grips found in the early-mid nineties still considered walnut?

Hondo44, thanks for the extensive list. You definitely went above and beyond on your answer to what I thought was a fairly simple question. I should have known.

Craig

 

[Hondo44]

Craig,
No I don't believe they are still walnut.

I've answered the question about medallions before.
All the best,

 

[caryc]

Is the red laminate grip, and GP panels, real rosewood? If so, is it red and dark layers of rosewood or alternated with some other wood?

I seriously doubt that is rosewood. Since those grips are stabilized, they can use and kind of cheap dyed wood to make those laminated grips. You don't really see any wood grain in those panels. It surprised me to see that Ruger was now using stabilized wood grips.

Stabilizing is not cheap at all. For them to use real rosewood and then pay to have it stabilized would probably not be cost effective at all. Whatever they want to call it though, I commend them on using stabilized material. It definitely makes a tough grip. I think those reddish grips are one of the nicest stock grips Ruger has ever offered.

 

[wolfee]

Mostly, Ruger just says "hardwood". But, I noticed on the Lipseys Bisley (4-5/8 only) the spec sheet says "Rosewood". It looks about like the wood on the GP insert panels I got from Ruger. Here is the link to that one:

http://www.ruger.com/products/newModelBlackhawkDE/specSheets/5236.html

btw, if anyone knows of a source for the old, solid, genuine Ruger Rosewood inserts for a GP long grip, I would appreciate having it. The Brownells customer service rep told me they had the solid wood ones, but what I actually received was a set of laminates.

 

[caryc]

Mostly, Ruger just says "hardwood". But, I noticed on the Lipseys Bisley (4-5/8 only) the spec sheet says "Rosewood". It looks about like the wood on the GP insert panels I got from Ruger. Here is the link to that one:

http://www.ruger.com/products/newModelBlackhawkDE/specSheets/5236.html

btw, if anyone knows of a source for the old, solid, genuine Ruger Rosewood inserts for a GP long grip, I would appreciate having it. The Brownells customer service rep told me they had the solid wood ones, but what I actually received was a set of laminates.

The grips pictured at that link are still laminates. As far as genuine Rosewood, I highly doubt it. Being a grip maker for 9 years has taught me one thing.

I think there must be a million different varieties of Rosewood. When ever someone doesn't know exactly what some dark wood is, you inevitably get "Oh it's Rosewood".

True Rosewood is expensive and I really doubt that anyone is cutting it up to make laminate material out of.

 

[wolfee]

Thanks. I always assumed that laminates were a good process to consume lower grades of otherwise expensive woods.

 

[caryc]

Here's one of the Laminates Ruger used for rifles. They never made revolver grips from it. But it does make pretty grips. In the first pic you can see the stock blank. The outside layers of wood don't look like anything pretty.

In the left inset pic you see the small end of that stock blank. You can see the layers and how each layer is at like a 45 degree angle one way and then the other way on the next layer. They must saw the wood at angles to the grain to accomplish this.

In the right inset pic you can see the layers on the right side of the piece and what it looks like as the contour starts to curve and when it flattens out more at the top. It's the layering that creates what appears to you as grain. I wouldn't doubt that the adhesive has colored dye in it also.

In the bottom pic you can see what grips from this wood look like.

 

[wolfee]

Cary, thanks for your expert input on grip wood. Can you give me a quick schooling on micarta? What is it made from and how is it made? Does it posses good properties from the perspective of a grip maker and is it strong?

 

[ScottZ]

Micarta is a composite material, usually layers of some type of fabric set in resin, primarily paper, linen or canvas. Some knife makers even make their own out of denim, burlap, canvas and other materials. The finished product can be anywhere from coarse and gritty to smooth and shiny depending on the material used and the level of polishing done to it. It is extremely durable.


http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-homemade-micarta/

 

[wolfee]

ic. I always wondered if it was an exact, particular substance or just a style.

 

[caryc]

Cary, thanks for your expert input on grip wood. Can you give me a quick schooling on micarta? What is it made from and how is it made? Does it posses good properties from the perspective of a grip maker and is it strong?

ScotZ pretty much gave you the specifics except that it is bonded under extreme pressure. It is the toughest stuff I know of to make a gun grip out of.

One can take cut up old Levis or burlap or paper and glue 50 or so layers together in a garage but trust me, what you end up with is not Micarta. The pic below is black paper based Micarta. You're not going to make this stuff in you garage.