RW Gripframe Goodness arrived today!

[Randyzzz]

I came home from having new tires and wheels installed on my wife's truck, and lo and behold, there was a package waiting on my mat. From Ronnie Wells! Man, I was excited to see that! Gripframes and goodies!

Heres what was in there. 3 Gripframes with grips, a third hand tool, and a rear sight for the Flat Top. I'm sure you're all familiar with the 2 Dogs/RW rear sight by now, and the third hand tool that makes removing the trigger pivot pin on NM's a breeze.

So, here's the low down on the grip frames. First, the Bradshaw Finger Groove Large. I don't believe he has this one on the sight, you have to ask for it. It is amazing for those of us with big hands, and I can't wait to fit it to my .45 Blackhawk. It will have a Bisley hammer and trigger. Ronnie even engraved my name into the aluminum! The panels are walnut burl and have as much figuring as I've ever seen. They should be amazing once finished.

Next is the Lee Martin XRHybrid. It has a XR3-Red front strap, a Dealer rear strap, a Dragoon trigger guard and the grip portion is .300 longer than a factory grip. Uses a standard trigger and hammer. The panels are Paduak and should finish a warm reddish tint. Going on a 6.5" Single Six.

Lastly, The Dealer. A Bisley hybrid that just feels amazing. This one uses a Bisley trigger and will get a Super hammer. Going on my .44 4 5/8" Flat Top. The panels are some of the most beautiful Cocobolo that I have ever seen. Deep, dark, striated and striking.

So…all I need to do is get to work, right?

 

[bisleyfan41]

You do have a lot of work ahead! What a nice package to come home to!

 

[contender]

SWEET!!!!!!!

I've been fitting a Bradshaw Bisley g/f to my .357 Maxi recently,, and I've been posting updates here. The g/f is finished,, and now the work on the grips start. I'm making my own,, so I'll be doing it from scratch.

Love the rear sight insert,, and all!

 

[peachhead]

Wow those are nice. I was unaware of that tool so I'm going to look it up and get one headed this way. Also wondering if he makes an old model frame. I have a single six magnum that has been reblued and cch'd and one of those frames would look great on it.

 

[contender]

Yes,, Ronnie makes OM grip frames AND NM grip frames. His talents are amazing.

 

[Johnnu2]

The only thing I have from Ronnie is that tool........
It's worth it's weight in gold; saved me time and frustration....
J.

 

[Randyzzz]

A couple of pictures, and weights of both the .44 Secial Flat Top and the 7 1/2 inch Blackhawk with the new hammers/triggers/grip frames (rough fit). I'm always impressed by the weight savings of one of Ronnie's grip frames.

Here's the big guy. Currently weighs in at 42.2 ounces. Not bad… it got a Bisley hammer and trigger.

And here's the lightweight. The .44 special Flat Top weighing in at 38 ounces. Now that's light. It got a Super hammer/Bisley trigger/New Vaquero ejection rod. Also- a Powers free spin pawl to replace the funky free spin original pawl. Some people say the Powers pawl is hard to fit, but my experience is just the opposite. 10-15 minutes file and stone work and you’re done. Beats the heck out of the Ruger pawl that relies on a precisely placed groove in the grip frame. The powers pawl cams off the main frame and once it’s fit it should never go out of adjustment.

Next step is to start sanding to match the frame, then counter the trigger guard and front/back straps. Then fit the grips. Lots of work…I'll post pics.

 

[Professor]

Looking good.

 

[Randyzzz]

Ok- the Dealer gripframe on the .44 special is done. I’m still on the fence about keeping it brushed aluminum or having it done in black Cerakote. The Cocobolo panels came out good. I slathered them in danish oil and after about 30 minutes I wiped them dry and buffed them off. After about 4 hours in the hot sun and another round of buffing, they are silky smooth.

It’s now sort of a twin to my .357 Blackhawk, although the .357 is a full sized frame. They look good together. I think I need a .45 to match- do I cut down the barrel on my 1976 or do I buy another? The 1976 is far from pristine so that might be a good option…

Here’s some pics of the “twins”..

 

[contender]

Very nice,,, but not quite twins. One's a FT & the other a protected sight. Good first cousins!

 

[Randyzzz]

Very nice,,, but not quite twins. One's a FT & the other a protected sight. Good first cousins!

Yep. Better descriptor than “twins”.

 

[Hondo44]

Very nice! Too nice for cerakote on the grip frame. How about a Powder coat? More professional looking and more durable.

 

[Randyzzz]

Very nice! Too nice for cerakote on the grip frame. How about a Powder coat? More professional looking and more durable.

I have had really good results using Cerakote Elite in black. It comes out semi-gloss to gloss, and there is no thickness buildup. As for durability I have used it on Gripframes before, and also on fasteners for my Jeep. It’s pretty much bulletproof. It does not chip on torx head bolts! I have a gripframe they came back from Ruger that they powder coated- the Elite looks a lot better. The following 2 pictures are of a stainless frame with the Cerakote Elite

 

[Randyzzz]

Dragoon Single Six? Another RWGripframe installed.

Here we go again! Another grip frame completed. This one is the Lee Martin Hybrid. I originally was looking for a NM Single Six for the host, but couldn't find a fairly priced one. Then an OM Single Six popped up on GB for $325…done deal. Honestly, it's a really nice 1964 gun, and nothing I did can't be undone. It had the safety conversion done, and the trigger was awful. I reinstalled the original parts, along with a wide NOS Old Army trigger. Ended up with a real nice trigger pull. Built a return spring adapter and fit the grip frame and grip panels. The panels are Paduak, finished with Walnut Danish Oil. Once they are fully dried I'll polish them up. The gun itself shows plum in certain lights, and I thought the reddish wood would look good on it. The dragoon trigger guard adds some interest. And the whole package feels great! I do think this frame needs to be black, however.

 

[Butterfield]

Hey Randy. That Single Six looks great! I think black is a good idea.
I'm a big fan of the Dragoon grip frame look. Good job.

 

[thedogdidit]

I came home from having new tires and wheels installed on my wife's truck, and lo and behold, there was a package waiting on my mat. From Ronnie Wells! Man, I was excited to see that! Gripframes and goodies!

Heres what was in there. 3 Gripframes with grips, a third hand tool, and a rear sight for the Flat Top. I'm sure you're all familiar with the 2 Dogs/RW rear sight by now, and the third hand tool that makes removing the trigger pivot pin on NM's a breeze.


View attachment 43637

So, here's the low down on the grip frames. First, the Bradshaw Finger Groove Large. I don't believe he has this one on the sight, you have to ask for it. It is amazing for those of us with big hands, and I can't wait to fit it to my .45 Blackhawk. It will have a Bisley hammer and trigger. Ronnie even engraved my name into the aluminum! The panels are walnut burl and have as much figuring as I've ever seen. They should be amazing once finished.

View attachment 43640

Next is the Lee Martin XRHybrid. It has a XR3-Red front strap, a Dealer rear strap, a Dragoon trigger guard and the grip portion is .300 longer than a factory grip. Uses a standard trigger and hammer. The panels are Paduak and should finish a warm reddish tint. Going on a 6.5" Single Six.


View attachment 43639

Lastly, The Dealer. A Bisley hybrid that just feels amazing. This one uses a Bisley trigger and will get a Super hammer. Going on my .44 4 5/8" Flat Top. The panels are some of the most beautiful Cocobolo that I have ever seen. Deep, dark, striated and striking.


View attachment 43641

So…all I need to do is get to work, right?

I just ordered the XRHybrid dragoon grip in brass about two hours ago. No picture of it online......dammit ya just ruined my surprise!! lol. Sweet grips.

 

[Randyzzz]

I just ordered the XRHybrid dragoon grip in brass about two hours ago. No picture of it online......dammit ya just ruined my surprise!! lol. Sweet grips.

Here’s a more recent pic-

 

[Boxhead]

After seeing the TIG work and fitting that Alan Harton has done on a couple of my pieces I would not attempt fitting a grip frame myself.

 

[contender]

RW grip frames are easy to fit in my opinion.

 

[Randyzzz]

After seeing the TIG work and fitting that Alan Harton has done on a couple of my pieces I would not attempt fitting a grip frame myself.

It's not that bad. Install oversize frame. Scribe "finish to" lines. Start sanding until you are almost there. Then install/recheck/remove/sand more until the fit is perfect. I'm happy when I can't catch a fingernail in the seam.

 

[Boxhead]

The ones I have seen "fitted" on here do not look like this.

More like a Reeder "fit".

 

[Randyzzz]

If you're not careful at the final stage of fittment, you can get a less than desirable result. And- fitting a Bisley is the most difficult if you don't want to also work the main frame on either side of the hammer. The factory Ruger main frame angles don't "mesh" properly with the Bisley angle, and best case scenario you end up with a French curve, a sort of flattened out "S".

However, I also see on the Reeder example where the actual seams are glaringly visible. The stainless frames need to be polished after installation, or the edges get rounded.

Both of these are factory Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter frames that I finished from raw.

It's harder to see how well Ronnie's frames can be fit as I have not gotten any Cerakoted to match. But, I can tell you, they are tight and smooth.

I haven’t quite gotten the upper angles to my satisfaction on this one. It’s still a work in progress.

 

[Randyzzz]

Looks like Reeder just fit the grip frame. Harton lowered the ears on the main frame to blend with the grip frame. Required a reblue after fitting, but that’s the right way.

 

[G2]

The “Angle” is real but if one take’s his time it can be massaged to the point it appears correct.

This is RW’s Brass Keith #5 on a 327M Single 7.

 

[Randyzzz]

The "Angle" is real but if one take's his time it can be massaged to the point it appears correct.

This is RW's Brass Keith #5 on a 327M Single 7.

That’s a good fit. It is interesting, there seems to be no “standard” angle or height for those rear frame ears. The height is close, but there’s that occasional oddball. My .45 Blackhawk convertible has higher than normal frame ears. I thought it would be a good Bisley candidate, but the slope is also quite steep.

 

[Gunny268]

Definitely doable. NM Bisley 45 Colt, now a K-Bird-Bisley. Just takes a little time to get it there.

 

[Randyzzz]

Definitely doable. NM Bisley 45 Colt, now a K-Bird-Bisley. Just takes a little time to get it there. View attachment 77212
View attachment 77210View attachment 77211

I would say that is perfect. Looks great!

 

[needsmostuff]

Yup, the angle is doable. Sometimes you have to study the angle of dangle and cannot be afraid to change the angle on the gun itself.

 

[Randyzzz]

Yup, the angle is doable. Sometimes you have to study the angle of dangle and cannot be afraid to change the angle on the gun itself.

View attachment 77213

Another beauty!