Thoughts on "Stag" grips

[Colonel Daddy]

Did Ruger offer Stag grips on the early Super Blackhawks and did they did or did they not have the Ruger medallions? Some time back I was fortunate to find a set of Sambar Stag grips (no medallions) to fit a Super Blackhawk Dragoon grip frame. No markings to tell me the manufacturer. These grips are heavily 'barked' with lots of popcorn, to the extent that they are cheese graters when using .44magnum loads but fine with Special loads. Also, they show no pith on the finished side except for a small amount on the bottom of the grips. Most Stag grips I see on the market now have a great deal of pith yet command premium prices. Yes, of course it takes the artist just as much time to make grips with pith showing and there is a lack of premium Sambar Stag available. Elk antler can be just as attractive (to me) and yes I have Elk Stag grips that are very comfortable on XR3-Red grip frames but mine do show a great deal of pith. What are others thoughts and preferences on stag grips?

 

[Bob Wright]

I tend to like them.







Bob Wright

 

[contender]

Ruger didn't offer stags for the Super. And all the factory stags had medallions.

That didn't stop folks from making grips for them in the aftermarket arena. Lots out there. If you got a nice set,, kudos!

 

[pete44ru]

.

I prefer stag on both knives & handguns, as long as they're not overly "barky".

Several years ago, fellow board member Sack Peterson made these Elkhorn stags for my OM Bearcat.

.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Yep I also like Sambar Stag.

 

[gramps]

I have Sack Peterson inserts on my SP-101.
gramps

 

[caryc]

I don't believe Ruger ever sold any grips without medallions.

 

[mohavesam]

The thing about Sambar is that the deer are raised for their antlers. Its an industry in child-labor countries.
I'll choose not to participate, as I've seen first hand the effects.

Sho w me a grip set from a personally-hunted, earned animal, and that's quite another matter. I have a couple sets from elk taken honestly, and I really like the look.

 

[Bob Wright]

The thing about Sambar is that the deer are raised for their antlers. Its an industry in child-labor countries.
I'll choose not to participate, as I've seen first hand the effects.

Sho w me a grip set from a personally-hunted, earned animal, and that's quite another matter. I have a couple sets from elk taken honestly, and I really like the look.

The Sambar deer of India are indeed wild creatures. The shed antlers are collected by collectors who make that work a source of income. Only in the Philippines and other areas are the Sambar raised as domestic animals.

As to the embargo, it was imposed to protect the Bengal tiger. Those tigers know that the antlers are "bait" and lurk waiting a juicy Hindu antler hunter. So, the hunters began arming themselves and shot those tigers as they were threatened.

Bob Wright

 

[bogus bill]

The law of the claw

 

[mohavesam]

Bob is correct, partly. Sambar and sika deer are farmed for antlers, and velvet. In India child labor is legal. I've seen n audited several instances... Ive seen stag antler shops there, cause i thought about getting some, even importing it. I choose experience over wikipedia.

As far as I know, no stag horn (matured) available comes with a certification that "only naturally dropped antlers" are used. Maybe I don't shop in the right stores?
There is income potential created by the industry, but it offers a predictable expansion path (can we say 'elephant tusk?

As above,

 

[caryc]

The thing about Sambar is that the deer are raised for their antlers. Its an industry in child-labor countries.
I'll choose not to participate, as I've seen first hand the effects.

Sho w me a grip set from a personally-hunted, earned animal, and that's quite another matter. I have a couple sets from elk taken honestly, and I really like the look.

Are you saying that farm raised animals are killed for their antlers? That would be stupid like killing the goose that laid the golden eggs.

What's wrong with raising the animals for the antler sheds? I guess you're against eating farm raised fish also?

 

[mohavesam]

Ahh, you'll be happier not blindly guessing... :lol:

 

[sceva]

The thing about Sambar is that the deer are raised for their antlers. Its an industry in child-labor countries.
I'll choose not to participate, as I've seen first hand the effects.

Sho w me a grip set from a personally-hunted, earned animal, and that's quite another matter. I have a couple sets from elk taken honestly, and I really like the look.

I feel that way about Ivory, It's beautiful but why shoot an animal to take two teeth

Stag on the other hand is at least shed naturally and re-grown, in the wild or otherwise. I like Stag but it's got to be "good" stag not the bland pithy stuff you see so much anymore. I want to see it before purchasing.

 

[Rancher Will]

Child labor has something to do with stag grips on guns?

If "child labor" is unacceptable everywhere, then how can anyone even consider buying food sold in stores, produced on family farms in the U.S.? I know from the years when I was growing up, when my own children were born and grew up on my farm and later my ranches, every Kid happily helped with what labor could be used. I can't remember when I was too young to help on the farm.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Child labor has something to do with stag grips on guns?

If "child labor" is unacceptable everywhere, then how can anyone even consider buying food sold in stores, produced on family farms in the U.S.? I know from the years when I was growing up, when my own children were born and grew up on my farm and later my ranches, every Kid happily helped with what labor could be used. I can't remember when I was too young to help on the farm.

Yep I was driving a John Deer A&B when I was 12 along with A Ford 8N Worked in a bowling ally at 13 a Foundry at 16 Don't tell me I was a CHILD Laborer :D :D
Give me a break. You want to know about child labor just read some US History. Just might now be the reason why Kids that want to work CAN'T because of the NEW LAWS.
Oh by the way a lot of these Child Labors went on to fight in a war called WWII :wink:

 

[bogus bill]

Amen to Rancher Will and Wyandot Jim. My dad, born in 1913, quit school in 3rd grade. He got in a fight with his teacher and walked home. He said grandpa was okay with it as he was raised on the biggest farm in the county.
I was raised in central wisconsin in mainly a truck farming area that had huge plowed up swamps made into vegetable growing areas. Back then the " bracero program" was in full swing. I guess since the farmers used so many mexican laborers they felt they needed to give us local kids a chance too. They would hire any kids that wanted to work in the fields. It was hard work but we made good spending money. Most of us was twelve to sixteen years old. It was summer vacation work. I recall getting 5 cents a box picking strawberries and a half cent apiece for bunching radishes. We "blocked" lettice for X amount a row or maybe 45 to 60 cents a hour. A kid back then in my area had no excuse for not working if they wanted to. Once we were 16 years old we could get a $1 a hour working for Green Giant cannery. I was sixteen in 1957. Allowance? What was that? Maybe 25 cents to 50 cents a week from 9 to 12 years old, then don't expect it when you could work in the fields. I also worked in a foundry Jim. It was my first good paying job.

 

[Goldstar225]

Well I guess I'll join in the thread drift from stag grips. My first job was picking cotton at age 5. 3 cents a pound. Do you realize how much cotton it takes to make a pound!!? I think it was moms way of babysitting me since she was picking as well.

My next real job was when I was 12 working in tomato patches. That would have been about 1969.

BTW, I think stag grips look great and can really dress up a blued single action.