Water buffalo grips for SA revolvers

[bornintheussr]

I love stock wood grips on my Rugers but old folks at the range showed me few good examples of staggs and ivory so I got bit by custom grips bugg and started looking for something nice and genuine 'bone' for my revolvers. What old guys never told me is how expansive this days genuine grips can be, at Nutmeg Sports it will cost you like $500 to get custom grips for your Colt. Long story short I looked up on ebay and found a seller (username: firearmgrips) with very affordable water buffalo grips for just $35. I already ordered a few grips from him for my Colts and Rugers, used them for some time and just wanted to share some pictures.

 

[oliver507]

Nice looking grips and the guns aren't bad either!!!

 

[Rat76]

Thanks, I'd seen those & wondered about the fit & finish. They look great.

 

[bornintheussr]

Thanks, I'd seen those & wondered about the fit & finish. They look great.

I would say fit on Ruger is sort of like with the stock wood grips, it's OK but not perfect, with Colts it's much more complicated, each SAA grip got unique shape and it's ether hit or miss that to say I returned first set of SAA grips he send me. I know on the pictures they look like just plain black grips that could be mistaken for plastic but in person if you look closely you can see grains and fiber structure. In general holding bone grips in my hand I can feel deference compare to wood and plastic grips.

 

[BearBiologist]

I was on an elk hunt in Utah and came back to my tent in time to chase a "porky" out! He/she had gnawed the grips on my Rnadall hunting knife! I had buffalo grips on my OM Blackhawk that I carried in Grizzly country. I ordered a buffalo horn blank and fitted my knife with a replacement handle. Carried that until I got a Randall Yukon Skinner with moose antler grips and I replaced the grips on the Blackhawk with a smooth pair of moose antlers from Patrick Grashorn.

 

[bornintheussr]

I was on an elk hunt in Utah and came back to my tent in time to chase a "porky" out! He/she had gnawed the grips on my Rnadall hunting knife! I had buffalo grips on my OM Blackhawk that I carried in Grizzly country. I ordered a buffalo horn blank and fitted my knife with a replacement handle. Carried that until I got a Randall Yukon Skinner with moose antler grips and I replaced the grips on the Blackhawk with a smooth pair of moose antlers from Patrick Grashorn.

View attachment 22134

how do you polish horn grips?

 

[BearBiologist]

Finer and finer sanding, then buffing. Careful not to burn 'em or take too much off at one time. Get 'em hot and they'll get tacky (maybe even melt)

 

[Armybrat]

Interesting.
When I lived in a suburb of Taipei, Taiwan for a couple of years in the late 1950s, the rice farmer behind our house had a couple of water buffalo in his livestock menagerie.
Never thought any part of them would be used for that application.

I'd say the horn looks better on your Rugers & Colt than they did on the original owners.

 

[bornintheussr]

Interesting.
When I lived in a suburb of Taipei, Taiwan for a couple of years in the late 1950s, the rice farmer behind our house had a couple of water buffalo in his livestock menagerie.
Never thought any part of them would be used for that application.

I'd say the horn looks better on your Rugers & Colt than they did on the original owners.

 

[needsmostuff]

One small word of caution on water buffalo horn, especially if it is imported.
Stuff can have some horn eating bugs laying dormant in it . Takes years but it all of a sudden look like it got chips in it.
I found this out with knife handles tucked away for years and never handled but suddenly getting chunks missing.
Theoretically treated nowadays but ,who knows.

 

[sceva]

Yep; watch out for powder post beetles (carpet beetles?) They won't bother stag or antler but they love Buffalo horn

 

[Rat76]

Well, that was interesting. I ordered a set for my NM 45 Colt BH. They came in & just didn't look right. Also they would not fit the gun.

The seller has a "no returns" policy so I used the ebay "If it isn't what you ordered guarantee". I sent this message & pics yesterday.

Return Reason
Doesn't fit
Comments
Good morning, I received the grips & they don t fit. The two grip halves don t match & neither one fits the gun. The larger one comes close but the hole for the locating pin seems to be off location. The smaller of the two is noticeably thinner as well as having what looks like a chip getting ready to pop out.

I didn't even go into the screw being a half inch too long.

I had a return label from ebay in my inbox when I got up this morning.

I think I'll stay with Factory parts on this one.
See less

 

[Randyzzz]

I am going through a similar experience. I ordered a set of XR3 checkered grips. Horrible checkering, horrible consistency, poor fit and a crack. I contacted the seller directly- they said mail it back and they will refund. I think I'll try the EBay procedure like you did.

 

[Rat76]

Update;

The seller received the return yesterday & email from ebay came in 11 PM last nite.

I'm out the return shipping but I can live with that. Interesting that the return shipping was $3 less than the original.

I wish this had worked out, I liked the material, but I won't take a second chance on this one.