Yet another Blackhawk grip question!

[randyp6]

New to forum and not trying to beat a dead horse but, I am very confused!
I have a 1986 New Model 357 SS Blackhawk.
This model year (1986) seems to be excluded when talking about grip fit.
I'm looking to replace the factory grips and here is my issue: Grip frame is marked XR-3 on the RIGHT (not the left) side of the grip frame.
When comparing the frame to pictures on the Bill Hamm site, my frame looks exactly like the picture of the new model Super Blackhawk frame but without the squared trigger guard - is this possible?
Also, it does not have the interlock system.
What grips should I be looking for as a replacement for this gun?
Thanks in advance for any information provided!
Randy

 

[gak]

Congratulations, 86 not excluded (as poster says below) but you are exactly right that what you have is XR3-Red -- describes any NM Blackhawk (excluding recent flattops such as Anniversary 357 and .44 Mag, .44 Sp, .45 Colt Flattops), in other words virtually all "regular" Blackhawks. The shorter barreled (non squareback triggerguard) Super Blackhawks are the same grip....also shared with the original large frame Vaquero.
The Ruger store www.shopruger.com carries "aftermarket" and many fine gripmakers here and elsewhere make custom grips for this most common of gripframes.

 

[swindler1]

1986 was not excluded. Read it again, 1972/1973 changed to accommodate trigger spring.. Now look to the right>>>>>> Current Production.

Now if someone installed a Super Blackhawk grip frame on your gun ?

The Super is a larger grip frame.

Hope this helps :wink:

 

[swindler1]

Congratulations, you are exactly right -- XR3-Red describes any NM Blackhawk (excluding recent flattops such as Anniversary 357 and .44 Mag, .44 Sp, .45 Colt Flattops), in other words virtually all "regular" Blackhawks. The shorter barreled (non squareback triggerguard) Super Blackhawks are the same grip....also shared with the original large frame Vaquero.
The Ruger store www.shopruger.com carries "aftermarket" and many fine gripmakers here and elsewhere make custom grips for this most common of gripframes.

Now to really cornfuse ya :lol: These are both Vaquero's made in the same year. One blue CC, one silver. Look at what happens when I set the CC grips on the silver one.

This is why I like customers to send me there grip frame for fitting.

 

[gak]

Swindler makes a good point. I have seen some differences in fit between blued and stainless...and fitting some recent XR3-Red/Blackhawk stock ("hard rubber) grips to a theoretically same size frame stainless old Vaquero leaves some metal proud.

 

[5of7]

I happen to have a NM Blackhawk in .45LC circa 2000.

I like the square back trigger guard and the wider hammer spur of the SBH....they are cool. 8)

Would there be a problem in fitting the grip frame and the hammer from a SBH to my gun? And I would need SBH grips....right?

 

[caryc]

I've posted this a million times but since the question keeps coming up, I'll post it again. I Ruger's 60 years they have used only three different plow handle grip sizes. There were a few oddballs but they were not produced in large amounts and if you had one of those collector guns, you'd know it.

Look at the drawing below. If you're wondering what grips your gun takes just draw a three inch square and place one of your grips in it. It will fit like one of the three drawings shows.

 

[swindler1]

And there you have it. A million and one :lol:

 

[randyp6]

Great responses with detailed information.
Picture measurerments and 3" square diagram are a tremendous help!
After comparison and measuring, I need the XR3-RED grips.
I guess the main issue if purchasing from eBay or GunBroker, you really have to trust the seller knowing his product....

 

[mhblaw]

...and Randyp6, check out CaryC's web site. He offers a great product with some real nice woods. I have several of his grips on different Rugers and have been very pleased with his work.

 

[Poco Oso]

I've posted this a million times but since the question keeps coming up, I'll post it again. I Ruger's 60 years they have used only three different plow handle grip sizes. There were a few oddballs but they were not produced in large amounts and if you had one of those collector guns, you'd know it.

Look at the drawing below. If you're wondering what grips your gun takes just draw a three inch square and place one of your grips in it. It will fit like one of the three drawings shows.

Please send this to Doug at Altamont grips. Include any info you can give him on the Lipsey's .45 Balckhawk Flat Top convertible. I've been through a very unpleasant transaction with him recently on grips for this gun. I was told that the 5243# doesn't mean anything, (just a bunch of numbers,in his words) that they need the model #! That's the number on the box mine came in. Excellent visual clarification!l

 

[caryc]

I've posted this a million times but since the question keeps coming up, I'll post it again. I Ruger's 60 years they have used only three different plow handle grip sizes. There were a few oddballs but they were not produced in large amounts and if you had one of those collector guns, you'd know it.

Look at the drawing below. If you're wondering what grips your gun takes just draw a three inch square and place one of your grips in it. It will fit like one of the three drawings shows.

Please send this to Doug at Altamont grips. Include any info you can give him on the Lipsey's .45 Balckhawk Flat Top convertible. I've been through a very unpleasant transaction with him recently on grips for this gun. I was told that the 5243# doesn't mean anything, (just a bunch of numbers,in his words) that they need the model #! That's the number on the box mine came in. Excellent visual clarification!l

Ruger's model numbers don't mean anything to me. If you mentioned 5243 or any other Ruger model number I wouldn't know what gun you were talking about. As I said before Ruger has used those same three plow handle grip sizes for 60 years. Some people try to make it more complicated than it really is. All one really needs is the name of the gun.

In your case Blackhawk and flat top are the key words. That tells you that it has the New XR3 grip frame. If it was not a flat top, it would be the XR3-RED grip frame.

I don't know what's going on at Altamont but they should know what grips that gun takes. Measure the width of the grip frame on your gun. You'll find that it is .437" That tells you that it is Ruger's New XR3 grip frame, the same as the New Vaquero. That should be all you need to tell Altamont, "New Vaquero". If they don't know what size grips the New Vaquero takes then I wouldn't even deal with them. The New Vaquero with it's New XR3 grip frame has been around for about 7 years now.

 

[Hondo44]

Please send this to Doug at Altamont grips. Include any info you can give him on the Lipsey's .45 Balckhawk Flat Top convertible. I've been through a very unpleasant transaction with him recently on grips for this gun. I was told that the 5243# doesn't mean anything, (just a bunch of numbers,in his words) that they need the model #! That's the number on the box mine came in. Excellent visual clarification!l

That # may be on your box as the Model but he's not asking for what he thinks he needs. He should have asked for the Catalog # which will be RUNVB-44X for a 4 5/8" barrel or RUNVB-455X for 5 1/2" barrel. That indicates a Ruger New Vaq size Blackhawk. Hopefully if he's working with numbers he will know the XR3 grip size is what you need like Cary said. Or he's too unfamiliar with Rugers to deal with, also as Cary said.

 

[Poco Oso]

Thanks for your input Cary & Hondo ,but,,, Model# was what he asked for specifically. When I first contacted Altamont to find out if the grip listed on their site would fit , I gave them all the information i could (Lipsey's/Ruger Blackhawk, Flat Top convertible, .45 colt/ACP,XR3 grip frame, stainless) catalog #KNVB-44X (Distributors Exclusive) Model# 5243) Was told the grip I ordered was correct. Doug, by himself, determined that I ordered the wrong grip and sent another. Six emails and three phone calls later, I have the wrong grips. What more can a fellow do? The rest of my guns will wear Swindlers,Esmeralda's or some of Cary's beautiful grips.

 

[caryc]

The main problem is that the regular Blackhawks and the flat top Blackhawks have different grip frames but all it says is "Blackhawk" on the guns.

Some of the grip makers that don't have the knowledge are just going to see "Blackhawk" and sell you XR3-RED grips.

If you tell any grip maker that you have a Blackhawk with the 7/16" wide grip frame on it. That should be all they need to know. If they still want to argue with you over what you have, then I would cease to deal with them.

 

[caryc]

There is one more simple way to distinguish the XR3 grip frame from the others just by looking at it.

The XR3 as shown in the photo below has a straight back strap whereas the others have a flair towards the bottom of the grip.