I recently purchased this set of target stocks I was told fit K-frames. They seem to have a little bit of everything going on- thumb rest, nice checking, finger grooves and a uniquely-shaped strain screw window. They appear to be quality stocks but don't look like any Ropers, Sandersons, Herrett's or other big names I've seen photos of. The most distinct feature is the thumb rest leading edge that trails all the way down to the heel and actually crosses over the parting line and continues on the right-side stock- I've never seen this before.







I just spent an hour on the forum browsing threads on old target stocks and the closest-looking set I've found would be these from this thread:



Unfortunately we don't get any other view of those particular Ropers but the finger grooves look similar.

Anyone have any idea what I have here? Thanks.

Please post some pictures of the inside of the grips. Sometimes that tells more than the outside.

Tim, I plan to once I get the grips here (the photos above are the seller's). I understand large stamped/carved numbers will point to Sanderson while the presence and location of jig fixture marks can also help indentify them.

I have no idea who made them but I sure like'em. Nice grab.

I'm not sure who made them, but they are very well made and attractive. They appear to be Rosewood. Good catch.

VM will be here soon...

rags

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RIP Shipmate

I like them but I don't have a clue.
Seems like there was a thread with a similar pair not too long ago.

If you don't know who made them, they may not have been made.

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RIP Shipmate

Nah..........I'd like to hear from DWFAN, SDH , handejector, KB - these guys know vintage wood!

I'd like to see the inside, too, but even the absence of the jig marks might not be conclusive. Didn't Roper make some grips himself? Did all of his grips have the jig marks that Gagne's did?

I think that there are some experts hiding in the woodwork who haven't contributed yet.

I appreciate the comments, guys. Again, I understand these are difficult to ID minus a look at the inside. I'll get photos posted as soon as I can (I sort of feel like a kid around Christmas time waiting to opening that big box with his name on it under the tree ).

Has anyone ever seen a thumb rest shelf come down and across the backstrap like these? That was the thing that really caught my eye.

Well, I think they are close to being dead ringers for the unusual Ropers in the pic from Roper's book, so, even without seeing the backside of the panels, I am gonna venture Ropers.

Well, I will take a guess. I think they are a creation from an unknown wood worker. The escutcheons do not look like Roper or Sanderson to me. The checkering looks like Sanderson but the shaping of the grips looks to have more hand work than Sanderson. So I think these are a set of custom grips and I think the maker will never be identified.

Tim

Updated with new photos. The grip feels great in the hand. The wood, whatever it is, is rather light in weight. Note there's a repair at the toe under the strain screw window. I don't see anything conclusive as to identity.

db - thanks for the additional pictures. The strain screw window could have been added after the fact. There could have been damage to the lower fingergroove, etc.
The wood under the window is a different species of wood and was spliced on and then reshaped (IMO).
I think they are very cool regardless - the checkering is very nice where it meets at the backstrap. I don't think this pair was the Gripmaker's "first rodeo"

Thanks, VM. You may be right about the repair. I may not ever find out who made them but it's a nice-looking grip and, more importantly, it feels good. Gives me a reason to find an old K-38 to put 'em on now.

Not Ropers,　looking at the back of the panels, but very, very nice, whoever made 'em. Great find!