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05-21-2020, 12:05 AM
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Roy,
Thanks for dredging up this thread. I’ve got a hundred sets or so to post about when I get a chance this week.
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05-21-2020, 11:07 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skilled
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No, I had a pair on display at the SWCA Annual meeting in Columbus, Ohio. I had a display called"Roper, the man had a good grip". The pair are owned by another member. I have pictures somewhere, I'll post them later.
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05-21-2020, 11:21 AM
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Here are a pair on a Straight Line, owned by Ernie Rice. He had them on display with me Roper display at Columbus.
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05-21-2020, 03:14 PM
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Here is a picture of the Roper box I spoke about before. This was his home address. I also included a picture of my Birdseye K Frame Ropers.
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05-21-2020, 07:22 PM
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Don, those in the box look as if they have a course checkering. The pair I have seem to have a finer checkering - see picture. I seem to remember someone saying something about what differentiated the two. Anyone else here know?
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05-21-2020, 10:34 PM
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John
The Birdseye stocks were not in that box. They are later.
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05-21-2020, 11:36 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Club Gun Fan
Here is a picture of the Roper box I spoke about before. This was his home address. I also included a picture of my Birdseye K Frame Ropers.
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Don,
Always love seeing your birdseye set. Do you have any pictures of the inside of these? Curios how the medallions are attached and if they look similar to the set that LEO918 posted on his new K22 with red post sight.
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05-22-2020, 12:22 AM
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Here are the Roper "suspects".
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05-22-2020, 12:36 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LEO918
Here are the Roper "suspects".
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Those are early style Target Stocks which can be found in the November 1950 pricing catalog. I believe that Gagne’s son worked for S&W during this period and made those stocks. There were a few “prototype” examples of early Target Stocks in 1950-1952. I would not refer to them as Ropers but the man who made “Ropers” Mathias Gagne or his son likely made your set in my opinion.
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Last edited by Hoosier45; 05-22-2020 at 12:51 AM.
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05-22-2020, 12:45 AM
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Beau:
That was my thinking as well, as they are fitted with S&W medallions. Even so they do have many of the Roper characteristics right down to the square jig holes on the inside.
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05-22-2020, 09:57 AM
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05-22-2020, 10:04 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Club Gun Fan
Here is a picture of the Roper box I spoke about before. This was his home address. I also included a picture of my Birdseye K Frame Ropers.
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Did they have the original Ropers in the box? Or just a Box?
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05-22-2020, 10:11 AM
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Here is my K 22 Club Gun. From the factory work order, it had special stocks by Al Gagne.
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05-22-2020, 10:29 AM
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Skeeter Skelton wrote that after acquiring his first .357 S&W he sanded the “ornate” checkering from the Roper stocks that came with the revolver.
Guess at one time grips were just grips...
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05-22-2020, 10:49 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LEO918
Here are the Roper "suspects".
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Leo918:
Those "suspect" Ropers stocks are beautiful, do they have a palm swell on the right panel?
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05-22-2020, 11:49 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skilled
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I'm glad you snagged those, my budget only went up to the $200 mark.
I continue to think that G&H contracted to have Gagne made them. I'll be curious what your take is when you get them in hand.
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05-22-2020, 12:30 PM
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With all the people who contributed to this thread and their collective knowledge anyone care to guess who did these grips. The fit A Colt New Service.
The insides are very smooth and the German Silver inlay has two tabs bent over to hold in place.
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05-22-2020, 02:50 PM
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I had a pair from the same maker for a Colt Detective Special. Bent over pins as well. Sorry the name escapes me now.. made back in the LAPD Farrant/Hurst days.
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05-22-2020, 02:56 PM
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I'm glad you snagged those, my budget only went up to the $200 mark.
I continue to think that G&H contracted to have Gagne made them. I'll be curious what your take is when you get them in hand.
Yes I agree G&H like the other pair they seem to have a mark like a 4 or V on the back..A feature you dont find a Roper Marketed Stocks. I have only seen it on these G&H versions.
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05-22-2020, 03:13 PM
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Skilled, do you remember if it was an individual or a company ?
Could they have come from Griffin and Howe ?
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05-22-2020, 08:24 PM
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I know it would be more work but it would really be nice to see photos of the inside of grips when adding a set to this thread. Many clues are inside but a description just isn’t enough to offer much of an opinion.
And a question, does anyone here have a group of know G&H stocks that they would be willling to photograph the insides of and post
Thanks
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05-22-2020, 09:19 PM
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From #105 of this thread, here are some pictures of the backsides.
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05-22-2020, 09:38 PM
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Keith: insides of the grips I asked about
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05-22-2020, 09:52 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Toyman
Skilled, do you remember if it was an individual or a company ?
Could they have come from Griffin and Howe ?
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Definitely an individual.
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05-25-2020, 02:01 PM
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These I bought at gun shop. I don't know what they go on. Anyone care to guess?
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05-25-2020, 02:25 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Club Gun Fan
These I bought at gun shop. I don't know what they go on. Anyone care to guess?
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I know...
I know...
They go on the trunk deck of your car...
bdGreen
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05-25-2020, 03:48 PM
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[quote=Hoosier45; I would not refer to them as Ropers but the man who made “Ropers” Mathias Gagne or his son likely made your set in my opinion.[/quote]
Now seeing the back of Leos stocks I really question why they do not have discs in the back like all other post war stocks. I wish I could find a pic of the old style factory targets that had the plastic insert.We could then see if that prototype used the discs or not.
I get a vibe Mathias Gagne, spent a lot of time on these and were not something that could be made quickly on a factory machine. I agree I would not call them Ropers but are of the same workmanship. The shape is very familiar of the first targets we see out there but I have not noticed the walnut ones having the familiar lip I see on Ropers. Also all the early factory grips I see have discs on the back
Last edited by paplinker; 05-25-2020 at 03:53 PM.
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05-25-2020, 05:03 PM
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The key person is Albert, he was taught by his father Mathias, worked for Smith & Wesson and I believe at the right time to be in on the “new “ special stocks. The set in post 108 have a hand chiseled border, a similar to later factory but not fully developed checkering field and enough internal features that Roper/ Gagne come to mind pretty easy.
Don't think it’s a stretch to say Albert had his hands on those.
The earliest Gagne made Roper grips had checkering cut with a chisel, not checkering tools. Not sure when that stopped, guess we’re gonna need the ship date of all these grips to pin it down !
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05-25-2020, 10:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith Brown
The key person is Albert, he was taught by his father Mathias, worked for Smith & Wesson and I believe at the right time to be in on the “new “ special stocks. The set in post 108 have a hand chiseled border, a similar to later factory but not fully developed checkering field and enough internal features that Roper/ Gagne come to mind pretty easy.
Don't think it’s a stretch to say Albert had his hands on those.
The earliest Gagne made Roper grips had checkering cut with a chisel, not checkering tools. Not sure when that stopped, guess we’re gonna need the ship date of all these grips to pin it down !
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Would love to share a cup of coffee with you oneday and talk about Roper grips and your observations. Maybe at the 50th if we can pull that show off next year.
With lack of discs and having the lip do you think they were factory offered? Did Albert make any N frame or cokes with that lip?
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05-25-2020, 10:54 PM
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I had planned to bring the "suspect" Ropers to the 50th for further examination by the folks with mutual interest.
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05-25-2020, 11:11 PM
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Hello Rich, I doubt that the stock pictured was a factory offering, but have no way to prove that. I really need to gather all the pics I have pulled off the forum and auction sites and try and put them in some sense of order, at least to me, but not meant be the end of speculation and discovery.
The deep throat where your middle finger sets and the beautiful slight sweep to the heel of the grip seen in the earliest stocks are things that went by the wayside pretty quick when actually under production. Production sanding removes wood in an unforgiving way and there is no going back.
And it might not accomplish much other than being enjoyable but I could talk about Roper and both Gagne's through several cups of coffee !
Hopefully next year we can all meet and pass this treasure around.
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05-26-2020, 08:25 AM
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Don,
I believe they fit a Colt Woodsman 1st series.
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05-27-2020, 10:38 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bower
Don,
I believe they fit a Colt Woodsman 1st series.
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That is correct.
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05-28-2020, 10:39 PM
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I need help with an ID. I have what I believe are two pairs made by the same manufacturer. These are the Roper looking ones. I don't know if they actually are though:
But in a strange twist, and hopefully not to muddy the water, someone online bought the above pair, which eventually found their way to me, while I got a very similar pair sold by the same seller. They have the same tool marks (and no jig holes) on the back and basically identical wood.
So this is another clue the above pair, in my opinion.
Thanks in advance for any info!
Last edited by Mr Sten Man; 05-28-2020 at 10:42 PM.
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05-29-2020, 03:44 AM
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Not Roper in my opinion. But very well made by someone with great skill and a good eye for sure.
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05-29-2020, 03:47 AM
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On an other note. Interesting hammer on that Colt. I would like to see more of that.
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05-29-2020, 09:02 AM
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05-29-2020, 09:53 AM
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Bill, those are superb ! Absolute gold, serial numbered to the guns and production numbered 0 and 1. I think a Gagne hand for sure and showing the early but not yet completely defined Factory lines.
A couple questions, late 50s ?, when do the guns letter, Mathias was gone by then. The medallions, unusual, can you tell what material ? trying to figure out the installation method.
The long slender extension down behind trigger guard is an early feature I believe and went away when Targets were produced in number, it gives the stocks that deep throat I mentioned before.
Excellent photos, but can I ask for a couple close ups of the medallion faces when you have time.
Thanks very much
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05-29-2020, 09:58 AM
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Skilled,
Thanks for the info.
The hammer was determined to be a Pachmayr based on an old ad a member here has. The hammer is easy and nice to work and of course the gun shoots great. The hammer is jeweled but worn over time and doesn't look gaudy to me.
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05-29-2020, 10:23 AM
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Keith, Nov 1950 is when the guns were shipped. Yes to photos.
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05-29-2020, 11:20 AM
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Keith, I emailed you the pics.
Bill
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05-29-2020, 11:21 AM
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It is interesting that the "0" set has a "0" stamped on the left panel and the "1" has a "1" stamped on the left panel.
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05-29-2020, 11:41 AM
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Just received the attached pictured Roper style grips from recent Ebay auction "Buy it Now". Based on pictures from this fantastic thread with beautiful Roper's, I think these were done by someone else. I would very much appreciate comments on what I ended up getting.
Thank you,
Ray
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05-31-2020, 08:54 AM
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SFIDEC, Your set look to me like they might be an early set made by The Scofield kid, a member that at least for a little while was making nice grips.
Sten Man, yours are not Roper/Gagne stocks but are nice and compliment your vintage Colt. The wrapped checkering and the different treatment of the top of the ribbon arch are unusual, have seen sets like this before but have no real info on them.
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