A couple of years or so back, I bought a pair of ivory K frame targets. A modern pair, they no doubt had roots in the Orient. Apparently, the maker had faithfully copied a very late pair of Football relief Targets, because they were very large. They were also shaped like a rectangle on the bottom with rounded corners. You know- the kind of Targets that have ALL the grace and comfortable feel of a nice 2X4 block. Well, ALMOST as good as the 2X4. They had cheesy little circles glued on the back made of ivory- a new touch I had not seen before. To top it all off, they would not even go on a gun. The first time I tried, one was so tight, the little ivory circle popped off!
DAMN!
Not being one to refrain from throwing good money after bad, it occured to me that maybe Tim could make some of his magic pre-war type circles to get me back on the right road, and maybe even install some pre-war medallions. When I talked to him about it, he seemed very willing to undertake a total revamp.
Soooooo, I had this pair of Ropers I liked the shape of. I took it all to Tim- ivories, Ropers, and Gold medallions. It took a while, but some times it ALL comes together.
DO NOT trust these pics to do them justice- till you wrap your hand around 'em you WON'T understand; it is a near-sensual experience. The flair at the bottom, the eccentric palm swell, the unique texture of ivory.....ahhhhhhh.
I've got more money in them than many of my guns cost, but what the........
This is, by the way, the most tricked-out 5 screw K-38 I ever ran across. BRIGHT Blue, Red POST, white outline, Target trigger and hammer, and Sandersen thumbrest grips when I found it in a gun shop in Chicago.
5-29-08 -- UPDATE
I now have them back from Keith Brown, checkered with a Roper Double Ribbon pattern. Keith did a FABULOUS job:
The screw and escutcheons are Pre-War factory. I could not stand the thought of non-factory hardware if we were going to the trouble of making pre-war circles and installing factory medallions. A few years ago, I stumbled across a little cloth bag at a gun show with four complete sets in it:
