Fuzzy Farrant and the 1955 Target....

[gizamo]

Looks like I'll be needing a set of Fuzzy Farrant grips...

This gun illustrates why you always take the grips off before you buy...


Drew and I looked at this gun a couple of years ago. Things were going great until I asked the dealer for a screwdriver. Low and behold the frame had been cut to fit a set of Fuzzy Farrant grips....

Gun went from pristine example of a 1955 45ACP Target to a shooter in an instant. It's funny how guns like this cycle around. Anyrate, two years later and it now resides with me....

 

[RdrBill]

Giz.
I can't see the pic on this work computer. I think I have one of those at home. The toe of the frame has been cut at a 45 degree angle, small amount of it is missing. The grips completely hid the modification. Guy I bought it from had Pach's on it and he told me what was under there. I looked and bought it anyway. Gun was a pre 27 6.5 inch and well worn shooter. I paid a reasonable price for the shooter and put a set a walnut diamond targets on it that were also worn. Gun looks ok for what it is.
I have never seen what the Fuzzy F grips look like and don't know what benefit they would give a shooter.
Post a pic of some Fuzzy F. grips and I will see them tonight when I can use the computer at home.
Bill@Yuma

 

[VM]

Giz - don't feel bad, my first Highway Patrolman had the same hidden 45 degree corner missing.
I did not remove the grips at time of purchase. Weeks later after a Range visit while cleaning the gun, I took the grips off and was sick.

Why don't you just keep some factory targets on it? Out of sight, out of mind (NOT)

 

[TSQUARED]

Recently I purchased a pristine Model 27 with 8 3/8 in. barrel which had been modified for a round butt grip. I could not resist for $300 - it's an excellent shooter.

 

[gizamo]

Still, it's hard to imagine anyone doing this to a gun of this quality. This is a high percentage gun. Just a turn ring. It's almost to nice to shoot, even though it's been hacksawed. With the correct targets stocks on it...nobody can tell....

Dang...the whole thing is just sad.


giz

 

[Joe Kent]

Do a search, there are a fair number of Fuzzy's stocks pictured on the forum. The bird's head, like what would fit on your gun are great to use in my opinion. All of the guns that I carried in "the mud the blood and the beer" are fitted with them. You can fire heavy loads and the revolver will not shift position in your hand. While I would not cut one today, I have,sure as the devil, cut a number of them in the past and would not hesitate to cut one today if it was for serious work. I might add that I would have the stocks first. As an aside our own Keith Brown has made some very good Farrant "type" stocks.

 

[gizamo]

Joe,

You have a link to a KBrown set of Fuzzy's...?

giz

 

[Art Doc]

I have a Colt from the 1950s modified like this. Also didn't know until the target stocks came off. Not a huge deal to me because the gun is a shooter grade and the stocks I want to use hides it.

 

[Muley Gil]

"Still, it's hard to imagine anyone doing this to a gun of this quality. This is a high percentage gun."

Why, Giz? It was bought to shoot and obviously, the owner liked the feel of a set of Fuzzy's grips.

I took a new M25-5 and roundbutted back in 1980. It fit my hand better. Did the same thing to a new 4" M24-3.

 

[Black_Talon]

I live very close to where Farrant lived (Covina, CA) back in the 1970's and had him make grips for, and cut the frames on an M28 and an M29 that I was shooting a lot back then. I didn't think twice about doing it back in 1975/76. Sure wish I still had those guns and grips.

 

[JayCeeNC]

Farrant grips for N-frame with cutout:

 

[Joe Kent]

gizamo, no link, but Keith told me he started in the stock business by "copying" Fuzzy's work, and knowing Keith ,you can damn well bet that they are good.

 

[OIF2]

John Hurst, a contemporary of Fuzzy's and an LAPD copper too, also offered notched-style stocks. This is John's personal PPC revolver.
Bob

 

[ljmvaw124]

How about "Form follows Function" ? From an anatomical or ergonomic viewpoint, Fuzzy's design makes more sense. The tapered grip fits the hand better than the flared grip. Sometimes the way things have always been done is not the best way - that frame grip design probably dates back to the single action days ........

 

[mikepriwer]

Steve

It may not have been Farrant. He was LAPD, and shot on their
shooting team. He was a student, as it were, of Walter Stark, who
was also LAPD, and a member of the team. He was also a grip-maker
for LAPD, and, of course, came before Farrant.

I bought two of Chief Ed Davis's guns, when he retired years ago.
The early K-38 had the cut corner, and a pair of very nice custom
stocks. The gun was shipped to the LAPD pistol range, and Ed Davis
bought it as a rookie, and kept it his whole career.

I wrote him a letter asking about the stocks, and he wrote back,
saying that Walter Stark , then an armorer with the department,
made both pairs.

Since then, I've had several email discussions with fellows that I
think are ex-LAPD. They feel that Farrant/Stark modifications are
very important.

So - don't feel bad about it. All you need is the proper pair of grips.
With that front corner cut off, and with the right grips, that take
advantage of the cut, your whole hand position changes, and feels
much more natural.

Regards, Mike Priwer

 

[mikepriwer]

Steve

Here are a couple of pictures that might be of interest :

Regards, Mike Priwer

 

[OIF2]

Mike
I think you're right on this one. John Hurst knew Stark well and worked with him at the LAPD Academy. Both shot on the old LAPD champion bullseye team and John told me that Walter Stark was a mentor regarding stock making. Fuzzy and Guy Hogue were also contemporaries. All of John's personal shooting revolvers were "notched" at the bottom of the frame... it is very comfortable. People weren't concerned then about collectability. Revolvers were everywhere and they were daily working tools, modified for use.
Bob
PS- Let's see the photos of Ed Davis' revolvers again.

 

[Joe Kent]

These threads are always interesting to those of us who appreciate the "wisdom" of some of the old masters. While I never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Farrant ,I have quite a number of his stocks and even some local very well executed copies, and had talked to him on the phone several times. I did have the pleasure of spending quite a bit of time with Guy Hogue, however, and found him to be a heck of a good guy and very enjoyable to visit with. He made and personally fitted at least 7 or 8 pairs of his stocks to my hand and guns. His sons continue to build great stocks for the money.

 

[gizamo]

Mike,

Thanks for all the info. I had no idea and it is very interesting!

Looks like I'll have to hunt down grips for the gun. Might just be time to see if Keith Brown - would create one of his masterpieces...

giz

 

[mikepriwer]

Bob, and Steve, of course

Here is a scan of one of the auction catalog pages. I bought 118 and
119. 119 is a 1950, I think, early K-38, and it is the one that has the
cut frame. Lot 118 is a much later gun, and does not have a cut
frame.

Both pairs of stocks are Walter Stark.

Regards, Mike Priwer