Strange 38/44 Outdoorsman grips

bvoges · #1 08-08-2016, 07:38 PM

Check out these pictures of my 38/44 Outdoorsman grips. The right grip panel is numbered to the gun. What's going on with the left one? Its a different color and has a different medallion.

H Richard · #2 08-08-2016, 07:39 PM

I don't see any pictures, but guess it's one side of the pair replaced?

bvoges · #3 08-08-2016, 07:46 PM

I'm sorry. Pictures have been added

bvoges · #4 08-08-2016, 07:54 PM

BTW this is a post war transitional model

ISCS Yoda · #5 08-08-2016, 07:55 PM

Sumbunnie broke sumpin' Ah reckon!

Muley Gil · #6 08-08-2016, 08:20 PM

You have non matching grips.

bdGreen · #7 08-08-2016, 08:28 PM

I would suspect the one panel is not original to the gun.
The numbered panel exhibits the telltale sign of 'ghosting' of the frame. I.e., oil residue and age.
The other panel does not exhibit the same characteristics of wear, usage, and, age.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

bdGreen

jmace57 · #8 08-08-2016, 08:31 PM

It's strange because the left one looks original (sharp shoulder)

Jim Watson · #9 08-08-2016, 08:39 PM

The original owner was lefthanded and wore the gun daily. The outside stock panel took all the wear and tear from shooting and knocking into things. So he or a subsequent owner replaced the beat up one and left the inside panel where it was.

I can't swear to that, of course, but I have a M28 and have seen any number of other pistols with the right grip beat up when carried and used by a righthander.

410bore · #10 08-08-2016, 08:51 PM

I'd love to see a pic of the outdoorsman. You have a transitional model per the sn on the grips. About 2,500 of them manufactured.

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bvoges · #11 08-08-2016, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmace57

It's strange because the left one looks original (sharp shoulder)

That is exactly what I was thinking.

410bore · #12 08-08-2016, 08:52 PM

It could be that the medallions were accidentally different because in the transition period they may have had left over pre war medallions, which is what the medallion looks like in your right panel

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gripper · #13 08-08-2016, 09:11 PM

Although the grips have a few dings, I don't believe the darker color of the right grip came from carrying the gun. I have a few guns that wear grips similar to yours. These guns are in very high condition and have been used little, but they where heavily oiled years ago, wrapped in paper or rags, and stored in their boxes. In all cases it is the right grip. It seems when guns are stored in boxes or some sort of container they are usually laid on their right side and I believe the oil simply migrated to the bottom side. I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule, this just seems to be the norm. This is my opinion of course or educated speculation. Here is a RM that I own. The gun came in it's original box. All the paperwork, including the test target, and the right grip were literally impregnated with oil. 4 inch RM with test target

Chad

jebstuart · #14 08-08-2016, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gripper

Although the grips have a few dings, I don't believe the darker color of the right grip came from carrying the gun. I have a few guns that wear grips similar to yours. These guns are in very high condition and have been used little, but they where heavily oiled years ago, wrapped in paper or rags, and stored in their boxes. In all cases it is the right grip. It seems when guns are stored in boxes or some sort of container they are usually laid on their right side and I believe the oil simply migrated to the bottom side.
Chad

This is interesting. I have owned several and seen many more revolvers that had lighter left side grips, ones I believed to be original and others that I know are original. On the ones I own or have owned, the right stock panel was not saturated with oil. I have always "assumed" that they were displayed in a glass case (retail environment) and shown with the cylinder latch outward exposing the left grip to light. Sunlight would bleach them quickly but I can't imagine anyone exposing them that way. I don't know the effect of florescent lighting but assumed that to be the cause. I would be interested to know if anyone else can explain this anomaly.
Thanks,