And now...another exciting edition of "Who Made These Grips?"

[cubrock]

This is the last pair of the ones I recently acquired about which I am uncertain. Initially, I thought they were Sandersons, but they lack the jig hole and stamped numbers on the insides of the panels that I usually associate with Sandersons. Then I thought they were Herrett's, even though the checkering says "Sanderson" to me.

They are for a square N-frame. They are a bit longer and thinner than one normally sees on N-frame targets, but have a pronounced palm swell on the right side. Even though thumb rest grips aren't my favorite, these feel pretty good in my hand.

Has anyone else seen a pair like this? If so, do you know who made them?

Thanks!

 

[cubrock]

This is the last pair of the ones I recently acquired about which I am uncertain. Initially, I thought they were Sandersons, but they lack the jig hole and stamped numbers on the insides of the panels that I usually associate with Sandersons. Then I thought they were Herrett's, even though the checkering says "Sanderson" to me.

They are for a square N-frame. They are a bit longer and thinner than one normally sees on N-frame targets, but have a pronounced palm swell on the right side. Even though thumb rest grips aren't my favorite, these feel pretty good in my hand.

Has anyone else seen a pair like this? If so, do you know who made them?

Thanks!

 

[jeremyws1]

This is the only other set I've seen with a "horn" at the top of the right panel:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/e...200103904/m/55010252

Pontiaker, is your set stamped with a number?

 

[DWFAN]

Sandersons are usually checkered together. If you look along the back strap area from top to bottom the checkering blends as one. In this case I don't see that, Each panel was done separate from the other. I'll see if I have any pics.
DW

 

[DWFAN]

These aren't Sandesons but show what I'm talking about.
DW

 

[mikepriwer]

I think the screw hole is too high, for Sandersons. And they don't look like
Sandersons on the inside, either.

There are lots of other grip makers, that we never talk about. I've been going
through a couple of boxes of old gun magazines, from the 1950's and 1960's and
1970's. I come across names that I was not aware of.

One is Fitz, that definitely made wood target stocks. I've been told that Fitz
made plastic grips, but I can tell you that the ad's say hardwood grips. I have
no idea if this pair is Fitz, but I do know that there were more makers than just
Roper, Kearserge, Herrett, Sanderson, Mustang and Farrant .

Later, Mike Priwer

 

[kwill1911]

They look like pretty standard (early) Herrett's to me. His checkering pattern was nearly identical as Sanderson's.

Also, here's a thread you might find interesting. http://smith-wessonforum.com/e...904/m/3231060623/p/1 There are lot's of old threads about custom stocks if you'll do a search.

Regards,
Kevin Williams

 

[cubrock]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I have read a lot of the old threads on custom stocks, but I've never seen another pair like this one, except for the pair currently in the Classifieds. Didn't Griffin & Howe also make some nice custom stocks? I thought I'd seen some of their old ads before (not that I think these are Griffin & Howe).

Thanks again for all comments!

 

[cubrock]

Originally posted by DWFAN:
Sandersons are usually checkered together. If you look along the back strap area from top to bottom the checkering blends as one. In this case I don't see that, Each panel was done separate from the other. I'll see if I have any pics.
DW

DW,

I know what you are talking about (your pic shows some great stocks, by the way). However, I have a pair of K-frame Sandersons (and I know they are Sandersons - they have the assembly number and the single jig hole that are typical of Sandersons) that has panels that were not checkered together.

 

[cubrock]

Originally posted by mikepriwer:
I think the screw hole is too high, for Sandersons. And they don't look like
Sandersons on the inside, either.

There are lots of other grip makers, that we never talk about. I've been going
through a couple of boxes of old gun magazines, from the 1950's and 1960's and
1970's. I come across names that I was not aware of.

One is Fitz, that definitely made wood target stocks. I've been told that Fitz
made plastic grips, but I can tell you that the ad's say hardwood grips. I have
no idea if this pair is Fitz, but I do know that there were more makers than just
Roper, Kearserge, Herrett, Sanderson, Mustang and Farrant .

Later, Mike Priwer

Mike,

Fitz definitely made wooden grips. I used to have a pair of their wooden gunfighters. Their wooden grips looked just like their plastic ones. They are very distinctive.

Also, the screw hole on this pair looks artificially high because they are extended at the bottom. Check out how much wood there is below the bottom of the grip frame on the shot of the inside. I agree that the inside of this pair doesn't look like what I expect out of Sandersons, but the screw hole is actually pretty well placed relative to other Sandersons I've owned when you take the bottom extension into account.

Thanks again to everyone for their thoughts! This is a great way to learn!

 

[cubrock]

Originally posted by kwill1911:
They look like pretty standard (early) Herrett's to me. His checkering pattern was nearly identical as Sanderson's.

You could very well be right, Kevin. Thanks for that picture. I lean towards Herrett's, too.

 

[moosedog]

I will have to cast another vote for most likely being early Herrett's also.
It would have been nice if makers would have marked their work.

 

[kwill1911]

Fitz grips are easy to spot--they usually are marked "Fitz" on the bottom and they aren't very high quality, especially the checkering. I've never seen Sanderson or Herrett stocks with a diamond around the screw and there are very few, if any, Ropers or G&H without a diamond around the hole.

Regards,
Kevin Williams

 

[GeoffM24]

Originally posted by cubrock:
Thanks everyone for your comments. I have read a lot of the old threads on custom stocks, but I've never seen another pair like this one, except for the pair currently in the Classifieds. Didn't Griffin & Howe also make some nice custom stocks? I thought I'd seen some of their old ads before (not that I think these are Griffin & Howe).

Thanks again for all comments!

G&H stocks for a Colt

 

[mikepriwer]

Cubrock

I think you are right about the location of the hole for the grip screw.
Its about half-way down, from the top of the frame cutout, to the hole
for the grip pin in the frame.

Later, Mike Priwer

 

[Keith Brown]

Lots of good info and pictures, I can't really add much other than I'm sure now that I've misidentified Griffin & Howe stocks as Sanderson's in the past. The G&H stocks posted by GeoffM24 look like they have a good bit of handwork inside, I wonder if that might be a way to separate the two makes.

Keith

 

[kwill1911]

Keith,

Sanderson's almost always have a stamped model number inside. Also, the checkering on Sanderson's is very well executed but is fairly course (fewer LPI) relative to G&H.

Regards,
Kevin Williams

 

[JayCeeNC]

Geoff?? You're still alive???
Good to see you back, hope you stay a while this time.

 

[DWFAN]

Originally posted by mikepriwer:
Cubrock

I think you are right about the location of the hole for the grip screw.
Its about half-way down, from the top of the frame cutout, to the hole
for the grip pin in the frame.

Later, Mike Priwer

That would be about 1 7/8 inches for both the N and K frame. They are the same.
DW

 

[Gunhacker]

Originally posted by kwill1911:
Fitz grips are easy to spot--they usually are marked "Fitz" on the bottom and they aren't very high quality, especially the checkering. I've never seen Sanderson or Herrett stocks with a diamond around the screw and there are very few, if any, Ropers or G&H without a diamond around the hole.

Regards,
Kevin Williams

That's interesting... I have 4 sets of Fitz Wood Gunfighter N-Frame grips and there is not a "Fitz" marking anywhere on them, just the model X/GFM stamped in ink on the underside. They came in Fitz marked boxes, I bought them directly from John (Fitz) Paul a few years ago when he was selling off the last of the inventory that was saved and put into storage from the fire at his LA factory that put him out of business.

The cut checkering is executed very well. The only complaint I have about them is the wood is some kind of a tropical hardwood that's very plain jane looking in the grain department. It's too bad that something better looking wasn't used.