Bad Experience with N.C. Ordinance Product

[Nframed]

I recently purchased two sets of magna style grips from N.C. Ordinance Inc. of North Carolina. The first was a set of imitation ram's horn and the second imitation jigged buffalo horn.



I first tried the ram's horn set on my model 27-2 (1966-67) and they looked pretty damn good. However I did notice that the front strap of the grip frame exceeded the grips. It was just enough to feel it when gripping tightly.


I then put them on my model 57-1 (1980's) and the grips fit perfectly. No points of the frame exceeding the coverage of the grips, no corners and even the bottom of the grip frame was matched up very well. HOWEVER, every time I gripped the revolver tightly, one scale or the other would shift slightly.
As this would happen I would tighten the screw an 1/8 to 1/4 turn and each time when gripped tightly one or the other scale would shift.


I removed the scales and found the threaded sleeve was pulled completely out of the scale on the inside. There was a warning on the card in the packaging of both sets of grips not to over tighten, but I never felt the screw snug up. I've never experienced this before with ANY company's grips. I don't think I've ever received a warning not to over tighten grips meant for a magnum chambered revolver from any other manufacturer. Talk about the one place you need a solid grip!?!


The buffalo horn grips didn't fair much better. They are exceedingly thin and the left grip scale is a 1/16" longer than the right scale. The screws supplied protrude through into the palm of your hand once tightened. I wouldn't even want to imagine the damage to a hand that would occur after touching off a full house .41 mag with the tip of a screw stuck in my palm.


N.C. Ordinance gets a double thumbs down and huge WARNING from this old wheelgunner. Save your money and run the other way.

 

[StrawHat]

I have NO experience with N C Ordnance but have a lot of experience with magna grips. Since each N frame is an individual creation, I do not expect a factory stock to fit with perfection. I much prefer when there is enough material to trim to a perfect fit. (That is why the factories numbered the Magnas and Service stocks to the revolvers.)

Kevin

 

[bdGreen]

I have only one experience with NC Ordnance.

I had a set of custom K frame stocks manufactured by them.

I ordered them with the medallions installed.

Medallion orientation is kind of a 'vision grabber' for me and they were placed kind of 'at random'.

What I sent them back for was... They had polished the poopy out of the medallions removing some of the plating.

NOT acceptable.

I got them back and they were adjusted accordingly.

Some day when I get the energy I will post up photos.

bdGreen

 

[Buick]

NC Ordnance is located about 7 miles from me. Its a very small operation. The owner is a very talented injection molder but certainly could improve his wares and service. Their one saving grace is they do offer grips for a lot of very obsolete handguns. Im pulling for them and i feel like with a good bit of hard work they could be a real force in the industry. But right now they really aint.

 

[hittman77]

Did they refuse to make them right with a new set or a refund?

Seems common sense to not over tighten.

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

Bought a pair for a colt new service many years ago, wasn’t impressed but originals are hard to find even for shooters. Scrubbed them with scouring cleanser to dull them down. They do make them for out of print stuff.

 

[Vulcan Bob]

About fifteen years ago I ordered four pair's of K frame grips from NC Ordnance. They looked good and the price was good. Well, when I got them I was to find all of them were just garbage. I did manage to get one pair to fit up. The other three were tossed into the garbage. No I did not contact them,I figured any one who would ship those things wouldn't take care to make it right.
It may be since I am a "Yankee" he just selected rejects to send!

 

[DWalt]

I once bought a pair of grips for a FN-Browning 1900 there. Poor quality and fit, I returned them for a refund.

 

[RetCapt]

A few yeas ago I bought a pair of faux stag grips for my stainless Ruger Blackhawk. I grew up with westerns and I think a SA looks best in nickel, or polished stainless in this case, and stag grips. NC Ordinance was the only source I could find for these grips, so I ordered a set.

They fit properly. Noting the admonition against over tightening I just snugged down the screw, and that seems to have been sufficient.

So, thus far I am satisfied. What I am less than satisfied with is even having to exercise this precaution. While I like a SA to look a certain way, my DA revolvers are set up for functional efficiency, this includes duty (back in the day), off-duty and competition. I only shoot DA revolvers DA, never SA. I found that the grips that best fit my DA revolvers for duty and competitive use were Rogers (later Safariland). Given how much these revolvers were carried and shot, I snugged these grips quite firmly. Never a failure nor breakage. Rogers engineered the grips so that the portions of the grips inside the grip frame where the screw passed through were much thicker, thus making the mounting system much stronger.

NC Ordinance could do the same thing. The proprietor may be a talented injection molder as one poster says, but he needs to so some simple and fundamental engineering to eliminate this design defect rather than place an unreasonable responsibility on the consumer.

I don't know of another source for faux stag grips for SA revolvers, so I am stuck with what I have from NC Ordinance.

 

[StrawHat]

A few yeas ago I bought a pair of faux stag grips for my stainless Ruger Blackhawk. I grew up with westerns and I think a SA looks best in nickel, or polished stainless in this case, and stag grips. NC Ordinance was the only source I could find for these grips, so I ordered a set.

They fit properly. Noting the admonition against over tightening I just snugged down the screw, and that seems to have been sufficient.

So, thus far I am satisfied. What I am less than satisfied with is even having to exercise this precaution. While I like a SA to look a certain way, my DA revolvers are set up for functional efficiency, this includes duty (back in the day), off-duty and competition. I only shoot DA revolvers DA, never SA. I found that the grips that best fit my DA revolvers for duty and competitive use were Rogers (later Safariland). Given how much these revolvers were carried and shot, I snugged these grips quite firmly. Never a failure nor breakage. Rogers engineered the grips so that the portions of the grips inside the grip frame where the screw passed through were much thicker, thus making the mounting system much stronger.

NC Ordinance could do the same thing. The proprietor may be a talented injection molder as one poster says, but he needs to so some simple and fundamental engineering to eliminate this design defect rather than place an unreasonable responsibility on the consumer.

I don't know of another source for faux stag grips for SA revolvers, so I am stuck with what I have from NC Ordinance.

Could you add a spacer on the inside of the stock and then be able to tighten them? Not unlike the spacer on one piece grips?

Or a pillar such as used in bolt action rifles?

Kevin

 

[boykinlp]

Could you add a spacer on the inside of the stock and then be able to tighten them? Not unlike the spacer on one piece grips?

Or a pillar such as used in bolt action rifles?

Kevin

I was wondering if the correct sized "O" ring would work? I did this on some aftermarket 1911 grips, and it worked great. Let me snug up the screw and had some give too.
Larry

 

[2152hq]

I had a few customers in the past that had grips from them and were not happy with the products.

One instance was a set of pistol grips that the model had grip panels attached with a screw on each side. (Dreyse)
The repro grips arrived with a single long screw with a countersink escutcheon on one panel and a threaded one on the other.
Quality of the grips was fair.

Another, the grip material was soft and pliable. Like an epoxy that never set correctly.

They offer a lot of grips and butt plates. But I've stayed away from ordering from them from just what I've seen others had recv'd.

 

[RetCapt]

StrawHat and boykinip,

I recently started to think along these lines. I won't know until I remove the grips and check inside clearances. What I have envisioned entails gluing a thin wide washer (such as a fender washer) or similar such steel piece over the screw hole on the inside of each grip, thus spreading out the load created by screw pressure.

Given that everything is static at present, this one has not gotten very high on the priority list.

 

[Nframed]

I'm not buying any arguments of fitting being needed in this day and age and as far as my over - tightening I can't accept that either, not with the materials available nowadays.



I've purchased and installed grips from nearly every known manufacturer in the US over the last 38 years and NEVER had any issues with over-tightening. Not to mention receiving a warning not to do so. This indicates to me, that NC Ordinance knows it's going to happen. So they know, their product is subpar.



I've decided to keep the buffalo horn grips as low cost emergency replacement in case a grip ever cracks and eat the low cost of the imitation ram's horn with some irritation. Not enough irritation to warrant any tussle with NC over money.


*Thanks everyone for the input.

 

[gwpercle]

You are expecting "Custom Fit " grips for "off the shelf" prices .
Revolver frames were finished by hand by a craftsman ... they all vary some what ... I'm always amazed how close the manufacturers can make "one size" and they fit most ... but not all frames . Grip screws are left a little long so you can custom fit its length ... some models frames are thicker and some grip materials are thicker ...it's not possible to keep the "perfect" length screw in stock for every situation ... just shorten the screw .
If fit is truly important ... ship the gun to a custom grip maker and he will make a "perfect" fitting set of grips for you ...
You know the old addage ...you get what you pay for !

My Dad used to tell me you don't pay for a Ford and then complain that it isnt a Cadillac !
I've used N C Ordanance grips on many occassions and maybe not "perfect" in every case ... you can't get perfect in off the shelf grips , they are as good as any and better than most .
I Rate them as 10 and give them 5 Stars to boot !
Gary

 

[Nframed]

You are expecting "Custom Fit " grips for "off the shelf" prices .
Revolver frames were finished by hand by a craftsman ... they all vary some what ... I'm always amazed how close the manufacturers can make "one size" and they fit most ... but not all frames . Grip screws are left a little long so you can custom fit its length ... some models frames are thicker and some grip materials are thicker ...it's not possible to keep the "perfect" length screw in stock for every situation ... just shorten the screw .
If fit is truly important ... ship the gun to a custom grip maker and he will make a "perfect" fitting set of grips for you ...
You know the old addage ...you get what you pay for !

My Dad used to tell me you don't pay for a Ford and then complain that it isnt a Cadillac !
I've used N C Ordanance grips on many occassions and maybe not "perfect" in every case ... you can't get perfect in off the shelf grips , they are as good as any and better than most .
I Rate them as 10 and give them 5 Stars to boot !
Gary

You sound like an NC stockholder and I like the old corn pone quotes however...



I never indicated anywhere in this post that I expected "Custom fit" nor did I complain about any price. *You may want to re-read the post.


So, Hogue, Altamont, Pachmayr, Jay Scott, Herrett, Sack Peterson etc. (all who I've purchased from) as well as many others can produce grips that fit perfectly without custom fitting but N.C. gets a pass for NOT being able to do so. That argument certainly doesn't hold water my friend.


As far as positive experiences with NC go, read for yourself the responses the balance of the reviews are negative and I wholeheartedly agree.