fitz grips . . . the wood “semi-target” type

[linde]

Am hoping to learn more on two pair of wood semi-target fitz grips . . . specifically who made them, when, and what wood was used.

Back in February 2011 I acquired the first pair (K-frame) and here's that thread and the information available then.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/175991-5-k38-fitz-stocks.html

In October 2012 I learned from John Paul "Fitz" Jones that his original Fitz grips have no marking on the outside and were made from exotic cherry wood.

The pair on the left is the original K-frame and the pair on the right is a recently acquired N-frame. The checkering pattern differs slightly but both pair are marked fitz in script on the butt and both pair are asymmetrical . . . i.e. the palm swell on the right panel is more pronounced than the left panel.












Thanks for your thoughts and insights,

Russ

 

[Lee Barner]

Russ, I sold a pair of FITZ thumbrest wood target grips a couple of years ago and I don't remember them being marked on the bottom like yours. those are nice looking grips. lee

 

[410bore]

All I know is that I really like those

I recently got a set of Fitz (WOOD) thumbrest targets online and they are very nice but I would like to find a set like those.

 

[weatherby]

I sure like them and will watch to see what more you find out.

I've a question on the wording. When you put down original is that to mean that they were never marked as yours ?

Or is it to mean the very early made ones weren't and at some point in time they may have been?



Both sets you have look to be marked exactly the same to me on the butts.

 

[linde]

Russ, I sold a pair of FITZ thumbrest wood target grips a couple of years ago and I don't remember them being marked on the bottom like yours. those are nice looking grips. lee

Lee,

Oddly enough, both pair (K&N) of my fitz thumb-rest targets are marked fitz in script . . . just like the semi-targets.







Russ

 

[linde]

I've a question on the wording. When you put down original is that to mean that they were never marked as yours ? Or is it to mean the very early made ones weren't and at some point in time they may have been?

That's an excellent question . . . he didn't indicate if later ones may have been marked.

Here is an early ad (zip code 49) that uses the fitz script name . . . it sure looks like it came from the original fitz company.



Russ

 

[-db-]

There are photos in the following thread showing a few different styles of Fitz markings on the butts of various wood stocks: http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-ha...4-outdoorsman-pre-23-w-fitz-target-grips.html

I would be inclined to believe the hand-carved Fitz name examples are earlier than the fancy script examples.

Edit: there is another interesting example found here: http://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/161865-fitz-grips.html

 

[weatherby]

Thanks -db- quite interesting

 

[Lee Barner]

Russ, mine may have been too but I just didn't remember it. I only put them on my pre 24 once and they were too big for my hands so I took them off and sold them. lee

 

[SDH]

I've not yet been fortunate enough to find any wood Fitz but have certianly enjoyed my plastic versions. Being a walnut & blued steel kind of guy these are the only "plastic" stocks around my shop. The maple leaf carved holster I made and dated 1977.
M-36-1 3" (the glove box gun).


1932, .22 Outdoorsman with Fitz 10-O vintage plastic grips.

 

[weatherby]

Nice Holster you made

 

[j38]

Beautiful grips, Russ! I wish I could find a pair like either one of them.

Jerry

 

[hsguy]

Interesting thread. I bought some Fitz grips a few years back from John Paul for a High Standard target gun, the grips on the lower right. They are wooden grips and quite well made and comfortable to shoot. They came in the original box. As I recall they are not marked on the bottom. John Paul was cleaning out a shed on his property and found a stash of grips and reloading equipment he also sold and if I recall he placed an ad on the forum. An interesting gentleman to correspond with and I wish I had bought more grips.

 

[moosedog]

Linde, I think that you have two pair of his earliest grips in those regular targets in your first post. The early ones were maked on the base like yours.
The checkering pattern on those first two is almost Sanderson or early Herett style with more lines per inch. The style looks like late 1940s to me.
At some point the checkering pattern and lines per inch changed to a more coarse pattern like those in your second post of which I own several of the same type, in walnut also signed on the bottom but the checkering looks like it was machine cut maybe. Just not as fine as the earlier ones.
Back in the late 1980s or early 90s I bought about a dozen pair of his remaing stock. He had K frame thumb rest with a round but frame configuration.
I converted them over to square butt and the wood was as hard as a rock. He told me that it was some exotic fruit tree wood. None of his last ones were signed and they all had the machine checkering and a reddish hue to to them as in the pair pictured.
His grips happened to fit me like a glove. The first time I encountered a pair was when I borrowed a K-38 to shoot a match for our department and there was a pair of Fitz grips on it.
Is Mr Fitz still around?

 

[linde]

Linde, I think that you have two pair of his earliest grips in those regular targets in your first post. The early ones were maked on the base like yours.
The checkering pattern on those first two is almost Sanderson or early Herett style with more lines per inch. The style looks like late 1940s to me . . .

Is Mr Fitz still around?

Thank you moosedog . . . that's very helpful.

My last email from John Paul "FItz" Jones was October 25, 2012. At the time he had just undergone major surgery but seemed to have a positive outlook for his recovery. Here's hoping he's still doing well.

Russ

 

[Gunhacker]

In 2008 I bought the last remaining supply of wood Fitz "Gunfighter" grips for N-Frames from him (all of 3 pairs), and at the time he was in ill health and apologizing in an email to me about a slight delay in mailing out the grips.

Paul said he was in a lot of pain and doesn't get around that well anymore, at the time he was 73. Good to see that he was still around last year.

I wish he had more left than the 3 pairs I got, the Gunfighter grips have been the best feeling/hand fitting production grips I've found for my N-Frames.

Fitz "Gunfighter":

 

[-db-]

So the earlier versions had the fancy script on the bottom. That's good to know.

 

[Combat]

My only pair of wood Fitz grips. I have been trying to buy a pair like the OP's for quite awhile. Seems like someone always wants them more than me at the last minute.

 

[-db-]

Combat, that set you have are pretty unique. I would imagine that basketweave isn't the easiest thing to carve in wood. Those are a nice find.

 

[SG-688]

Russ

The Deluxe Target model is described in the ad as having an "anti-whip feature on thumb rest."

So -- What is an anti-whip feature?