Help - explain these 1917 grips to me?

[Kamerer]

I have a two part question, grip applications and value.

1) I got these 1917 grips to use on my .455 for field use. They fit great. But I'm confused as to when they were made. The s/n inside the R panel is quite clearly "209167."

I became curious because when I got them, the grain was badly raised. When I started working on them, the wood I filed or sandeded came off light, fluffy, and reddish. They seem like Rosewood to me, not walnut. But I'm no wood expert. I looked up the S/N and 1917 details in the SCSW, and it says the last s/n produced was was 209791 in 1946.

Did these come from a gun made in WWII? Did they use Rosewood then? This is what they look like after I washed, filed, sanded them, then stripped them and have a coat or two of finish into them (many more to go). They aren't prize winners, but they feel good and look appropriate, which is my goal so I am happy.

2) in the rough condition they were in, w/o a screw, what are they worth? I'm not selling them, but I got them from a forum member who said, "send me something of like value." So I have to make sure I don't short-change him! I think I have some decent K grips he's going to like, but just want to make sure.

Fig. 1) 1917 N frame grips, S/N 209167

Fig. 2) reverse of same, S/N stamp on R grip panel

 

[Kamerer]

I have a two part question, grip applications and value.

1) I got these 1917 grips to use on my .455 for field use. They fit great. But I'm confused as to when they were made. The s/n inside the R panel is quite clearly "209167."

I became curious because when I got them, the grain was badly raised. When I started working on them, the wood I filed or sandeded came off light, fluffy, and reddish. They seem like Rosewood to me, not walnut. But I'm no wood expert. I looked up the S/N and 1917 details in the SCSW, and it says the last s/n produced was was 209791 in 1946.

Did these come from a gun made in WWII? Did they use Rosewood then? This is what they look like after I washed, filed, sanded them, then stripped them and have a coat or two of finish into them (many more to go). They aren't prize winners, but they feel good and look appropriate, which is my goal so I am happy.

2) in the rough condition they were in, w/o a screw, what are they worth? I'm not selling them, but I got them from a forum member who said, "send me something of like value." So I have to make sure I don't short-change him! I think I have some decent K grips he's going to like, but just want to make sure.

Fig. 1) 1917 N frame grips, S/N 209167

Fig. 2) reverse of same, S/N stamp on R grip panel

 

[Muley Gil]

These may have been fitted to a Brazilian.

 

[Kamerer]

Ok, some Brazilians were made with military grips? I thought they all got commercial grips. But given the s/n and wood type, I don't know what to think.

 

[Muley Gil]

Accordig to the SCSW #3, the Brazilians that were shipped in 1946 had smooth grips and were in the serial number range of 207196 to 207989.

 

[Kamerer]

Thanks. I see that now. I did not read the "price check" column in the entry where there is clearly valuable information. It says "most guns in the range 207196 to 207989." But presumably there were other guns not in that range that could have gone to Brazil in 1946.

I also see they say "wood grips" and don't specify a type, which gives some leeway as to what they all were, and why they appear Rosewood to me.

So I agree, these must have been on a Brazilian very, very late in the production run. They are clearly for a pre-war N frame - they fit my c. 1916 .455 perfectly - full to the frame, full length, not shrunken at all. I have a pre-war type Pachmayr N adapter (5) and the combination feels great!

Thank you for helping sort me out on this.

 

[DRB]

Looks like Walnut to me, Rosewood is much darker.

 

[Polyphemus]

Just about identical to my Brazilian's grips
(#209719)
The military-style grips were put on a fair number of first batch Brazilians.

 

[Culina]

Another vote for walnut