Heresy? Sacreligous? and origonal grips

[Engine49guy]

When you buy a K Frame with target grips, there is NO way to know how many guns those grips have been on previously since they are not numbered to the gun in the first place.

True but certain years or group of years had stocks with certain unique features,
For example early post war service stocks on first year Baby Chiefs and Terriers, Stocks from 1952 usually have plastic medallions, 1953 steel medallions, the 50's to early 60's 44 Magnums had Cokes, 50's Combat Magnums had the sharp radius heel turn, 1967-68 non diamond stocks had ss deep escutcheons vs shallow brass ones later.
Point is those unique stocks belong with that gun not on one from a different era.
Its a dirty trick IMO that greedy people pull that dont care about keeping a gun correct vs making a quick buck.
Its kinda like selling a vintage Rolex Speedmaster you inherited but keeping the owners manual and original documents to sell on ebay then bragging about it.
No law against that but its bad form,
If thats how you roll you be you but dont expect my approval for doing sleazy stuff.....

 

[JohnRippert]

It is their gun, they can do what they want with it. That said, I would not buy from someone I knew was doing that. I only change grips on a revolver I buy if they are not original to begin with. If they are not serialized but are correct I leave them be. I kinda enjoy buying a revolver with mismatched grips. It gives me a excuse to contact the Culinas.

 

[MelvinWalker]

True but certain years or group of years had stocks with certain unique features,
For example early post war service stocks on first year Baby Chiefs and Terriers, Stocks from 1952 usually have plastic medallions, 1953 steel medallions, the 50's to early 60's 44 Magnums had Cokes, 50's Combat Magnums had the sharp radius heel turn, 1967-68 non diamond stocks had ss deep escutcheons vs shallow brass ones later.
Point is those unique stocks belong with that gun not on one from a different era.
Its a dirty trick IMO that greedy people pull that dont care about keeping a gun correct vs making a quick buck.
Its kinda like selling a vintage Rolex Speedmaster you inherited but keeping the owners manual and original documents to sell on ebay then bragging about it.
No law against that but its bad form,
If thats how you roll you be you but dont expect my approval for doing sleazy stuff.....

A set of Ebay silver washered target grips for a K frame is not a Registered Magnum... They are common and routinely sell on Ebay by the dozens every day... I am quite familiar with the fact that different featured grips go on different eras of guns. Replacing the grips is no different than replacing the strain screw or swapping a hammer out.

There is a company out west that sells complete parts kits from confiscated firearms. The frame is sawn in two and the entire "gun" is then sold for parts. I have bought several dozen of these kits, usually for the original target grips that comes with the kit. The only reason the magnas were serialized to begin with it because they had to be had fitted to the frame, so S&W numbered them so they could stay with that frame. Modern CNC methods no longer need this to be done because tolerances are milled by computers now and not micrometers.

Here is just one that I bought out of maybe 20 sets over the years.

 

[Engine49guy]

Say its not so....But,yes. I've read it here and have seen it take place. Harvesting original grips off older collectable pistols....Heresy or being capitalistic to sell or to put on other guns. According to those who do it....its ok, I'll sell the gun(with cheap Pach'ys) and recoup my money. But who cares anyway....right? what say you?

I suggest reading the OP again,
Its specifically asking about "Harvesting original grips off older collectable pistols" not buying stocks from chopped up 80's parts kits.

On a side note IMO buying say a 1970 27-2 with Cokes then swapping those onto a minty fresh 1957 44 Magnum you bought wearing meh 70's era targets,
In that case swapping the two is something to be applauded and encouraged IMO.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Blue 19 come that away.
Got it In Guam, as I have posted several times.
Got the Nickel later on, don't recall the grips, but not these! I put these on.

 

[Engine49guy]

Blue 19 come that away.
Got it In Guam, as I have posted several times.
Got the Nickel later on, don't recall the grips, but not these! I put these on.View attachment 793699

The stocks on the nickel one are 50's era.
The ones on the blue gun are 60's era IMO but Id have to see the other sides to be 100% sure.

 

[MelvinWalker]

On a side note IMO buying say a 1970 27-2 with Cokes then swapping those onto a minty fresh 1957 44 Magnum you bought wearing meh 70's era targets,
In that case swapping the two is something to be applauded and encouraged IMO.

On another side note, why are some swaps "to be encouraged and applauded" when others are trickery and borderline fraud?

I would venture to say that most handguns with any age have parts swapped on them. Grips are the most common thing to swap on a gun, especially target grips.

Other than factory numbered magnas, there is simply no way to tell that a period correct target grip is original to the gun, especially 1970's era guns. There were some 1980's era target grips that had no washer and were date stamped, but I have seen scores of earlier factory target grips, both blued and silver washer varieties that are not marked at all.

 

[The Kid]

So you have a nice Heavy Duty with later model aftermarket stocks, you'd sure like to have a set of period Magnas to complete the package. You walk into a pawnshop and there's a 1937 Brazilian that someone buffed to look like a shiny black bar of soap somewhere in it's history, rotten bore included at no extra charge, but it happens to be wearing a very nice set of Magnas you've been looking for to put on your HD. It's priced appropriately for its condition. It's "unethical" to buy it, swap stocks with your other revolver, and resell the one you don't want?

Your money, your items after you pay for them, let your conscience be your guide but don't expect it to guide others.

 

[Engine49guy]

On another side note, why are some swaps "to be encouraged and applauded" when others are trickery and borderline fraud?

In the hypothetical scenario I painted the two guns came with the wrong era stocks, the swap I proposed results in both guns getting proper era stocks.
If you reverse the scenario and buy a 1957 .44 Magnum then rob the Cokes off it to swap onto your 1970's era 27-2 then sell the 44 with wrong stocks its sleazy and a perfect example of what not to do IMO.

 

[Engine49guy]

So you have a nice Heavy Duty with later model aftermarket stocks, you'd sure like to have a set of period Magnas to complete the package. You walk into a pawnshop and there's a 1937 Brazilian that someone buffed to look like a shiny black bar of soap somewhere in it's history, rotten bore included at no extra charge, but it happens to be wearing a very nice set of Magnas you've been looking for to put on your HD. It's priced appropriately for its condition. It's "unethical" to buy it, swap stocks with your other revolver, and resell the one you don't want?

Your money, your items after you pay for them, let your conscience be your guide but don't expect it to guide others.

In a scenario where you have two same guns , ones a mint gun with rough shooter condition stocks and the others a rough condition shooter with same style but mint stocks ,
Imo swapping the two sets makes one more valuable as a collectable where putting shooter grade stocks on a shooter grade gun wont hurt its value as a shooter so no harm no foul a win win situation.

 

[JH1951]

It is a small group of gun owners that give a hoot if the grips are original / number to the gun.
I am one that gives two hoots. Unless the piece I am looking at is rare, mismatched stocks is an instant pass for me. Matching stocks often equates to higher value to some of us. There are lots of people who couldn't care less. To each their own even if I do not agree.

 

[paplinker]

True but certain years or group of years had stocks with certain unique features,
For example early post war service stocks on first year Baby Chiefs and Terriers, Stocks from 1952 usually have plastic medallions, 1953 steel medallions, the 50's to early 60's 44 Magnums had Cokes, 50's Combat Magnums had the sharp radius heel turn, 1967-68 non diamond stocks had ss deep escutcheons vs shallow brass ones later.
Point is those unique stocks belong with that gun not on one from a different era.
Its a dirty trick IMO that greedy people pull that dont care about keeping a gun correct vs making a quick buck.
Its kinda like selling a vintage Rolex Speedmaster you inherited but keeping the owners manual and original documents to sell on ebay then bragging about it.
No law against that but its bad form,
If thats how you roll you be you but dont expect my approval for doing sleazy stuff.....

Service and magnas are a no brainer for me. Numbered is numbered.

I have a specially marked box that I keep my original grips in.I also have in my log guns that original grips are in that box.
.Being a Roper guy I prefer seeing them on my modified guns but I always keep my originals for the next caretaker.

 

[Grayfox]

If you choose to change the stocks on your own gun, go for it. Especially if it makes the gun fit your hand better and shoot better.
However, I do find the practice of harvesting grips to resell at a profit to be unscrupulous and deceitful.
But its your gun, do whatever you want with it. Nothing I can do about it anyway.
If I sell a gun, I will make and effort to put the original or at least the correct type stocks on it.

 

[DWalt]

I have an early Colt 3-5-7. It has its original and once quite valuable Gen 1 target grips. But some earlier owner had sanded off the checking so it now has a pair ot smooth Gen 1 target grips. But you know what? I love those smooth grips for shooting and will never replace them. They feel just right in my hand.

 

[PHS327]

I've heard it said, "Buy the gun, not the story." I say, "Buy the gun, not the grips." Would I pay extra for a gun with the original grips? No. Having said that, if I have a gun that I believe came with the original grips, those grips stay with the gun if I ever sell it. For some reason that seems right to me.

 

[Omega-Man]

A friend once called to say a Lew Horton 624 had just appeared in the local gun store, was in the neighborhood so swung by and there it was, very nice except for the set of Hogue grips. Am looking at this revolver for cheap money and pondering how much would be spent to find the correct grips. About that time, the owner says: "oh yeah, here's a holster and another set of grips that go with it". And there they were, the original grips...oh happy days. To address the original question, would never misrepresent something I am selling, and if grips are changed it is to suit what I want to feel ... nothing else. BTW, that 624 LH sits in the rack right next to the 24 LH, also with the correct grips.

 

[austintexas]

Only time I've done it was when I came across a way over buffed Heavy duty at a gun show. It was priced according to condition. It had a pair of prewar Magnas with the machined washers on them. I paid the gentleman his asking price of $500 and promptly replace the grips with a shooter pair. Now the grips wait in my wood pile waiting for the proper N frame to come along with the wrong grips. Sold the buffed and blued HD to a gentleman that was looking for a shooter and wanted to put targets on it. Usually its the other way, I find a desirable revolver with rubbers on it and have to go to my woodpile to get the correct era grips for it.
SWCA 892

 

[2152hq]

I just look at the gun, what ever it is,,handgun, rifle or shotgun, and decide if the asking price is worth it to me.
Yes there are switched parts and/or replaced parts all the time on some of them.
You make the decision. If you don't like it , don't buy it.
If you are looking for that virgin collectible and it ain't it,,don't buy it.

I really don't care what the other guy does.
If they strip parts for re-sale,,or strip the entire gun for that matter and resell the individual parts that's up to them.
If no-one did that, there wouldn't be any good condition replacement parts around to fix the guns with problems.

I'm not a collector in the strict sense. I know enough not to destroy collectible value.
But I don't stay awake at nite w/a migraine worrying about if someone 'harvests' some parts and sells them for profit.
It's not like it's some new phenomenon.

Pretty soon people will be getting upset because others are sporterizing cheap Military rifles too.

 

[poledorus]

For me, the stocks are a major part of the attraction. I really like M&P 1905s...but for some reason I prefer round frames with wooden stocks. I agree with others that I generally pass by revolvers with chewed up stocks or mismatches, unless they are very nicely priced. And when I have replaced stocks, the ones that came with the revolver -- even if they are in poor condition -- go back into the box.

 

[5Wire]

If I have a gun with the original grips but don't like to shoot with them, I replace the grips with what I favor. Example here is a S&W 547 I purchased but the recoil was whacking the trigger guard against my middle finger. That hurt. I mounted a set of Hogue Bantams and included both originals and the Bantams when I sold the gun.