K38 Pawn w/Bubba Grips Has Hidden Issue

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stanmerrell

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When I got this K38 home I realized it had a grip frame trimming. Too bad. Such a nice gun.
 
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JayCeeNC said:
You got a nice set of Fuzzy Farrant grips in that deal.
Click to expand...

Agreed!!
Sometimes non-original is actually a good thing!
Lotsa guys collect King target conversions. You could hardly call those Bubba guns!
Fuzzy Farrant (aka: FuFa!) guns are headed that way, too.
I think you came out WAY ahead!

I hope one day I find a similar deal, except with left hand thumbrest grips, maybe for a low price because "Oh No! It's not original!!"

:cool:
 
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I saw an older Python in a local gun shop with Farrants and I knew it had to have a cut frame that someone will only discover later. Recently someone on Colt Forum had Farrants on a new snub Python. I asked if he cut the frame under the grips and he said he did. I thought it was gutsy to do that saying I loved the idea (though a future owner won't, but who cares?).
I think you got a big bonus here with those grips, cut frame and all.
 
pasound said:
If it weren't $400, I would have set it down as soon as I saw the grip profile. Fuzzy Farrant? Are the more knowledgeable sure?
Click to expand...

Yep, those are Farrant grips for sure.

There is a thriving community of collectors for guns like that, you did very well on the price. You do need to leave those grips on there though, they are truly part of the gun now.
 
Modified said:
Yep, those are Farrant grips for sure.

There is a thriving community of collectors for guns like that, you did very well on the price. You do need to leave those grips on there though, they are truly part of the gun now.
Click to expand...
Yes, and if removed they could only work on another modified gun. But they are contemporary to this one and obviously used by someone who knew what they were doing. I found a set of smooth dinged up John Hurst cut frame grips for $3 but traded them off because what's the odds I'd ever find a modified K frame.
 
JP@AK said:
The serial number should start with the letter K.

Also, are you sure it has six digits? At K32732x, there is no way it should have the fifth screw. With the serial number you gave, it should be a 4 screw and probably model marked (MOD 14).
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Yes sir. Six digits. It may have had the K before the grip frame trimming, but it's no longer there, or never was. The SN under the barrel does not have the K. There's numbers visible when the cylinder is open also but they do not jive with the SN on the grip and barrel. I'll send a picture tonight. Thank you.
 
stanmerrell said:
Yes sir. Six digits. It may have had the K before the grip frame trimming, but it's no longer there, or never was. The SN under the barrel does not have the K. There's numbers visible when the cylinder is open also but they do not jive with the SN on the grip and barrel. I'll send a picture tonight. Thank you.
Click to expand...

Does the cylinder have a serial number stamp? If it's an early model gun, it should also have a "k" on it.
 
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Years ago, at the old N. Atlanta Trade Center show, I purchased a K38 with regular targets installed. When I removed the stocks I saw the Fuzzy cut. Ended up selling the gun as purchased and later found a set of Fuzzy style grips. Oh well. Later sold the Fuzzy grips here. I wish I could have them all together now.

Don't know who made these, that's why I call them Fuzzy style.
 

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Retired W4 said:
Years ago, at the old N. Atlanta Trade Center show, I purchased a K38 with regular targets installed. When I removed the stocks I saw the Fuzzy cut. Ended up selling the gun as purchased and later found a set of Fuzzy style grips. Oh well. Later sold the Fuzzy grips here. I wish I could have them all together now.

Don't know who made these, that's why I call them Fuzzy style.
Click to expand...
A few years ago I bought about eight pairs of grips from a gun shop "junk" box for $3 each. Included were round butt Farrants and the cut frame Hurst grips mentioned earlier here. I traded the Hursts off but soon after that store had a consignment 2" Model 10 (0r pre 10) with bobbed hammer, reblued, and a cut frame. It had service grips with a wood plug filling up the cut area. I'd have bought that gun if I still had the Hursts. gun was around $500 I think.
 
Love me some Fuzzy's...

Fuzzys.jpg


To be honest, some of the above stocks may be John Hurst's - I was told that he was a contemporary of Fuzzy's and mentored him. I believe that paplinker may be able to differentiate, if he wishes to comment.

To the OP: For $400 I would have been on that like white on rice.

Adios,

Pizza Bob
 
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The mods came from a time when LAPD was allowed to be the police and there were some serious shooters there. I am pretty sure that most knowledgeable folks will not consider them to be "Bubba" mods. Not my cup of tea, but to some folks a very valuable historical piece.
 
Pizza Bob said:
Love me some Fuzzy's...

To be honest, some of the above stocks may be Charles Hurst's - I was told that he was a contemporary of Fuzzy's and mentored him.

Pizza Bob
Click to expand...

The pair above the "FUZ" in Fuzzy are third generation JOHN Hurst - or copies of the style. The pair at top left are maybe not Fuzzy. Too dark to tell much, but I see a hint of the only documented Stark.

Although Earl Farrant was older than John Hurst, I've not seen a mentoring claim before. Walter Stark and Joe Blackford were first but not by much. Hurst 1st generation grips are direct copies of Blackford's. Farrant grips are similar to the little we know about Stark.

Vtgw938 neglected to write that the grips on his model 15 are by Blackford. We've previously agreed on that, and I envy him having them.
 
SG-688 said:
The pair above the "FUZ" in Fuzzy are third generation JOHN Hurst - or copies of the style. The pair at top left are maybe not Fuzzy. Too dark to tell much, but I see a hint of the only documented Stark.

Although Earl Farrant was older than John Hurst, I've not seen a mentoring claim before. Walter Stark and Joe Blackford were first but not by much. Hurst 1st generation grips are direct copies of Blackford's. Farrant grips are similar to the little we know about Stark.

Vtgw938 neglected to write that the grips on his model 15 are by Blackford. We've previously agreed on that, and I envy him having them.
Click to expand...

My Blackford's (on my M15-2) are the ones Retired W4 let go and they actually are for an N frame.
 
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SGT ROCK 11B said:
Nice revolver and grips. A previous owner was a Policeman.
Click to expand...

Thanks. That's what they told me at the pawn shop. They said the previous owner was LEO, and that I had purchased his Model 15 the week prior, and now I also have his K38. I grew up in So Cal when it was a decent, conservative, family, place. My folks were divorced and dad lived out of state, so a neighborhood cop befriended me. I already had a model 19, so we had lots to talk about. He was a shooter. Most of my experiences with law enforcement officers have been positive. Someone brought up Kings Gun Works in Burbank or maybe it was Glendale? A real cool store back in the day. My kids were young back then, and I dared not spend much time or money there, but a real cool store.
 
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