Show your Roper grips

[kwill1911]

Well, I don't want to be disagreeable, but I will continue to disagree. The escutcheons for the screw are odd and probably have been replaced. The other features of the stocks, and the revolver itself, are kind of a strange combination of features, some of which tend to emphasize single action shooting and others that support double action shooting. I have seen other examples of stocks with the large diamonds and there are some pictured in his books. The concavity of the stocks was to support rapid double action shooting and is also pictured and described in his books. The thumb rest is more of a single action feature but is classic Roper with the grooved surface. The fuller shape at the top is also a double action feature that he describes in his book. Bear in mind that Roper/Gagne made custom stocks and would make them to meet a specific customer's needs.

I don't want to claim any specific expertise; there are plenty of people on this forum with substantial experience with Roper grips. However, a local friend and I have owned dozens of Ropers, examined many more and done our own share of research. And I have the advantage of having actually handled this gun.

 

[skilled]

Kevin..I certainly respect your opinion. We will just have to disagree on this one. But that is the great thing about these forums. We all share our knowledge and opinions in respectable manner and everyone wins.

 

[rbrbrb6]

Gentlemen, since the discussion has turned to questions about possible other makes of grips that share some characteristics to Ropers, I would be curious if anyone has any information on Cloyce grips? I stumbled onto a set earlier this week and the checkering with the solid line in the middle similar to the Roper grips is what caught my eye. Where they from about the same time period and where they an acceptable brand of grip? Thank you for your time and patience with this S&W newby.

Robb

 

[handejector]

This 1st Issue Detective Special was apparently customized by the King Custom Sight Co. around 1939. According to a contemporaneous King catalog, these were "Double Action" Roper grips.

I would refer to those as roper style. I don't believe them to be Ropers. The hardware is all wrong.

I don't know how many Ropers I have owned through the years. I do know I have sold several dozen pairs. I probably still own a half dozen or so. I keep them if they fit my hand, sell them if they don't. I detest thumbrests, so I NEVER keep them. So, I hope all you guys love thumbrests.

I don't know how many pairs I have held and examined.
A lot.
Perhaps hundreds. Maybe just many dozens.

I have seen a lot of others online that were irrefutably Ropers.

They did vary somewhat in shape and design.
Roper was an inventor/developer/experimenter. I would expect to see ideas tried and adopted, or tried and discarded. I would also expect to see what a customer requested within reason.

The hardware absolutely varies on Ropers.
It varies so much that it almost has to be DISQUALIFIED as a qualifier for verification.
I have seen factory hardware, and I have seen several types of non-factory hardware that probably came via mailorder or the local hardware store.

We do know the wood can vary from plain to fancy, and a few exotic wood pairs are known.
BUT, by and large they are walnut that is rather plain. I suspect three major reasons for that-
Cost
Stability- fancy grain can cause more warpage, cracking, and chipping.
Workability is easier with plain grain.

I use a list of factors to authenticate-
The wood.
The craftsmanship and workmanship.
Design and shaping/contouring.
The inletting style and cutting.
The checkering and/or ribbons and diamonds.
The texture they were finished to.
The color of the wood and finish.
Jig holes help and are almost always present.

Everything I can see on this pair of grips says ROPER to me.
YMMV.

 

[TexNekkid]

I didn't know my DS would spark such an interesting discussion. My thanks to everyone who's chipped in. The only thing I can authoritatively say about the stocks is that they're very comfortable held "pinky under." Here're pictures showing (1) the thumb rest grooves Kevin mentions (2) the stock backs and (3) the Audley Folsom holster with which it came:

 

[skilled]

After looking at the back I am now more certain than before that these stocks are 100% not Roper. Sorry just my opinion..no disrespect intended.

 

[Modified]

Could they be Roper made Ropers and not Gagne made Ropers?

 

[05CarbonDRZ]

After looking at the back I am now more certain than before that these stocks are 100% not Roper. Sorry just my opinion..no disrespect intended.

I agree with this 100%.Even if they are Roper's they are so different that convincing potential buyers that they are in fact original Roper's would be next to impossible(not saying you are trying to sell them)

 

[410bore]

I haven't handled hundreds or even dozens of pairs of Ropers. I have/have owned a total of 4 pair but have handled a few other sets. But, I HAVE studied hundreds of pictures of Roper stocks on this forum and other websites. I like to think I have a keen eye for similarities and have become very good at spotting Ropers, Farrants, Sandersons, Etc. on various online auction sights.

I see absolutely NO Roper characteristics with these grips other than the overall look (the ribbon, the grooves on the thumbrest, etc.) which I believe was made to mimic the Roper design. The checkering style does not look right at all and the insides of these grips are very crudely inletted and don't resemble the inside of any real set of Ropers I have ever seen. MOST Ropers will have the square Jig Holes, and a EITHER penciled or carved description of the gun that they fit (or BOTH penciled and carved). (You can see a few examples of this below). Roper panels also tend to be pretty thin where the stocks on the Colt are rather thick, especially at the top where a Roper stock tends to be at its thinnest;



I realize the hardware varied a bit (most are seen with either black(blued), or nickel silver escutcheons and screws) but all of them have been much smaller in diameter compared to the stocks on the Colt in question.

Below are a few examples of Ropers which also show the hardware that I am most familiar with when looking at Roper Stocks. And, if you look back through this thread there are many other great examples to see.













Also, here is a Google Image Search result for Roper Grips. MANY images to look through here (yes, I realize there are some Keith Brown Ropers and other non-roper stocks here but the majority are original.)

https://www.google.com/search?q=rop...7yQTs0ILIBg#um=1&hl=en&tbm=isch&q=roper+grips

 

[handejector]

I am more convinced.
The right grips show some chisel cuts made in the upper front strap area to "hog out" clearance for the front strap.
I've seen positively Gagne made grips that showed similar "hogging".

 

[-db-]

Didn't we just have this same discussion not too long ago?

Time to show this book scan again:

I wonder how many here, if they were to see the stocks pictured at the top of the page with no other information given, would insist they are not Ropers.

 

[skilled]

410..Nailed it. I was just to lazy to go into that much detail.

And (Handejector) Im sorry but in my experience the hardware rarely if ever changes on Ropers. Just look at all the posts of Real Ropers and Hardware is virtually identical.

 

[Modified]

Recently acquired a new set. They are very neat but way too small for my hand sadly.







I still think they work quite well on this gun, and I would imagine someone with small hands loving them on this gun.

 

[Lee's Landing Billy]

Roper Grips

STOP! STOP! Ya'll are killing us southern boys! We'll buy a gun JUST for the grips. Absolutely beautiful stuff! Ya killin me!

 

[410bore]

Caleb, your new ropers are just like a set I have on a pre war m&p target with king sights.

I'd love to find an N frame set that is the same.

 

[Hammerdown]

STOP! STOP! Ya'll are killing us southern boys! We'll buy a gun JUST for the grips. Absolutely beautiful stuff! Ya killin me!

Hello Lee's Landing Billy
Keep the faith and search, there is Roper's in the deep south. While walking a Local Gun show here in Knoxville,Tennessee about seven year's ago I came onto a very nice set of Roper's. They were Mounted on a Model 27-2 revolver with an 8-3/8" barrel. I knew the vendor so I asked him to see the gun. He asked me if I needed the gun ? My reply was no, but I sure could use those stock's. He then shocked me as he claimed he could not sell the gun due to those Ugly Herritt stock's that it had, and he sure wished that he had a set of factory S&W Target's to Place on it. I asked him to set the gun under the Table for a bit and quickly returned from my Truck with a pair of Factory S&W Target stocks that were in my Glove compartment. He Lit up when he saw them and asked me how I would Trade ? I said even up is fine which really pleased him. As soon as I had them in my hand, I Promptly left the gun show very happy. Here is my Roper's that I have a cash value trade of just $35.00 In. Keep up the Hunt....they are out there. Hammerdown

 

[Lee's Landing Billy]

Ropers

U Da MAN! I am 67 years old and have never seen a pair at local shows. There is a show today 20 miles away in Myrtle Beach. I have a group that meets here every Sunday to shoot, I may sneak away!

 

[Combat]

A question for the experts, is there a such thing as a pair of smooth Ropers?

 

[jmace57]

I'm not sure if I should have started a new thread, but ran across the following auction listing. It is currently at a low price...it is a clapped out monstrosity of a revolver (Colt), but has these grips on it. Can anyone estimate the value? They are not pristine...there are nicks on the bottom. Thanks

 

[Green Frog]

Hammerdown, I feel your pain on being in the South and stuck with those ugly old Herritts! Because I'm such a generous type, I'll give you a set of nice K-frame targets and the $35 you had in the previous set so you can get those abominable things out of your gun safe. Don't thank me, I'm just that kind of a humanitarian!

In all seriosity, you sort of reinforced LLB's point... Ropers are so thin on the ground down here that the owner of the LGS had no idea of what he had. Can you imagine a similar sequence of events in say, Pennsylvania or New York??

Froggie

PS FWIW, the pair you have are the almost the stocks of my dreams, full on Ropers without any thumb rest, only I need K-frames.