New grips on my conversions

Abilene · October 29, 2008, 08:02:03 PM

I've posted pics in the past of my engraved '51 Richards-Masons with Thunderer grips (my Thunderer-Mason Conversions

).
Although I like the looks and the feel with those grips, I decided to go a little more traditional and put on some Tru-Ivory grips from Bar-S. I got them in the "slightly aged" option. At some point I may put the Thunderer grips back on the engraved guns and put the Tru-Ivory on my 7 1/2" conversions. Here is a link to a high-resolution version of the first pic below: Close-Up

By the way, the first time I ever shot the engraved guns was a clean match. Thus far I have 4 clean matches with them (half with BP, half smokeless) and 3 clean matches (all BP) with the 7 1/2" pistolas. They do shoot well!

Fox Creek Kid · October 29, 2008, 08:40:51 PM

I've never seen Tru Ivory grips in person, but from the photos they have the same marbling as real ivory. Impressive & nice altered Colts, Abilene.

Mako · October 29, 2008, 11:39:00 PM

Abilene,
Very nice! If you had had those stocks a couple of weeks ago you would not only have one your class but we would have had to have made up songs extolling your virtues and lauded your beautiful pistols at the awards ceremony.

I will vouch for his clean matches (though not his manner). He does have some pretty pistols and a lot of personal style I might add. At our last match we had a visitor who asked why he was bugling (yep with a real field bugle) about half way through the match. The reply was, "that's Abilene..." by their look they didn't understand the remark. There really isn't an explanation, being Abilene is an art unto itself.

~Mako

Major 2 · October 30, 2008, 04:38:05 AM

bugling ? (yep with a real field bugle) about half way through the match

That reminds me of one of my favorite Charictor actors Arthur Hunnicutt in his roll as Bull Harris
in El Dorado.
He stole the scenes, with the Colt Roots Revolving Rifle, his Bow & Arrows & Bugle...

Beautiful pieces Abilene ...some day I hope to have me a BBQ Richards ...I saving

Roosterman · October 30, 2008, 06:44:13 AM

Who engraved those beauties? NICE!

Abilene · October 30, 2008, 07:18:51 AM

FCK - the Tru-Ivory grips really do have the look of ivory from the side, however they don't have the lines in the butt.

Mako - I DID have those grips on when shooting the Whoopin' (they've been on the gun about 6 months now). And when I bugle in the middle of the match, it's usually CHARGE

Roosterman - Kelly Laster did the engraving. From what I understand, it was his first attempt at this pattern. He took clay impressions of an Uberti-engraved gun and copied that. I later sent the frames to Doug Turnbull to re-case color.

For those who haven't seen it, here's a pic of the same guns when they had the Thunderer grips: Thunderer-Mason Conversions

Long Johns Wolf · October 30, 2008, 07:37:38 AM

I envy you Abilene, pretty impressive pistolas.
Being kind of a conversion pistolero myself which pistolas do you prefer in a casual match: the 7,5" barreled ones or the shorties?
My current preference is the 7,5" (OTs in .44 Colt) but I plan to switching to 5,5"er soon.
Long Johns Wolf

Dusty Morningwood · October 30, 2008, 10:31:29 AM

Which Tru-Ivory grip best fits the Navy grip on Open Tops?

Major 2 · October 30, 2008, 10:38:07 AM

yeah ! I'll have to spring for a set of those for my 51 Conversion
got part #

Doc Flimshaw · October 30, 2008, 10:53:05 AM

Did they require hand fitting by you or do you send in the grip to tru ivory for fitting. I don't suppose they just fit out of the box?....Doc

Rusty Spurless · October 30, 2008, 01:46:41 PM

Very purdy guns!

Makes me want to send my OT's off to the graver!

Mako · October 30, 2008, 05:03:10 PM

Quote from: Abilene on October 30, 2008, 07:18:51 AM
Mako - I DID have those grips on when shooting the Whoopin' (they've been on the gun about 6 months now). And when I bugle in the middle of the match, it's usually CHARGE

OOOOOHHH! now I feel chagrin, not only am I going deaf (I must be because my wife constantly tells me I am) but it appears I am going blind as well. HOW ON EARTH DID I MISS THOSE BEAUTIFUL STOCKS? It's probably just as well, i would have aboandoned my posse duties and your pistols would have been a bit slippery from the drool.

Yeah I definitely recognize "charge" and I know the reason you do it as we began the great overland migration from stage 7 back to stage 1. It was funny though because we had a lot of visitors for the Cerveza Grande Saloon dedication and there was an fella sitting on a folding chair behind you that asked what that was all about. I told him, "that is Abilene being Abilene..."

I guess we'll have to compose songs of adulation and glory at our next match.

~Mako

Abilene · October 30, 2008, 06:39:24 PM

Quote from: Mako on October 30, 2008, 05:03:10 PM
I guess we'll have to compose songs of adulation and glory at our next match.

~Mako

Uh, please don't - you obviously haven't heard me when I get a little out of practice and start splitting notes

BTW Mako, have you seen Bronco Birnbaum's OT's ? The relief engraving on them is awesome. There are a couple pics of them on page 2 of my CAS pages. He has since had ivory fitted to them by Paul Persinger. He used to have a picture story of their development online but it isn't there any more.

As for the questions about the Tru-Ivory grips, I don't know that you can just order grips to fit yourself (but maybe). You send them the grip frame and they do it. You can also specify thinner or thicker. They are pricey but about the nicest thing next to real ivory IMO.

Long Johns Wolf, I really can't say whether I shoot the 5 1/2" or the 7 1/2" better. Although I have to admit that I don't shoot the 7 1/2" nearly as often now. I have 44 Spcl Colts and 45LC (antique Colt and Model P) that also require some shooting time, so the 7 1/2" conversions only get shot once or twice a year lately.

Mako · October 30, 2008, 07:21:37 PM

Abilene,
I meant we (those who sit in awe at your feet) would have to compose songs of adulation and glory to the man with the beautiful pistols... You are supposed to just sit there and look embarassed. It is really unfair for you to use those pistols you know, there is obviously magic in the engraving, how else can you explain the clean matches? Or maybe we are all just dazzled and enamored by their sheer beauty and don't notice any misses because we are transfixed (how's that for blow'n smoke?).

Yeah, Bronco's pistols are very nice, he babies them a lot. He won't shoot anything heavier than a .44 Russian through them to make sure he doesn't do anything to wear them prematurely. You should put the pics you have of his pistols on this forum, drop him an email and he'd say yes.

I also like his engraved Marlin in the white. There is something about naked steel, it has a special look. Plating, and stainless just doesn't look the same. Do you have a picture of his rifle as well?

~Mako

Abilene · October 30, 2008, 09:09:50 PM

Mako,
Well okay but while they are composing songs about my guns they also need to make some about your skill at the art of successfully shooting 1860's gunfighter style! I'd say that's the ultimate in CAS.

I've seen Bronco's engraved Marlin, looks great but Marlins just don't do anything for me

A good while back when I noticed that the link to his Opentop journey page no longer worked, I emailed him and asked him if it had been moved and if so would he send me the new link (I previously had his permission to have a link to that page - after all he likes to show them off, too), and never received a reply. Guess I should ask him again.

Blowing the bugle at Old Fort Parker:

Coffinmaker · November 01, 2008, 09:55:46 AM

Absolutely gorgeous guns. About the only improvement (from a personal standpoint) would be to lop the barrels off at the ejector rod housing. Never met a barrel that was too short!!

Those are REALLY nice!!

Coffinmaker

Abilene · November 01, 2008, 07:22:02 PM

Coffinmaker,
Since I already had the 7 1/2" models, I probably would have opted for 4 3/4" but that length was not being made yet when I got these about 4 years ago. Actually, now that I think of it, even after 4 3/4 were made I don't recall any being made in that length in charcoal blue. What really got me to wanting these (aside from the fact that I already loved the '51 R-M) was seeing one of Cimarron's showguns which is an engraved charcoal blued '51 Navy with ivory. That one was factory engraved so the charcoal blue came after the engraving instead of vice-versa like mine. Cimarron has a guy now who can do charcoal blue, so at some point I may have my barrels re-blued. The barrel engraving will be more subtle then, which is the same thing that happened to the frame when I got it re-case-colored, but that's okay.

You would like these: http://runniron.com/showcase/customer4.html Those were Bob Taylor's guns from Traditional Effects. He had the barrels cut to that length. HIs son Robert got them engraved by Kelly Laster and then had Run-N-Iron reblue and case-color them.

mrbig6045 · December 28, 2008, 08:53:24 AM

very nice Abilene,thats a good looking set of pistols

rafterp · December 30, 2008, 10:49:27 AM

Abilene I admired those pistols with the Thunderer grips and now I like them like this! Can't say which way I like them best though. Like they say, "that's why there's more than one flavor of ice cream". Not to highjack your thread, but I had another grip question. I've always kinda liked the Army grip better than the Navy grip. Could a feller order an 1860 Army Steel Backstrap from VTI and put it on an 1861 frame? I like the style of the Army 60 and Navy 61, just not the Navy grip and was wanting to drop a .38 Spl Kirst Konverter in a 61.

Hoof Hearted · December 30, 2008, 03:02:37 PM

Quote from: rafterp on December 30, 2008, 10:49:27 AM
Abilene I admired those pistols with the Thunderer grips and now I like them like this! Can't say which way I like them best though. Like they say, "that's why there's more than one flavor of ice cream". Not to highjack your thread, but I had another grip question. I've always kinda liked the Army grip better than the Navy grip. Could a feller order an 1860 Army Steel Backstrap from VTI and put it on an 1861 frame? I like the style of the Army 60 and Navy 61, just not the Navy grip and was wanting to drop a .38 Spl Kirst Konverter in a 61.

Not meaning to hi-jack here, but............Yes they will interchange and fit is usually quite good, but you have to stay with Pietta on Pietta and so forth. I have some used pistols (1860's) coming in and may be able to facilitate a swap for you

Send me an email (address in signature line)
HH