Educate me on Ruger factory stag grips.
Re: Educate me on Ruger factory stag grips.
Great information. I was not around in 1953-1962 when the stag and ivory grips were offered by Ruger. I do know from my past visits to Tulsa you will get varied opinions from every collector. So, with that said I buy them when the price is reasonable and/or if I like them. I've paid over RENE prices for several pair in my collection. Without a doubt they are my favorite grip panel for Rugers.
Re: Educate me on Ruger factory stag grips.
Well, these days I'm not sure anybody can tell the real deal from a set of fakes.
Some years ago I took a bunch of pictures of the Rugers in a pretty major collection, one that most everybody here knows pretty well. Several of the pics were of a couple of pair of factory ivory that I had no reason to believe weren't right. Everything looked good on them to be the genuine Ruger article. If you all knew who I was speaking of you would be floored, because he has no idea what I found recently, and no idea this pair isn't factory...or at least the one panel.
Just perused those pictures again and noticed on the backside of one of the panels is a small eagle stamp, not unlike the size used for Ruger's Bearcat medallions circa 1964 to 1974, and the Ruger shotglass circa 1967.
That eagle stamp has no business being on the backside of that panel!! Or any other factory Ruger stag or ivory panel for that matter.
It isn't pressed into the ivory but was dipped on a pad of ink and stamped very lightly on the panel.
Considering who I believe that pair of grips to have originated with (not the current owner) and for the reason that I've also seen that stamp on another item that I believe to be "manufactured" after the fact(!), I now wonder if that eagle stamp isn't the maker's cartouche'...to remind him of his handiwork should he ever come in contact with these pieces again.
For a long time now, I have had a hard time even thinking about paying big $ for stag or ivory...even if one of the big collectors says they are factory.
Well, looks like the pic is clipped a little bit, but you can see the culprit on the one panel.
In another instance, not too long after the ivory ban occurred we went to a gun show in Omaha, Nebraska where a big collector of that era always displayed his collection. Said he'd just purchased some factory ivory and had them on some of his flattops. Those looked great too! Then I looked at them a little closer and three of the six black eagle medallions were post 1966 type. He let me take the grips off to look at the numbers penciled on the inside and all three sets were consecutive. So none of those pairs were right. And the medallions were in the right position of what I consider factory.
So today...who knows where those ivory panels are, and whether or not the medallions were changed after I saw them.
I understand the politics behind all this. There are a lot of collectors that have a lot of $ invested in XR3 stag and ivory.
So if you like them and think they look good, buy them. Because there probably aren't many others who would question them either.
Chet15
Some years ago I took a bunch of pictures of the Rugers in a pretty major collection, one that most everybody here knows pretty well. Several of the pics were of a couple of pair of factory ivory that I had no reason to believe weren't right. Everything looked good on them to be the genuine Ruger article. If you all knew who I was speaking of you would be floored, because he has no idea what I found recently, and no idea this pair isn't factory...or at least the one panel.
Just perused those pictures again and noticed on the backside of one of the panels is a small eagle stamp, not unlike the size used for Ruger's Bearcat medallions circa 1964 to 1974, and the Ruger shotglass circa 1967.
That eagle stamp has no business being on the backside of that panel!! Or any other factory Ruger stag or ivory panel for that matter.
It isn't pressed into the ivory but was dipped on a pad of ink and stamped very lightly on the panel.
Considering who I believe that pair of grips to have originated with (not the current owner) and for the reason that I've also seen that stamp on another item that I believe to be "manufactured" after the fact(!), I now wonder if that eagle stamp isn't the maker's cartouche'...to remind him of his handiwork should he ever come in contact with these pieces again.
For a long time now, I have had a hard time even thinking about paying big $ for stag or ivory...even if one of the big collectors says they are factory.
Well, looks like the pic is clipped a little bit, but you can see the culprit on the one panel.
In another instance, not too long after the ivory ban occurred we went to a gun show in Omaha, Nebraska where a big collector of that era always displayed his collection. Said he'd just purchased some factory ivory and had them on some of his flattops. Those looked great too! Then I looked at them a little closer and three of the six black eagle medallions were post 1966 type. He let me take the grips off to look at the numbers penciled on the inside and all three sets were consecutive. So none of those pairs were right. And the medallions were in the right position of what I consider factory.
So today...who knows where those ivory panels are, and whether or not the medallions were changed after I saw them.
I understand the politics behind all this. There are a lot of collectors that have a lot of $ invested in XR3 stag and ivory.
So if you like them and think they look good, buy them. Because there probably aren't many others who would question them either.
Chet15