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Recently I picked up a couple of 3 digit Flatgates (from a gentleman 80 years of age). One was wearing a pair of Factory Ivory (as has been described and written about in several books on Rugers by different authors) the other gun was wearing real Ivory as well. However this pair has the medallions (early satin medallions) mounted in the area where the XR3 Walnuts and Hard Rubber grips have their medallions. Last year I was fortunate enough to purchase another pair of Ivory that also have the early satin medallions and mounted in the same area as the Walnut and H/R grips from Ruger. Both pair of these grips are staked the same and have the back of the grip "counter bored" where the staking is done. Neither pair have the scalloped area on the back with a penciled number. This pair was purchased from a gentleman in Indiana that had owned them from the early 60's.

After the great pictures and descriptions in the recent ROCS digest by Bill Cross and the details in John Dougan's book regarding the several suppliers of grips to Ruger - I question if it is possible that some grips were made this way and sold as factory. By the use of the early satin medallions I wonder if these were some of the first grips to be made for sale by Ruger! The only factory grip available for the single-six in 1953 were Hard Rubber and had the satin medallions (at this time the only medallion Ruger used or had in inventory) installed. According to Dougan's most recent Ruger book (Ruger Pistols & Revolvers) the first batch of ivory grips were ordered March 11, 1953 (possibly for some of the early prototypes?). The second order for ivory was 10/20/1953 again before the first Single-Sixes shipped in December of that year. I don't believe Ruger had ordered or had on hand the more shiny medallion at this point. I believe this could have been the same for Factory Stag (that's another story for another time). Just a thought and I welcome any and all comments... from the young collectors or especially the older Collectors who were around in the early days of the Flatgates and Flattops.
2 pair of ivory with satin medallions mounted in the area of the Hard Rubber Grips and XR3 Walnuts


Backside of same grips

Satin (dull) Medallions

Staking of dull satin medallions

Factory Ivory as known from most collectors today

Backside showing scalloped area and penciled numbers as per Dougan's book

Stag grips with Satin Medallions - Another story another day.

PERHAPS...........CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT THE SOURCE OF THE DIFFERENTLY SPACED IVORIES WAS A MAN WHOSE LAST NAME WAS CHRISTENSON(SP) WHO LIVED ON CALIFORNIA........JUST AN IDEA AND WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS LONG AGO, GARY. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WHEN WBR ORDERED, HE SENT DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS ON SPACING AND DID NOT OFFER THE DIMENSIONS OF THE "OTHER " GRIPS, ALA BLACK RUBBERS..........ATB, COACH......

Factory or not, they sure look good!

Splitz

I agree and have heard many stories about P.C. and his grips. I have met him and talked to him at gunshows from time to time. I have not seen him in years. My thoughts are that his grips would have been done in the fashion that are known and believed to be factory. Just my opinion. I would not think he would have put the medallion in the H/R grip area. Who will ever know. If I ever see him again I will casually bring this discussion up with him. Not even sure he's still around.

Thanks for the response. GW

The only comment I can think of is those are the most perfectly staked Ivory stocks I have ever seen....

For the record I love them....who looks under the stocks but picky collector type guys anyways

YMMV....RR

Still curious if shiny medallions were present at the time Ruger placed their order for Ivory and Stag from the suppliers in 1953?