New Model Blackhawk Grip Question

Status
Not open for further replies.
D

disneyd

Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
Messages
76
Location
TN
I recently bought a new New Model Blackhawk in .357/.38. It came with the checkered rubber-ish grips, which I don't really care for. I called Ruger to order the factory rosewood grips, which they show on their web site as a $34.50 accessory.

The lady on the phone told me (after asking for the serial #) that the rosewood grips wouldn't fit my revolver because it shipped with the rubber grips.

Is that true or should I just order them from the web site? Any difference in the frame on revolvers that shipped with rubber or wood grips?
 
I noticed a .45 Colt Blackhawk in a local gun shop that had the hard rubber stocks, and at first thought it might be one of the commemorative flat tops.

They may have decided to use the grip frame they changed to on the New Model Vaquero and commemorative flat top .357 and .44 Magnum Blackhawks. If this is the case I believe that a number of makers (and maybe Ruger) offer wood stocks for the above models. Remove the grips on your gun and see if a code is marked or molded into the side of the grip frame. Then use that when you inquire about stocks.
 
If your grip frame is steel, and the charge holes index with the loading gate, you have an XR-3 grip frame. Its a New New Blackhawk built to be the size of a colt SAA. I have the Vaquero model in .45 colt. The grip panels are different than for the regular Old New Blackhawk and Vaquero which has a larger differently proportioned frame. I bought a set of pearlites for mine from Hogue. They are special order and took 3 months to make.

At the time I ordered them the hogue rep said that they would be a regular production Item soon.

You may also want to try Ajax grips they may have them as well under XR-3 Grip stocks, I had a bad experience with them so I dont buy their grips or recommend them, but others have had better luck.
 
If this is the flattop 357 "Anniversary Model", it's the mid-size frame and the same grip frame as the New Vaquero. Ruger doesn't have wood grips for that grip frame. Eagle and many others do as aftermarket wood grips. I'd look closely at the Eagle "Gunfighters".
 
http://www.gunblast.com/Hamm_Ruger-SA-GripFrames.htm

All current production blued Blackhawks and SBH's are coming with the new black plastic grips. These are the "L" models.
Look under the grips and see what the gripframe is. thepart designation is cast into it. (ex; xr3-red). Simply find grips made for that model gripframe. I do belive all the current production BH's still have the xr3-red gripframe as they have for years.
While you could orer #19900 (rosewood grips) from uger, you'll easily find them on ebay for less or at most gunshops and gunshows.
For nice ones, look at Klamath River or CaryC. I've never been to happty with the fit of Ajax or Eagle.
 
Thanks for the web site BlkHawk73. Unfortunately, I still don't know what I have.

The frame is not steel and it isn't a flat top. I removed the grips and there are no markings or castings that match up with anything mentioned here so far. The only marking is on the left side of the frame, underneath the grip panel near the locking mechanism, and it is just an 'S' stamped there.

The serial number indicates (according to Ruger's page) that it was produced during or after 2007. "New Model Blackhawk" is stamped on the side of the frame beneath the cylinder.

Any ideas if the 19900 grips would fit?
 
At this point I'm not sure what Ruger is doing, and I'm not sure that they are... :scrutiny:

I suggest that you making a tracing of one grip panel, pick a stock maker, and send them a copy of the tracing with a question, "do you make anything like this?"

While you are at it, look inside of each grip panel and see if there are any markings that might be a clue.
 
ok, look at your owner's manual at the scematic and parts listing. Find the gripframe and see what it gives for a part number and for the grip panels. I don't recall them changing them when they added the locks. If it XR00300 it's the same as all the other large framed NM BH's.
I might have a set or two as spares that Id trade for those black plastic ones if interested. PM if interested.
 
The schematic in my manual shows the grip frame as XR00300 and the grip panels as XR0100... which are described as rosewood (which, of course, mine aren't).

The accuracy of the schematic is dubious since it doesn't show the locking mechanism at all, just the regular mainspring seat.

PM sent
 
Ghaaaa.

OK. Part of the problem is that their long-time grip supplier (Lett) went out of biz. Another part is that Ruger's marketing and documentation processes have apparently been outsourced to a nuthouse.

It SOUNDS like they've grafted a New Vaquero grip frame to a standard Blackhawk, a move we kind of suspected would happen. Me, I'd go to my dealer, pull off my right grip panel, demand that they pull the left grip panel from a NewVaq or 50th Anniversary Flattop (357 OR 44, same thing) and see if they line up. If they do, you need "New Vaquero" grips.

Whoever is pulling this crap at Ruger needs to check into "glue sniffers anon" or something.
 
The new Blackhawks (not anniversary models) I have seen at my local shop appear to have the XR3-RED grip shape with its flared backstrap but with slimmer, black plastic grips instead of the Rosewood. I like the feel but am less liking of the checkering. I think I have heard/read that the reason the older Rosewood grips don't fit is due to the presence of the internal lock under the grips. Correct me if I'm wrong.
 
I'll take some pictures tonight and post them. Maybe someone will recognize something. I'll also try to find a NewVaq to compare them to.

Oh, someone asked if my grip panels had any markings on their interior sides... nope nothing at all.

Thanks for all the info guys.
 
Well I see that it has the detested internal lock... :cuss:

So I would think it is the one used on the New Vaquero and the 50th Anniversary Flattop .357 and .44 Magnum. Jim March would know for sure.

But at least you shouldn't have any trouble finding wood stocks, although I don't believe that Ruger has them.
 
No I don't know for sure.

Yeah, it LOOKS like a NewVaq grip, but they could have easily shoved the lock into an XR3-RED sized grip frame!

See how the mainspring meets the lock body at an angle? I seem to recall mine (NewVaq) heading straight into the lock. Not certain of course...but this may be an entirely different frame casting.

Is the grip frame steel or aluminum? Hint: magnet...
 
It would seem to me that Ruger would settle on two identical grip frames, one made of aluminum, and the other out of steel (to include stainless). Otherwise they are going to end up with a massive inventory problem for no useful purpose, and it wouldn't make sense to also have two different sizes of plastic grips where one would do.

Stockmakers like Houge must know what's going on.
 
Hmmmmmm

I'm gonna try this weekend (not sure how long the HoneyDew lists are) to pull the grips off both my 50th Year .357 Blackhawk and "Old New Model" Vaquero and look at the springingwerks....The Vaquero is on the beefier .44Mag sized frame, while the 50th Year .357 is on the "xr3-red" (???) smaller frame.
 
The 50th 357 Flattop Blackhawks had the same blue steel grip frame as the blue/case NewVaqs like mine.

So if this is an early sighting of a lock-equipped aluminum grip frame, it could be the XR3-RED size or the smaller size similar to a NewVaq. Impossible to say from pics, you have to size-match it.
 
Ok, what if I scan one of my grips on a flatbed at 1:1 scale and save it as a PDF? If anyone prints that at 100% size from Adobe Acrobat they should have something easy to lay their grip panel on top of for comparison.

Can I talk anyone into that?
 
Grip question

Once you figure out what you have:rolleyes:, check out Bearpaw grips and take a look at his gunfighter style.

I sent him 2 blanks of American Holly and had him dye them to look like aged Ivory and then fit them to my New Vaquero.

100_3473.gif
 
Ok, From what I've figured out, it's a regular XR3-Red gripframe. std grips for the same should work fine but they may require a bit of inletting for the lock assembly.
 
Interesting. I'm actually surprised Ruger is making both the XR3 and XR3-RED grip frames and seems to be ready to do so for a long time to come (new tooling compatible with the lock).
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

L
  • Locked
ruger new model blackhawk grips
Replies
9
Views
2K
lee-enfield shooter
L
A
  • Locked
Ruger SA Grips Question
Replies
7
Views
573
Nickelboy
N
L
  • Locked
Ruger Blackhawk Grip question
Replies
18
Views
3K
PapaG
P
W
  • Locked
New Model Blackhawk Grips
Replies
11
Views
1K
Armybrat
A
Driftwood Johnson
  • Locked
Smith and Wesson Hard Rubber Grips
Replies
11
Views
1K
Monac
Monac
Back
Top