The Price of Grips........wow!

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Speedo66

Speedo66

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I know the importation ban and interstate commerce rules on ivory have raised grips of that material remarkably, but now it seems stag is taking off, too.

I was watching a pair of stag horn grips for Colt SAA and clones on Ebay, and the bidding just went nuts. While they are very nice grips, in addition to being used, they also went for more than I paid for my gun. lol

Bidding went to over $315, plus shipping, have to say I was a little surprised.

Here's the listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Colt-Ruger-Uberti-Commercial-Copy-SAA-Single-Action-Army-2-Piece-Stag-Horn-Grips/311879756190?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649
 
I don't see much difference in the price of ivory. Maybe 10-20%. Real stag has been that way for years. I forget exactly when but probably 10 or more years ago India stopped exporting Sambar stag antler because folks weren't waiting for the critters to shed the antlers but were shooting live ones to get them. In no time $90 grips were $200 and by now they're $300 and up. It's been that way for a while. I personally don't see a point in paying that much for grips that weren't fitted to the gun.

Elk antler has become an affordable substitute but they usually aren't quite as attractive.
 
IMHO............Two guys in a bidding war on GB, don't exactly make for a trend. Simply an isolated incident.
 
As to the ban on the exporting of Sambar stag, the ban was put into place to protect the Bengal tiger not the stag itself. Collectors ranged into the forests collection the shed antlers. Tigers learned to ambush and kill these folks. So, collectors began arming themselves against the tigers, shooting them on sight. So the ban was imposed. And seems its an on-again-off-again type of thing.

While Sambar stag is usually preferred, I prefer the European red stag for grips, and I have been satisfied with American elk stag. Elk is not quite as dense as either of the others, but is whiter and seems to yellow more slowly.

As to prices, Sambar and European have always commanded a premium, while American elk is slightly cheaper. I have several pair from Pat Grashorn and am well satisfied.



Bob Wright
 
As far as grip prices are concerned, the first Herrett's grips I priced many years ago, were about $85, when the gun was about $125 or so.

Even wood grips are fairly pricey now. But you get what you pay for.

Bob Wright
 
I've been eyeballing a pair on another forum for $350. You'll find no shortage of them for anywhere around $250 and up. Most over $300. Not an anomaly at all. It'll cost around $200 to get a set of elk antler grips fitted to a sixgun.

http://www.sackpeterson.com/
 
A bidding war on E-Bay funds the people who want to take your firearms away from you.
Bone grips aren't terribly expensive. 1911 grips start at $90. The issue is the import ban on elephant ivory. You can still have walrus and mammoth ivory. Water buffalo horn grips are cheap too.
 
Eagle is getting $485 for a set of stags.

https://www.eaglegrips.com/ruger-ex...ips-smooth.html?search_query=stag&results=149


Sunray said:
A bidding war on E-Bay funds the people who want to take your firearms away from you.
Bone grips aren't terribly expensive. 1911 grips start at $90. The issue is the import ban on elephant ivory. You can still have walrus and mammoth ivory. Water buffalo horn grips are cheap too.
Click to expand...
One more time, the pricing is normal, not the result of a bidding war.

Ivory has been banned from import since 1989, except for legally taken trophies. What has had a great effect is the ban on the domestic trade that went into effect last July. Which means no new ivory grips and no interstate trade.
 
CraigC said:
Simply not true. +$300 has been the going rate for years.
Click to expand...

I bought a few sets in the last 6-8 years from Patrick Grasshorn. Two sets of J frame Smith's and a set of N frames. They were fairly priced, for get exactly but $140 - $160 sticks in my mind, maybe less. Then again elk not stag. WHY the idea of $300 is crazy in my mind. There is a difference with real stag. My error.
 
Asking price, which may never be achieved, is different from an actual auction result. I guess it's possible they may sell for that price, but I think they would have to be new and shiny to get it. That pair looks pretty beat.
 
I recall buying stag scales in the later 90's and the prices good as was the figuring of them. These days, finding that level costs $$. On these I don't get it. I was having a conversation with a knife guy about MOP, finding the thick stuff is challenging and the colors not nearly as vibrant with the translucent properties of past times. They sell for big $$ anyway.
 
Years ago I regretted, having contemplated that ivory would skyrocket, not buying many pounds of it. Later it was stag. I know that red coral used in native American jewelry also took a huge hike at some point too.
 
I'm glad I didn't buy any more raw ivory than I did because right now I'd be stuck with it. I was lucky I was able to turn what I had into finished product before the ban last year.
 
Craftsmanship costs money. Some of the handmade grips I've seen are works of art and are priced accordingly.
 
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Think they're high? I was on another forum and read a thread about collecting Roper grips. Seems some folks have turned down $1200 for a pair. These without the gun!

Bob Wright
 
Original Roper grips are insane.

That said, I just mailed a $1000 check for a set of Dall sheep horn grips for a custom Ruger Bisley. :D
 
The whole ivory import thing is pretty stupid.

Some years ago in Africa they had a LARGE pile of ivory and native cops w/ aircraft. There was no gas for the planes so no patrolling was being done. Th pile of ivory was set a fire. It could have been auctioned for many thousands of gallons of fuel for the airplanes. So the poachers won again and the game lost.

Some areas the elephants are eating themselves out of house and home and destroying the natives ability to feed themselves. Some must be shot. Some have reasonable ivory but I suppose it to is incinerated.
 
I just tonight won on GunBroker a set of 1950s S&W N-Frame cokes for $180 and feel like I stole them as they normally go for $400-$600. I had found a very nice 1955 revolver that had rubber Pachs on it.
 
CraigC said:
Original Roper grips are insane.

That said, I just mailed a $1000 check for a set of Dall sheep horn grips for a custom Ruger Bisley. :D
Click to expand...


Something like this, Craig? :D

DSC_2944.jpg
 
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