Special grips for a special gun

[Deep Six]

I posted a couple of months ago about how I managed to find one of the Flattop .41s new at a dealer this past June. After a trip back to Ruger to correct an improperly indexed barrel, I now have it back and have been working with it some. Obviously the first order of business was something besides the black plastic cheese graters it came with from the factory. I wanted something out of the ordinary for this gun. I searched and searched for something I liked but finally decided it was either make it myself or pay $$$ for something custom-made. After about 3 weeks of keeping my eyes open for a nice piece of something to make a pair of grips out of, I was walking through a department store with my wife and happened across some natural wood cutting boards made of olive wood. I found one with impressive figuring, about a 14" oval, for all of $30. The wheels started spinning. After about 12 hours worth of cutting, sanding, fitting, and oiling, here they are:

I think they fit the bill perfectly for this gun. It is now one of the last things in the safe I would ever let go of!

[dubber123]

Nice work! I don't believe I have ever seen Olive wood..

[Minerat]

Those turned out beautiful, nice job.
I took out an old stump from a dead peach tree (15yrs+) the other day. Couldn't hardly cut it with a chainsaw it was so hard. HHHUUUMMM this post makes me wonder..... Maybe I'll get it out of the wood pile and take the table saw to it and see what I have. My .41 BH 4-5/8" needs some grips purdy too.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

ya there ok i think you can do a better job so just send those to me ill put them on my 41 BH 4 5/8 and just make yourself a better set
very nice

[jeepyj]

Very nice work. You should be proud to have those one-of-kinds on that flat top wheelie.
jeepyj

[Deep Six]

ya there ok i think you can do a better job so just send those to me ill put them on my 41 BH 4 5/8 and just make yourself a better set
very nice

Ha Ha nice try! Actually I did try putting them on my 44 spl flattop and the locator pin was just ever so slightly off enough that they wouldn't fit. I started out by glass bedding the roughed-out blanks to the frame and then contoured and fitted them from there. They are such a perfect fit that I doubt they'd fit any other gun!

[Ia.redneck]

Good job! Those are outstanding. Great caliber too!

[WARD O]

Very Nice!

[waco]

Exellent job! I wish I had those skills. Very nice sir.

[MrWolf]

Beautiful job. I have my Blackhawk in 45c/acp that I need to change the grips. Having problem with neck issues causing last three fingers in right hand to kinda curl and lose strength. Figured have to go with a larger grip and the ones you made are perfect solution as I can adjust thickness. Thanks.

Ron

[williamwaco]

Beautiful.

You could sell those.

[Deep Six]

Beautiful.

You could sell those.

Not at 12 hours per pair. I see the guys selling similar oil-finished exotic wood grips on ebay for $80. They either have a line on them from china, a faster way of doing them, or are willing to make grips for $5/hour. I'll stay content making them for my guns. My next goal is to make a set from a piece of wood cut from a tree on my property. That or maybe I'll try my hand at Elk antler or something.

[FergusonTO35]

Lookin' good! You wouldn't wanna part with the black plastic cheese graters would ya?

[Deep Six]

Lookin' good! You wouldn't wanna part with the black plastic cheese graters would ya?

Nah I like to keep them around since they're the factory part. They make good patterns and then they're there just in case it needs to go back to Ruger.

[FergusonTO35]

Totally understand. Those are actually my favorite grips for them.

[UnderDawgAl]

Beautiful grips! For a moment, you had me thinking about trying to do the same--till you got to the part about glass bedding.

Guess I'll just buy some aftermarket grips.