stuck Trooper .22 grips

[papaflessas]

I recently got a Colt Trooper .22 in nice condition for $350. It's my second Colt revolver as I have a Officer's Model .38 . I want to put on a Tyler T grip, but I can't remove the original checkered wooden grips. They are really stuck on. Maybe dried grease underneath the grips of this 50 year old revolver. I tried knocking them loose a little bit with the heel of my fist, but they would not loosen. There isn't really enough to grab to pull with my fingers. Is there some trick without damaging the wood? Thanks.
Evan

[guy sajer]

Put the screw back in the hole but don't screw it in , so the screw head will be protruding above the grip surface . Lightly tap on the screw head with your screwdriver handle end . This will apply pressure on the opposite side and pop it loose .

[Alk8944]

Instead of what Sajer suggests, screw the grip screw in 3-4 turns before either tapping on the screw head, or, better, putting the screwdriver in the slot and push. If you do not engage the threads, and then strike the screw head, you will burr the end of the screw and the threads in the escutcheon. You are also more likely to push out the right escutcheon if you strike the screw than you are by simply pushing.

If this doesn't work use a razor blade at the junction of the frame and the grip on the bottom of the butt and push the razor blade between the frame and grip. Don't pry with the blade, just push it straight in. Try to keep the side of the blade parallel to the side of the frame, this will keep from either cutting into the wood or scraoing the frame with the blade edge. If the grips are that hard to get off someone may have applied Linseed oil, too much, to the back of the grips. This would, very literally, glue the grips onto the frame in a few weeks or months.

[papaflessas]

Thank you! Pushing on the partially unscrewed screw worked like a charm. Evan

[Oyeboten]

For Wooden Stocks, the only danger usually with taping the Head of a partially un-screwed Stock Screw, to pop loose the other side...is that it could blow out the captice Threaded-Female Escutcheon and bring some Wood Splinters with it.

Or, in the case of the Hard Rubber Stocks, ( or Pearl Stocks I suppose worst of all! ) Tapping the partially un-screwed Screw Head could crack the Stock there on the other side or blow the Esctucheon out.


So, we always want to be gentle with these things.

And or, if a gentle push does not do it, then as ALK8944 suggests, use a Single Edge Razor Blade and carefull work it betwen Stock and Frame all around, and that ought to do it safely.