The idea is to fit ivory, pearl, stag, or exotic wood grips from some custom maker.

Bob Wright

 

When I snapped this photo recently of my 38-40 Royal Blue that wears the New Frontier type wood grips, I thought they looked pale and thirsty for something. I didn't treat them to anything , but Johns got me thinking maybe a little taste of Linseed oil or similar wouldn't hurt.

 

When I snapped this photo recently of my 38-40 Royal Blue that wears the New Frontier type wood grips

That's a darn nice looking revolver! But yes, those grips either need to go, or at least some attractive stain and/or varnish.

John Gross

 

Just a couple of coats of boiled linseed oil works wonders!



Bob Wright

 

Colt sure did make some plain looking wood grips for their SAA's and NF's. I have quite a few in a drawer that I took off of those guns and replaced them with ivory.

 

I like plain and utilitarian on some pistols, especially "working" guns. Perhaps that is just me but I figure sweat and knicks will soon give them plenty of "character"

 

Guess which one gets more holster/range time

 

Chaosrob,

That custom SAA is one of the handsomest Single Action Armys I've seen in a long time. Tell us more about it. caliber, who did it, etc.

Bob Wright

 

The ugliest, worst fitting factory grips/stocks I've ever had on any gun I've owned were on a NF I bought new in 1979. Almost like two fence boards roughly cut to shape. I immediately swapped them for a older set of 2nd gen HR stocks I had, which fortunately fit just about perfect. The fit and finish of the rest of the gun wasn't much better. The gun shot great, but I just couldn't get over how poorly it was put together for a supposedly premium revolver, so it got traded away pretty quickly.

Best regards,

 

Some of the worst Colt factory grips I have ever seen were on Nickeled 2nd gen SAA's in Stagecoach boxes. They were made of the most utilitarian (to borrow chaosrob's great description) walnut I have ever seen.

 

Some of the worst Colt factory grips I have ever seen were on Nickeled 2nd gen SAA's in Stagecoach boxes. They were made of the most utilitarian (to borrow chaosrob's great description) walnut I have ever seen.

Here's a 1971 NIB .45 with the grips you speak of. They are rather bland grips alright. Especially for a gun that cost $225(!!) back then. Every pasta blaster Italian gun I've ever owned have excellent looking and feeling grips in comparison, though they tend to have that "Uberti red" color that just screams out "I'm not a real Colt!".

 

Put some PG's on her and it'll dress right up. I was fortunate to purchase a NF .22 with extra Mag cylinder from a very nice forum member and it fast became one of my favorite .22's. Thanks again Dean, every time I strap her on around the ranchito, I smile and appreciate our transaction. I'm using your pictures as they are far superior to anything i can do, with your permission sir

 

Put some PG's on her and it'll dress right up. I was fortunate to purchase a NF .22 with extra Mag cylinder from a very nice forum member and it fast became one of my favorite .22's. Thanks again Dean, every time I strap her on around the ranchito, I smile and appreciate our transaction. I'm using your pictures as they are far superior to anything i can do, with your permission sir View attachment 70637 View attachment 70638

I purchased the 6" New Frontier from Dean that came adorned with the stag grips as well. I haven't taken any photos although plenty of time has passed. I did find his WTS post in hopes to find his photo of that one too. His photos were much better than what I end up with too. Unfortunately he had to clean out the listing I think.. As his nice photo of it was gone. It looks like yours with a little longer barrel.

 

Not only is the wood plain, but the straight shape of many of them don't fully take advantage of the gripframe shape of the SA.

It is a shame that people who don't fully understand these guns are sometimes in charge of designing and building them. One could probably just trace the history of the changes to the SAA since it was introduced to get a feel for the overall health and decision making for Colt as a whole.

 

Then they would all have different grip frames

 

Mine was the 4 3/4" and she's a driver. I have to clean and wax her every week

 

Take a pair of bonded ivory panels, a few evenings with file, sandpaper, and Flitz polish, and You can make those NF's look superb.

 

Hi John;

I got to thinking about this and here's my thoughts on the matter.

Perhaps in the beginning, Colt understood that the need (military use), for the Colt Single Action Army wasn't to win a beauty contest. It was a gun that would be used hard and put away wet so to speak and so they didn't waste money buying fancy woods for their grips. After all, American Walnut is a very strong, robust wood and they knew full well that any Colt SAA's that were to go into the public domain, were only going to be swapped out for better looking grips in a hurry anyway. Or, since they were going into the hands of working cowboys, they too wouldn't waste their hard earned $10.00 a month on fancy grips either.

What do you think? A possible answer to why such poor looking grips on the Colt Single Action Army?

Bud

I've always been surprised that Colt's New Frontier, which is supposed to be their premium SA revolver, often has such plain and dull finished wood grips. A few examples from GB auctions..

 

I give leeway to the darling that can cook. Ol NF cooks up a tight paper plate full of holes.

 

A potential solution to the plain wood "problem".
This example from immediate post WWII Germany (ca. 1945-47), when times were tough and any paying work was appreciated..

I don't know of anyone specializing in this type of work, but then I'm geographically isolated & KITDFOHS a lot of the time.

rayb

 

I really like Jeff Quinn's (Gunblast.com) solution to the "plainest ugliest grips ever to grace a Colt handgun."(his words) He replaced them with Eagle American Elkhorn grips. This is his 3rd generation .45 with Elkhorn and his current production .44 special with factory walnut.

 

johngross....Have you ever tried tongue oil, I have used it several times on wood grips gives a very nice factory oil finish. and really brings out the grain........M*

 

johngross....Have you ever tried tongue oil

I would not be caught dead with a Colt New Frontier. The Ruger copycat modern sights completely destroy the classic lines of the revolver. Why Colt didn't try and more closely duplicate the original Flat Top Model is beyond me. USFA and Uberti did it, why couldn't Colt?

P.S.: And note how USFA even but attractive grips on the revolver.

John Gross

 

John,

I suspect that when Colt decided to introduce/reintroduce the NF, one quick look at the shooting scene of the times would quickly reveal that folks wanted shooters, not target guns for controlled match conditions. Those flat top targets are indeed beautiful guns, but even the adjustable sight was really set up for one load. Unless the front sight has a screw retainer rather than a pin. My guess would be this lack of actual match use might have also had something to do with the short run of the originals.

I do like the flat top rear sight, but like Bob, would have zero use for the front sight if actually trying to carry the gun. My recent NF purchase needs work on the front sight. Probably gonna make it look more like the Flattop, but not quite so extreme. I am guessing any squaring of the front is gonna skin some holster leather, but should be a little better than the original. It would be neat to take an original and set the front sight up sharp/target and have other blades for field/carry or different loads. But then I would have to pay collector prices for a shooter. Shooter prices are bad enough

Craig