Peacemaker grips

[Bungalo Bill]

I am no gun expert, and in fact I know very little about guns of the old west. I do own a genuine Model 1873 Springfield trapdoor rifle and a "Derringer" replica. I also own an AWA Peacemaker clone.

I have noticed that there exist two types of grips on the Peacemakers. One type has a screw through the center while the other does not. Can anyone tell me the significance of this? Are the two type from different periods?

My AWA has wooden grips of the variety without a screw. I am not even sure how to remove them. I have a notion to replace the grips with custom made ones but not sure if grips that I order would fit properly. I am not comfortable with giving up my gun for a few weeks while a gunsmith fits a pair.

[Lightnin Rick]

The ones with the screw through the middle are 2 piece grips and the other is one piece.

[Bungalo Bill]

Ah. BUt why are there two types?

[Ed Sullens]

Howdy Bungalo Bill!!

The 2 piece grips are held together by a screw through the middle of the grips. The 1 piece grips are held together by drilling holes on the inside of each grip and then fitting a piece of wood, ivory or metal between the 2 holes. I prefer the 1 piece grips because the appearance is not spoiled by a screw in the middle of the grip. Every one has their own preferences, but a creamy set of 1 piece ivory grips on a Colt .45 is hard to beat!, especially if it's sitting in a solid black rig!!

[Bungalo Bill]

I prefer the one-piece grips myself, but I am still wondering if both types were always availablw from Colt, or did one preceed the other in the history of the Peacemaker? Probably not an importabt issue, but I am curious.

[Ed Sullens]

Howdy Bill!!

If I'm not mistaken, the original Single Action Army issue were 1 piece wooden grips. I've seen serial number 001, and if I remember correctly it had 1 piece wooden grips. I don't recall seeing a screw in the handles. There are also many 1st generation six shooters around that were ordered by 19th century retailers with 1 piece ivory grips with a longhorn head carved in the ivory, including a ruby eye.

[Wild Bill]

For Colts the one piece grip was standard from the begining, I've read the two piece showed up around 1882, no reason why. The Remington pistols and S&W's had two piece grips from day one.
An interesting question for sure.

BTW - to remove yours take off the backstrap. Most of the grip makers I've come across sell their product fitted to what type pistol you have, a pretty close fit 99% of the time. Buffalo Brothers are a great source for grips.

[C. F. 'Charley' Eckhardt]

All military Colts had 1-piece wooden grips, likewise those sold to state militias. When Colt started putting on the 'gutta percha' or hard rubber grips in the '80s, those couldn't be made 1-piece.

[Bungalo Bill]

Thanks for all the input, guys.

[Ed Sullens]

Howdy Bill!!

Something that you might need to know. I don't know about AWA firearms, but all Colt single action army revolvers have milled butts. I'm talking about the backstrap and the entire piece of metal that the grips attach to. This means that all Colt s.a.a. grips have to be made individually. The plastic or gutta percha grips are simply buffed to fit, but if you try to exchange grips with another Colt s.a.a, they will be minutely different. The 1911 auto butt is drop forged and all grips will fit any gun. If you're going to order a custom set of grips for your gun, make sure the butt is drop forged and if not, then the grip maker will need your gun butt!! If you're gonna put an expensive grip like ivory on it, then you want to make sure they get it right.

[Bungalo Bill]

Thanks, Ed. That is good to know.

[Dave D]

During the Civil War, my gr gr grandfather acquired (probably picked up off a battlefield) a 3rd Model Colt Dragoon, 44 cal, SN 17310.  According to serial number lists I have seen, this revolver would have been manufactured sometime in 1858.

 

We just recently donated it to the Virginia Military Institute museum.  The head curator pointed out that this gun had a two-piece wooden grip (similar to that of Remingtons of the same year).  He told me that all Colt Dragoons that he had seen had the solid, one wooden piece grip, held in place by the butt strap & frame.

 

Does any one know of any original Colt Dragoons that may have been manufactured with two piece grips?

 

Thanks for any help.

 

 

[C. F. 'Charley' Eckhardt]

If what appears to be a projection attached to the barrel just forward of the cylinder is in fact on the gun & not a flaw in the background, somebody had work done on  that weapon.  It appears to be a rear sight, but the actual rear sight on all Colt percussion revolvers was a notch in the hammer-nose, visible only when the weapon was cocked.  If somebody went to the trouble to have a special rear sight placed on it, the owner might have replaced the original grips, as well.