Grips
 

I am wondering if 39.99 plus S&H for new Walnut grips is a "good deal"? Can anyone give me an idea of what I should be paying? Also, are there any available from anyone that is a member of this forum, as I would much rather do business here with credible "friends".
Thanks,
Bart <img src="graemlins/yltype.gif" border="0" alt="[typing]" />

I would suggest you contact Hugh Clark, one of this forum's members. He is evidently the resident grip guru. He makes and repairs grips (and probably wheels and deals in grips also). He helped me recently and was quick and skilled.

AGE

Bart,

That is about the going gun show rate for one brand of walnut grips that I have encountered (forgot the brand). They will fit fairly decently, but not like the originals. They also have an uncheckered, thick edge and thick corners at the bottom. You can buy similar grips made of Cocobolo, a pretty South American hardwood from SARCO for around $17. The SARCO grips are too thick and checkered 18 LPI.

I sand down the SARCO to original grip thickness, rechecker in 20 LPI and sell for $50 full checkered or $85 for the border checkered pattern.

The best repro grips are made by Nil-Grif in Germany. They fit like the originals. You can buy them for around $60 for checkered and $50 for smooth from their distributer in Texas. I buy the smooth and checker in a border pattern and sell for $125. There are a couple of pictures elsewhere on the forum that will show you what a border checkered pattern looks like.

Bart,

If you are considering the grips on Gunbroker Item #4189346, those sure look like the Cocobolo ones that SARCO sells for around $17. SARCO calls theirs Walnut also, but they aren't. <img src="graemlins/nono.gif" border="0" alt="[nono]" />

Hugh:

Could you supply me with Nil-giffs suppliers address? Do they have a web-site/

Regards,

www.nill-griffe.com (German Site)

www.nill-grips.com (US site)

email: info@nil-grips.com

Nill-grips USA,LLC
PO Box 1916
Bandera, Tx 78003

PH: 830 634 3131
FAX: 830 634 2555

<img src="graemlins/bigok.gif" border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" />

Hugh:

Input much appreciated.

Good Hunting,

WG

Hugh,

Thanks for the information. In regard to the Cocobolo checkered grips that you sell, do you require any lead time? Or, do you maintain an inventory? Also, do the boardered grips tend to be a little more "hearty" due to the checkering not going all the way our to the sides of the grips? I want to put them on a "shooter" and want them to be the strongest they can be.
Thanks,
Bart

Bart,

I have one pair of Cocobolo grips on hand that are sanded and waiting to be checkered. Yes, the bordered grips are slightly thicker at the edges due to not being checkered, but not as thick as the Nill's.

Since I get the Nill grips smooth and they do not need to have the original checkering sanded off, they are somewhat thicker than the Cocobolo grips. In other words the "strongest" would be the bordered Nill ones. <img src="graemlins/yltype.gif" border="0" alt="[typing]" />

Hugh,
Thank you for the information, and sorry it took so long to respond. Been traveling lately. I do have one other question, and it is in regard to a second Luger that I have (not the shooter that I am looking to replace the grips on).

It is a 1939 "42" 'n' serial number that came to me with the black bakelite (or they may be plastic) grips. The right side seems more original than the left, as it has the screw hole inside, but just doesnt fit-like-a-glove on the Luger. The other side fits better, but has 2 screw holes on the inside. In any event, they don't seem to be a matched pair, which leads me to ask, what grips actually did come with the above Luger? Can anyone shed some light on this subject?
Thanks,
Bart [img]confused.gif[/img]

i am sure that someone will post with authoritative information, but just from my recollection, this gun should have wood grips...

As issue would be wood grips, Still mentions arsenal replacements sometimes were the black plastic ones on Lugers eariler than 1940.

Thanks Thor...any thoughts about that one side having TWO screw holes in the back?

Bart <img src="graemlins/wave.gif" border="0" alt="[byebye]" />

Beats me Bart, perhaps others will know! [img]confused.gif[/img]

These are the same grips that CDNN is selling for $18.99 on their web site. The 'gunbroker' seller even uses the picture from the CDNN site.

OK, I give up...tried searching for CDNN and could not find a link. What does it stand for, and to you have the web address? [img]confused.gif[/img]

Bart, try http://www.cdnninvestments.com/luger.html

That's it, Herb. So how do those grips look to you guys?

Looks like the same Cocobolo ones made in India that SARCO sells for the same price. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Don't the SARCO grips have coarser checkering? Or are my eyes just going bad??? [img]eek.gif[/img]

YEP! Hugh can cut that off and rechecker them perfect to 20 lpi. Those grips are so thick that the checking can come off okay! Hugh has done several for me, they are fantastic when he is finished.

I haven't boughten (is that a word John?) any from Hugh, but the ones i have seen, especially the ones with the border around them, my goodness, they are something!

[img]smile.gif[/img]

Sure Ed, "boughten" is the past not-so-perfect form of the verb "to have bought" [img]biggrin.gif[/img] - regards, John S.While there John, you should have corrected my i [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

'Ajax' custom grips also has walnut Luger grips made in the US for $40. I haven't seen them, so I can't comment. The web site does not have a picture of them.

Saxman,

See the second comment under this thread. Those were Ajax grips that Hugh fixed up for me. They are nice wood and fit the gun OK. However, as delivered they were significantly oversized especially at the bottom.

Thanks, AGE, you saved me $40! I think I'll get some Nills. My original ones were both cracked. I fixed them, but had to stain them fairly dark because of the old black lines on the cracks (wouldn't come out). I'll keep them, but wanted a nice pair, too. The stained grips are actually no darker than some of the featured guns on this site - I used U.S. Gov't. stock stain that was for carbines and Garands - got a small can a few years ago from one of the depots - think it was Rock Island.

Have any of you guys seen the grips from Numrich?

Not I. Is there a website?

http://www.e-gunparts.com
for some reason I can't get the link to open for Lugers, you will have to work for it.

I don't know about Numrich's other grips, but I ordered a pair of the "grip safety" ones. They were a cheap black plastic and didn't fit, I returned them for a refund. <img src="graemlins/nono.gif" border="0" alt="[nono]" />

Hi Bart,
Don't know anything about your specific Luger or how you acquired it, but will share a little information with you. The grips should be wood in my opinion, and the toggle should be an S/42, and not a 42. If your gun is in the "n" block as you stated in your post, not only are the grips incorrect, but the toggle as been switched also, as there were no 1939 Code 42's in the "N" block, only S/42's. The black plastic grips are an issue of disagreement, but as far as I am aware of there is supposedly a directive stating that June of 1941 was when these grips were issued for general use. That makes all before the "T" block of the byf 41's replacements in my opinion. Others do not agree with this so use your own judgement. Good collecting!

Hi Rick W.,
My reference had additional information and states: "Approved as factory standard parts happened June 20th, 1941."

I have the Numerich arms walnut grips{obout 4 years old} on one pistol. Ilike them, look pretty good, fit ok. Bought grips from Galati International, afew months ago, because Numerich were sold out,Ilike them too. Galati grip's sound like the ones Hugh describes from Sarco, not walnut, needed fitting toclear safty bar, coarse checkerd,thick, fit tight, look good. Numerich grips{4 years ago} walnut and comfy, fit right on, finer checkerd, thinner, right one a little loose, more expensive, look more original.
Steve

Rick W:

I am not certain what your references refer to. They seem to be approvals of a blueprint, or a drawing? Unless these dates are contained in an order or directive authorizing the grips for use then the dates are not germane to the question of when such grips were placed into service.

Rick W:

Thanks for the clarification. Much appreciated.

IMO, the mag shown in ebay photo is definately one of the postWW2 "Scandahovian" made mags discussed in another thread. The wide "crimp" channel running from top to bottom, tells me that this is an extruded tube, not an original German folded tube. These are currently being offered in the SGN for less than $50. Tom