WTK: VOPO Grips

Cincylance · 06-30-2003, 03:13 PM

What are VOPO grips? I bought a pair, but don't know the story behind them.

Thanks,
Cincylance

Frank · 06-30-2003, 04:13 PM

OK Kid, VOPO is an acronym for Volkspolzie, the Peoples Police of the East Germans. The grips have a target on the sides and are worth $ about nothing. The magazines are marked 2/1001 and are pretty good magazines!

Pete Ebbink · 06-30-2003, 07:08 PM

Hello Lance,

To add the Frank's good info; I would add the "value" a pair of VOPO grips would be to protect decent wooden grips you might have on a shooter luger. Lots of us swap out the wooden grips with VOPO's before we go down to the gun range...since wood can easily get marred/scratched/dented on the range tables...

Decent VOPO's can run around $ 20-35.00/pair...

The colour of the plastics used on VOPO's can range from black to greenish to reddish to brownish...I thought them a bit fascinating and cheap to buy, so I picked up 7-8 pairs to highlight all the colours available...

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

Cincylance · 07-18-2003, 09:02 AM

Thanks!

Cincylance

Doubs · 07-18-2003, 02:59 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Frank:
OK Kid, VOPO is an acronym for Volkspolzie, the Peoples Police of the East Germans. The grips have a target on the sides and are worth $ about nothing. <hr /></blockquote>VOPO grips are one of the very few Luger items that currently have little value. Among collectors, East German rework police pistols are on the low end of Lugers worthy of acquiring.

I recall $25 - $50 Lugers...... Lugers that today would bring $1,000 or more in today's market. I see where one dealer in Atlanta is offering East German reworks for $700 and up.

My point is that while VOPO Luger grips are as common as dirt today, they are being used to substitute for and protect original wood grips. In years to come, they will become more valuable. Perhaps not as valuable as other Luger items but setting a few pairs aside may be a wise thing to do if you're a young, beginning collector. Anything Luger will only go up in value, IMO.

unspellable · 07-18-2003, 03:26 PM

I have VOPO that is all matching and in excellent condition aside from the VOPO finish. It has a very crispy bore and zero wear on the VOPO finish, looks like a rack gun. It looks like the finish must have been pretty decent before it was VOPO'ized. One wonders why they refinished it. The bureaucratic mind at work I suppose. Any way, in this case I'll keep the VOPO grips on it.

Lugerdoc · 07-19-2003, 09:24 AM

I do have several sets of like new VOPO grips available for anyone in need @$20 per set or 3 sets for $50. TH

Pete Ebbink · 07-21-2003, 01:19 AM

Lance,

Here is a photo of VOPO grips, in case you see some at gun shows...

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

Vlim · 07-21-2003, 10:07 AM

Hi,

VOPO grips are also easy to modify for use on a 1906-pattern grip safety gun, since they're actually quite hollow.

I use them when I shoot my Dutch '06 pattern.

Pete Ebbink · 07-21-2003, 05:14 PM

Gerben,

What a great idea to modify a pair of VOPO's to work on a grip-safety gun (M1906). Never would have occured to me...

Thanks for the tip !

Regards,

Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

Luke · 07-21-2003, 05:24 PM

That's a really good looking set, Pete.

I have picked up three sets at gun shows; the last one for $8.00; but none of them are quite this good.

I use them as substitutes when I go to the range, as they fit DWMs really well, and if they break it is no great loss.

Luke

Aaron · 07-21-2003, 06:12 PM

I know that the VOPO grips are plastic with the bullseye, but what are the black plastic grips with coarse checkering and no bullseye?

Luke · 07-21-2003, 07:26 PM

Aaron -

I believe that you are referring to the crude copies of black grips which the Russians, and possibly the East Germans, used on some of their reworks. They are made of a bakelite material similar to the authentic black Luger grips, but the checkering is rough and at odd angles as compared to the real grips. I think I have a picture of some of these if you would like it posted.

Luke

Edward Tinker · 07-21-2003, 11:03 PM

Here is a pair that I forgot I had. They came on a Russian rework, I was thinking of them as VOPO, but are actually Russian aren't they:

John Sabato · 07-22-2003, 09:07 AM

Yes Ed, I think that these are Russian in origin... perhaps someone else has a reference to substantiate this... I know they are definitely not "black widow" grips... although the oval positioning "islands" or bosses are quite similar to BW type grips... it is a shame that they didn't capture the molds for BW grips and keep them in production... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />

Luke · 07-22-2003, 09:27 AM

Ed -

Those are exactly like mine, and I am pretty sure they came off a Russian capture.

Posted below is yet another (different) set of bakelite grips which I have been told are also Russian in origin.

(edited for display of the photo by Admin-JS)

Luke

John Sabato · 07-22-2003, 09:50 AM

Luke,

I have always wondered how those vertical grooves would look if someone with the right touch and the right tool were to checker them at an appropriate angle... They look like good grips to use on a shooter.

Luke · 07-22-2003, 10:34 AM

John,

Actually these don't fit the DWMs as well as the VOPO grips; possibly these were designed for Mausers or were intended as a compromise fit.

On a DWM this type fits poorly under the safety bar, and they are a little long in the front grip strap area and a little short in the rear grip strap area.

The only post WW-II plastic grips I have seen that fit under the safety lever properly are the VOPOs.

Luke

John Sabato · 07-22-2003, 11:15 AM

The set of VOPO grips that I have fit my byf 41 Mauser just fine... but are not a good fit on my Erfurt Artillery... I Think they must have been designed by someone who had a Mauser as a sample gun.

Vlim · 07-24-2003, 12:37 PM

Hi,

The VOPO's fit the DWM's very well as well. (same machinery

. My Dutch frame dates from 1913 and the VOPO's fit quite snugly. Of couse, as I said earlier, you need to modify them slightly on a grip-safety version.

I'll take a picture of it, with the VOPO's in place.

06-30-2003, 03:13 PM	#1
Cincylance User Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 32 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	WTK: VOPO Grips What are VOPO grips? I bought a pair, but don't know the story behind them. Thanks, Cincylance __________________ Cincylance cincylance@fuse.net (home) lance_langdon@lpkdesign.com (work)

07-18-2003, 09:02 AM	#4
Cincylance User Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 32 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks! Cincylance __________________ Cincylance cincylance@fuse.net (home) lance_langdon@lpkdesign.com (work)

07-18-2003, 02:59 PM	#5
Doubs User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Byron, Georgia Posts: 1,671 Thanks: 771 Thanked 1,614 Times in 525 Posts	</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by Frank: <strong>OK Kid, VOPO is an acronym for Volkspolzie, the Peoples Police of the East Germans. The grips have a target on the sides and are worth $ about nothing. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">VOPO grips are one of the very few Luger items that currently have little value. Among collectors, East German rework police pistols are on the low end of Lugers worthy of acquiring. I recall $25 - $50 Lugers...... Lugers that today would bring $1,000 or more in today's market. I see where one dealer in Atlanta is offering East German reworks for $700 and up. My point is that while VOPO Luger grips are as common as dirt today, they are being used to substitute for and protect original wood grips. In years to come, they will become more valuable. Perhaps not as valuable as other Luger items but setting a few pairs aside may be a wise thing to do if you're a young, beginning collector. Anything Luger will only go up in value, IMO.

07-19-2003, 09:24 AM	#7
Lugerdoc Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: POB 398 St.Charles,MO. 63302 Posts: 5,089 Thanks: 6 Thanked 736 Times in 483 Posts	I do have several sets of like new VOPO grips available for anyone in need @$20 per set or 3 sets for $50. TH __________________ Tom Heller POB 398 ST.Charles, MO. 63302 Tel 636-447-3006 lugerdoc@charter.net

07-21-2003, 05:24 PM	#11
Luke User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: NC - USA Posts: 1,239 Thanks: 0 Thanked 18 Times in 6 Posts	That's a really good looking set, Pete. I have picked up three sets at gun shows; the last one for $8.00; but none of them are quite this good. I use them as substitutes when I go to the range, as they fit DWMs really well, and if they break it is no great loss. Luke __________________ "Peace, if possible; truth, at any cost." . . . Martin Luther

06-30-2003, 04:13 PM	#2
Frank RIP Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Hot & Dry PHX, AZ Posts: 2,078 Thanks: 24 Thanked 163 Times in 87 Posts	OK Kid, VOPO is an acronym for Volkspolzie, the Peoples Police of the East Germans. The grips have a target on the sides and are worth $ about nothing. The magazines are marked 2/1001 and are pretty good magazines!

06-30-2003, 07:08 PM	#3
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Hello Lance, To add the Frank's good info; I would add the "value" a pair of VOPO grips would be to protect decent wooden grips you might have on a shooter luger. Lots of us swap out the wooden grips with VOPO's before we go down to the gun range...since wood can easily get marred/scratched/dented on the range tables... Decent VOPO's can run around $ 20-35.00/pair... The colour of the plastics used on VOPO's can range from black to greenish to reddish to brownish...I thought them a bit fascinating and cheap to buy, so I picked up 7-8 pairs to highlight all the colours available... Regards, Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

07-18-2003, 03:26 PM	#6
unspellable User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Iowa Posts: 768 Thanks: 0 Thanked 19 Times in 11 Posts	I have VOPO that is all matching and in excellent condition aside from the VOPO finish. It has a very crispy bore and zero wear on the VOPO finish, looks like a rack gun. It looks like the finish must have been pretty decent before it was VOPO'ized. One wonders why they refinished it. The bureaucratic mind at work I suppose. Any way, in this case I'll keep the VOPO grips on it.

07-21-2003, 01:19 AM	#8
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Lance, Here is a photo of VOPO grips, in case you see some at gun shows... Regards, Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

07-21-2003, 10:07 AM	#9
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,042 Thanks: 1,032 Thanked 3,920 Times in 1,193 Posts	Hi, VOPO grips are also easy to modify for use on a 1906-pattern grip safety gun, since they're actually quite hollow. I use them when I shoot my Dutch '06 pattern.

07-21-2003, 05:14 PM	#10
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Gerben, What a great idea to modify a pair of VOPO's to work on a grip-safety gun (M1906). Never would have occured to me... Thanks for the tip ! Regards, Pete... <img border="0" alt="[typing]" title="" src="graemlins/yltype.gif" />

07-21-2003, 06:12 PM	#12
Aaron Banned Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vista, CA Posts: 1,008 Thanks: 0 Thanked 9 Times in 9 Posts	I know that the VOPO grips are plastic with the bullseye, but what are the black plastic grips with coarse checkering and no bullseye?

07-21-2003, 07:26 PM	#13
Luke User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: NC - USA Posts: 1,239 Thanks: 0 Thanked 18 Times in 6 Posts	Aaron - I believe that you are referring to the crude copies of black grips which the Russians, and possibly the East Germans, used on some of their reworks. They are made of a bakelite material similar to the authentic black Luger grips, but the checkering is rough and at odd angles as compared to the real grips. I think I have a picture of some of these if you would like it posted. Luke __________________ "Peace, if possible; truth, at any cost." . . . Martin Luther

07-21-2003, 11:03 PM	#14
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,914 Thanks: 1,989 Thanked 4,504 Times in 2,079 Posts	Here is a pair that I forgot I had. They came on a Russian rework, I was thinking of them as VOPO, but are actually Russian aren't they: __________________ Edward Tinker ************ Co-Author of Police Lugers - Co-Author of Simson Lugers Author of Veteran Bring Backs Vol I, Vol II, Vol III and Vol IV

07-22-2003, 09:07 AM	#15
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,150 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,304 Times in 1,096 Posts	Yes Ed, I think that these are Russian in origin... perhaps someone else has a reference to substantiate this... I know they are definitely not "black widow" grips... although the oval positioning "islands" or bosses are quite similar to BW type grips... it is a shame that they didn't capture the molds for BW grips and keep them in production... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" /> __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

07-22-2003, 09:27 AM	#16
Luke User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: NC - USA Posts: 1,239 Thanks: 0 Thanked 18 Times in 6 Posts	Ed - Those are exactly like mine, and I am pretty sure they came off a Russian capture. Posted below is yet another (different) set of bakelite grips which I have been told are also Russian in origin. (edited for display of the photo by Admin-JS) Luke __________________ "Peace, if possible; truth, at any cost." . . . Martin Luther

07-22-2003, 09:50 AM	#17
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,150 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,304 Times in 1,096 Posts	Luke, I have always wondered how those vertical grooves would look if someone with the right touch and the right tool were to checker them at an appropriate angle... They look like good grips to use on a shooter. __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

07-22-2003, 10:34 AM	#18
Luke User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: NC - USA Posts: 1,239 Thanks: 0 Thanked 18 Times in 6 Posts	John, Actually these don't fit the DWMs as well as the VOPO grips; possibly these were designed for Mausers or were intended as a compromise fit. On a DWM this type fits poorly under the safety bar, and they are a little long in the front grip strap area and a little short in the rear grip strap area. The only post WW-II plastic grips I have seen that fit under the safety lever properly are the VOPOs. Luke __________________ "Peace, if possible; truth, at any cost." . . . Martin Luther

07-22-2003, 11:15 AM	#19
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,150 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,304 Times in 1,096 Posts	The set of VOPO grips that I have fit my byf 41 Mauser just fine... but are not a good fit on my Erfurt Artillery... I Think they must have been designed by someone who had a Mauser as a sample gun. __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

07-24-2003, 12:37 PM	#20
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,042 Thanks: 1,032 Thanked 3,920 Times in 1,193 Posts	Hi, The VOPO's fit the DWM's very well as well. (same machinery . My Dutch frame dates from 1913 and the VOPO's fit quite snugly. Of couse, as I said earlier, you need to modify them slightly on a grip-safety version. I'll take a picture of it, with the VOPO's in place.