Black Rubber Grips that fit Original (large frame) Ruger Vaquero?

Cossack

New member
I've got a Ruger Vaquero .44 on the way, which is of course not the New Vaquero. I'm figuring out the grip terminology, and based on this chart, I'll have the XRN-3RED grip: https://gunblast.com/Hamm_Ruger-SA-GripFrames.htm

I'd like to get a set of Black checkered rubber grips for it, mostly just because I like the look on a SAA type revolver. I know a lot of older blackhawks and some New Vaqueros had these, but I'm getting the impression that they won't fit my frame.

Ideally, I'd love some with the Ruger logo, but I'd take aftermarket grips too.

Do you know if Ruger ever made Black Checkered rubber - or even black plastic - grips that will fir the original Vaqueros? If not, has anyone seen aftermarket grips?

I'm looking for something like this:
1280px-Ruger_44_Special_Flat_Top_circa_2009.jpg


or this:
DSC00352.jpg

C43304A__22078.1557859485.jpg
 
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Enter black checkered grips Ruger Vaquero in the search box on eBay. Lots of choices. Most grip makers sell their stuff on eBay.
 
Good advice about ebay. That's where I started. However, no luck there. Not many black checkered grips for any Vaqueros, and none that I can find are for the original large frame Vaquero - they are for the New Vaquero, Bisley, birdshead...
 
Actually, I think I figured it out. I've been looking for Vaquero and New Model Blackhawk grips with no luck, but it looks like the New Model Single Six was offered in Black Checkered Rubber/plastic grips, and according to the chart, they should also fit the Vaquero. If I'm wrong, somebody please let me know, 'cause I'm off to look for some.
 
The original Vaquero had grips that were identical to the New Model Blackhawks. So the black plastic grips furnished on New Model Blackhawks (not the Flat Tops) will fit. They are of the XR3-RED grip frame style. These are current styles on NM Blackhawks. Be aware that your Vaquero has the bosses at the top of the frame where the two lugs fit into the cylinder frame. Current New Models lack this so your grips will have to be modified to fit.

Bob Wright
 
I picked up a set of black checkered grips that were sold to me as being from a New Model Single Six, which, like the original Vaqueros, has the XR3-Red grips, as I understand it.

I have reaffirmed that I'm not especially bright, because it didn't occur to me to pull off my old grips and check the markings on my grip frame before I bought the grips. My grip frame is marked "XR-3."

Anyway, the grips I bought fit, but not well. There is a gap of over 1/16" between the grips and the revolver frame right behind the trigger. They also stick out a little at the bottom of the grip frame.

From what I have read, I thought (as you have posted here) that my gun should have an XR3-RED frame. Does that seem right? Would XR3-RED grips fit an XR-3 frame, but with gaps?
 
Here's my grip frame:
mUoVOe9.jpg


Here's how the new grips (supposedly from a New Model Single Six) fit:
SUuA5oY.jpg



I just came across this from Brownell's:
rugergrips.jpg


According to the diagram, IF my grip frame is actually XR3, and IF my grips are actually XR3-RED, then the problem shouldn't be a gap like I have (grips are too small for frame), but rather the grips shouldn't fit at all, because they'd be to big for the frame. So at this point I'm not sure what to get.
 
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After doing a little more reading, some of which says to simply ignore what the grip frame says altogether, I think I've just got XR3-RED grips and an XR3-RED grip frame and just have a bad fit. C'est la vie.
 
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