Colt 1892 grips - authentic?

S

spacecoast

New member
I recently acquired this 1892 Colt (New Army, commercial version I believe, in .38 Colt) with a serial number of 14xxx, putting its manufacture date in the 1894 timeframe. There are no military markings, hence my assumption it's a commercial version. The finish is only fair, the action is loose and the timing is way off, so I won't be shooting it, but I am curious about the hard rubber grips. I assumed they were aftermarket replacements, but checking a few other sites I see that they may have come from the factory that way - with the "1892" under the Rampant Colt. The other clue they may be original is that they have the same 3-digit assembly number scratched on their undersides that is under the crane and on the cylinder latch.

Does anyone have more specific knowledge of these grips or gun who can fill me in? Unfortunately the right grip has a small chip near the bottom that isn't visible in the pics.

By the way, I recently discovered Colt's serial number lookup page - very useful - not sure how long it's been out there.

http://www.coltsmfg.com/CustomerServices/SerialNumberLookup.aspx

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The Colt New Army and Navy revolvers were made for the Army with plain wood grips. Those made for the Navy had grips with the word "COLT" in the oval at the top of the grip.

Commercial guns were marketed as either the "Army Model" or the "Navy Model"; the only difference was the grips and a tiny "N" on the frame for the Navy Model. The grips shown, with COLT, the prancing pony, the rosettes and the date 1892 were the Army grips; the Navy grips had the word "COLT" just as did the actual Navy contract guns. After a year or so, Colt continued to use the Army grips on the "Army Model", but dropped the date.

Those look like the original grips, but do look pretty good for a gun that has been obviously used quite a lot. Check the inside of the right grip to see if the serial number of the gun is scratched in it.

Jim
 
James -

The gun has the 5-digit serial number 14xxx on the butt, as it should be, but has a 3-digit assembly number on the crane and cylinder latch. That same 3-digit number is scratched on the undersides of each grip.
 
Those grips have been reproduced, so if it is important, grips need to be examined carefully. From a practical viewpoint, repro grips made of plastic are far better than the original gutta percha grips, which are brittle, but of course the repros are not "original".

Hi, Spacecoast, you are correct, it is the assembly number on the grips, not the serial number.

Jim
 
Here's a test to do on the grips: Get out your propane torch, heat a standard sewing needle or pin to glowing hot, then QUICKLY AND LIGHTLY touch it to a hidden part of the grip. If it smells like burning rubber, your grips are at least of the original time period and made of gutta percha or hard rubber. If it smells like plastic or resin, well, you know the answer to that.

Additionally, repro epoxy grips usually have at least a few casting pits on the inside and these are a sure giveaway.
 
I haven't done the "burning rubber" test, but here's a picture of the inside of one grip. Very smooth with no voids. I have a 1922 Army Special with what I also believe are original grips and the material and construction seems to be identical.

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That brownish color and the way the material is formed is characteristic of gutta percha grips. Gutta Percha, or "hard rubber" was a very common material for gun grips (and many other applications) prior to the development of plastic c. 1930. But, while it starts out flexible, it becomes very brittle with age and anyone removing those grips, especially if removal involves bending them (as in the Savage auto pistols) should be very careful. The best advice is not to disturb them unless really necessary.

Jim
 
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