Dehorning Plow Handles

tinhorn · July-07-22 19:07

I think you guys call 'em boot grips. The missus walked past my dehorning project and giggled. I think the juxtaposition of "gun stuff" and whiskey nips gave her a spaghetti western flashback and tickled her funny bone. But I needed some bases to attach the grips to for staining and topcoating.

Man, those stock grips are just painful. And I find that there's a heckuva difference between the birdsheads and boot grips--not so much in aiming but in cocking, I find I have to reposition the gun when recocking with a birdshead. Not so much with the plow handles.

bill_deshivs · July-08-22 11:07

Looks like you are letting some kind of finish dry in the picture.
These grips are made of laminated wood that can be polished to a mirror finish without adding anything.

tinhorn · July-08-22 13:07

Yes, I refinished them just like a wood grip. Then I dropped one and it sounded exactly like plastic. I'd wondered about the composition!

Bigbird48 · July-08-22 17:07

I'm pretty sure those are rosewood and yes because their thin if you drop them on a hard floor they may sound like plastic but their wood

bearcatter · July-08-22 17:07

My Bearcat grips are the same design, except the Bearcat backstraps aren't covered. The somewhat sharp edges and corners don't bother me.I can see that just a slight difference could be a problem.
Both NAA and Ruger are laminated. Although the layers are thick, they are still technically micarta. Epoxy or similar between the layers. Little to no chance they could ever warp.

tinhorn · July-08-22 19:07

Yes, rosewood, but I'm not a woodworker and don't know the characteristics. On the last pair I decided to not topcoat after sanding and see how I like the feel of an "unfinished" grip.

I love the feel of my wife's Bearcat. I want to get one for myself, maybe bored out to magnum. My problem with the smaller NAA grips is that those sharp edges started biting into my palm after several minutes of dry firing at the TV. I've dehorned all of them now.

I've been working on a shoulder rig for a brace of Hoglegs, and I think the rounded grip edges will be less obvious under a light summer shirt.

bearcatter · July-08-22 19:07

I've read several times that Ruger's grips aren't finished, just polished. It's hard to tell looking.

I know three places that do a .22 mag Bearcat conversion. It has to be on a New Model Bearcat. OM Bearcats had a shorter cylinder.
Tyler Gun Works and Clements Custom Guns include an action job and cylinder gap reset. They can convert your .22LR cylinder, or make a second cylinder so that you can still shoot both calibers. The second, WMR, cylinder will be smooth, no engraving.
Cylinder and Slide will rebore your LR cylinder, but nothing else, if I understand the website correctly.

FWIW, you get very close to .22 Mag ballistics with .22LR hyper velocity rounds like Velocitor and Stingers. No conversion needed.

bill_deshivs · July-09-22 00:07

They call them rosewood, but they are actually dyed beech laminated with plastic resin. You can buff them to a near mirror finish.

pietro · July-09-22 07:07

Quote from: tinhorn on July-07-22 19:07
. And I find that there's a heckuva difference between the birdsheads and boot grips--not so much in aiming but in cocking, I find I have to reposition the gun when recocking with a birdshead.

FWIW, Mini's are best shot differently from larger, full-size, SA revolvers - lest the shooter experience issues like yours.

I long ago, well before any grip besides a birds head was available anywhere, read an illustrated article (Gun Digest ? ? ) that showed how to shoot Mini's using a two-handed grip.

The grip frame is grasped firmly in the trigger hand's fist with the off hand's fingers wrapped over the trigger hand (similar to a Weaver stance) - with the off hand manipulating the hammer & trigger.

It took me a bit of practice before it became second nature - but it was well worth the time.

Here's a visual

tinhorn · July-24-22 19:07

Quote from: bearcatter on July-08-22 19:07
FWIW, you get very close to .22 Mag ballistics with .22LR hyper velocity rounds like Velocitor and Stingers. No conversion needed.

Good to know! It was on this forum that I learned about .22 WRF--.22 magnum lite.

Quote from: bill_deshivs on July-09-22 00:07
They call them rosewood, but they are actually dyed beech laminated with plastic resin. You can buff them to a near mirror finish.

Hahahaha! I feel like a dope. I dehorned another set of boot grips tonight, then sanded with them with 220, 400, 600, followed by polishing with some 40-year-old rubbing compound, then some 40-year-old polishing compound, and they look like new. Who knew that "rosewood" was a euphemism for "plastic"? (I'm old enough to remember "leatherette" upholstery.)

Quote from: pietro on July-09-22 07:07
FWIW, Mini's are best shot differently from larger, full-size, SA revolvers - lest the shooter experience issues like yours.

....with the off hand manipulating the hammer & trigger.

That's the weirdest thing I've heard since learning rosewood grips are really plastic. I normally practice single-handed shooting, left and right hand, but I've GOT to try that technique!

OLD and GRUMPY · July-25-22 04:07

"Who knew that "rosewood" was a euphemism for "plastic"? (I'm old enough to remember "leatherette" upholstery.)" -- Remember Naugahyde ?---- What kind of animal does Naugahyde come from?
"The Nauga is a colorful, horned, happy-looking creature native to the island of Sumatra, was once hunted to near-extinction. They were hunted for sport, but more often for their smooth and durable leather-like hide ? Naugahyde, as it's generally known."