A New Model Old Model Blackhawk

[Sharps40]

I was looking hard for a chunk of Amboyna Burl to make grips from when I ran across Bear Paw grips. Seems they have a set of Ambonya Burl grips ready made for the 50th/New Vaquero models. So.........paypal to the rescue.
I suspect I'll have them next week and will post photos when they arrive. I think they are great. Cinnimon color with many black eyes and swirls and they are stablized, so the finish is through and through and rock hard. Brass fittings and stainless screw, 15%ish larger on the top end and 10% thinner at the butt than factory grip panels.
I'm a bit excited. With any luck I can get through the bottom end of this project without dinging up the bluing, and that was almost a sure bet to happen trying to shape grip panels from scratch.

 

[Sharps40]

This feller gushes and slobbers and talks too much but ya get a good ider of the shape and fit/finish on the Bear Paw grips for the Blackhawks.

 

[Sharps40]

Okay. All clearances checked and I'm satisfied its ready to go to the range as a convertible with a fitted 9mm cylinder!.....cheeper and more plentiful than 22 lr and perfect for lots of close range practice and rolling cans.

Both the factory cylinder and the vintage 3 screw 9mm cylinder have fitted up for minimal endshake, BC gap between 4 and 5 thousands and case head to breech face clearance of 6 to 10 thousands depending on the make of the brass.

I am excited to try out the spare cylinder....now to find another for 357/44 Bain and Davis or 357 Auto Mag conversion.

 

[Sharps40]

OM 9mm on the left, NM/50th on the Right. All the measurements are the same, but by math, the OM 9mm is 20 thousands too long on the face and 2 thousands too long to fit on the front race.

About an hours careful work slowly turning the OM 9mm cylinder back to fit the frame and establish a close BC gap of less than 5 thousands.

Good function and the timing is spot on.

Reversing the cylinder in the press and putting on a Black Powder bevel on the OM 9mm Cylinder. Face and bevel are final polished 100 grit for now.

Both cylinders installed for checks and measurements. I'm happy with the clearances and the variances due to different brands of case makers. It should be good to go.

After everything is wiped down and cleaned out. Perhaps test firing the 9mm at the range tomorrow and then the OM 9mm Cylinder will need blued for sure.

 

[Sharps40]

The face of the OM Cylinder was actually concave or dished....about 6 or 7 thou in the center of the cylinders. Its dead flat now. Prolly just needs a light chamfer on the mouth of each chamber but I'll put that in with a piloted cutter later.

 

[Sharps40]

Success. The workout at 10 to 30 meters on paper and steel with ElCheepo handloads with copper plated 147s. Perfect function of the OM 9mm cylinder fitted to the 50th Blackhawk.

30 rds on paper at 10 meters and another 50 or so on various steel. Out to 30m my center hold hits on top of the sights and/or topples the plates with solid center hits.

Not bad for a drill press and a file.

 

[Sharps40]

Bear Paw Grips arrived. I'll give em 3.5 of 5 stars and not purchase the brand again unless the price is significantly discounted. More to follow.

 

[Sharps40]

The good first.

Fairly good fit overall considering the variances in frames. Fine figured wood, solid and no cracks or splits through the grain.

 

[Sharps40]

And the not so good.

No spacer provided, but called for in the instructions. I reused the one from the fake ivory Altamont grips. Primarily the bad is horrific finish. These panels are touted as stabilized, that would mean an acrylic or similar all the way through the wood. Given the open pores, I doubt it. The final finish is discussed in the instructions, Tru Oil, Gobbs of it. Much leveling and polishing would be required to make it look proper. As it is, I'll shoot it first to validate the grip size and fit to my hand and then likely spend several hours in any reshaping that is deemed necessary and in the careful stripping and rubbing in of a Gun Grade finish.

So. Mark me more than a bit irritated at the price point for Bear Paw grips. Good fit, poor finish and only a portion of the time saved over what I was hoping for. I'll keep them only for two reasons, the figure and fit.

Poorly executed lock mortise and tear out at three of the four holes in the backside. Sloppy drips and sags in the finish on the backsides of the panels.

Heavy topcoat of finish has the wavy and uneven look of a sprayed on finish. There has been no leveling of the finish and as such, the high gloss of the finish throws back the light unevenly.

Heavy runs (hard to see on the photos) on the tops of each grip panel that will show after installing and finish coat failure (exposing wood grain) on the showing edge of one panel top.

Finish applied to heavy/wet at the top curve of the right side grip, resulting in wrinkling and lifting of the finish from the surface of the wood.

Left panel rather grossly over sized compared to the right panel. Bottoms and mids are symmetric. Tops make the gun appear lopsided and amateurish.

 

[7pt62THOR]

We have no doubt that those WILL BE some damn nice lookin' grips after you work on 'em a spell!