Hello
As most of you know, I spend almost all my weekends chasing gun shows within a 200 Mile radius of my home. It has become an
Obsession with me, and for the most Part, has produced some very nice S&W revolvers or at times some
very rare accessories. Last weekend I attended a small but high quality Gun show close to my home. I have found some very nice revolvers and Grips at this show in the Past. Saturday was wild with People and it was so packed not much could be seen. Sunday slowed a lot with the Daytona 500 Going on, so I started asking dealers and private sellers what they got for trades or if they took in anything
Unusual. I asked this one guy who recently traded with me and I scored a model of 1950 38-44 Outdoorsman what he got, and he Pulled out from under his table a Vintage model 27-2-N-Frame .357 Magnum S&W revolver. It had an 8-3/8" Barrel and was of newer vintage being an-N-Prefix before the serial number, so the gun was not of interest to me, But the grips it had sure were. I took notice they were a very Rare set of
Walter Roper custom grips. He asked if I could use the gun, and I replied
not the gun, but I sure would like to purchase the Grips that are on that revolver. He said he had wished it had the original
period Correct factory Target grips on it, as people now were getting fussy and wanted the correct items on a revolver before they purchased it. it was clear to me, that this guy had
No Earthly Idea that he had a Rare set of Walter Roper Custom grips that were made back in the mid 1930's. I asked if he was offered a set of Factory grips for that gun, if he would be inclined to swap those grips. He
dove at my offer and took the Ropers off the model 27 and Handed them to me.The Only apparent damage I saw on these was that they are missing a small chunk of wood very close to the trigger Guard area. I know the Other set I have like these that fit a K-Frame revolver are Wafer thin in that area, so I could see how easy it would be to pop off a small Piece of wood in taht area. I am meeting with his partner today at lunch to give him the original factory grips for the model 27 revolver and
was very Pleased to locate the second set of Original Ropers I have now in my Possession. I asked one final time before walking away from this guy if he was Indeed Pleased with a simple swap of Grips and his comment was
"Pleased as Punch if you swap me a set of original targets for these old fancy grips" We shook hands on it, and I walked away Very, Very Happy..Hammerdown.
