Fitz grips question

[burneyr]

Would like any input you guys could offer.  These grips are a mystery to me.

I've got a bad habit of picking up any 3-screw flattop Blackhawks that can be bought cheap.  Grabbed these in the past couple months.  All three had original Ruger grips of some sort, but they also came with a set of Fitz "StaGrips."

I'm in my mid 50s so the first flattop era was before my time.  Why were these Fitz grips so popular?  Pretty horrid plastic and downright cheesy - my first cap gun had better "stags."  Were real stag grips hard to come by?  Was stag expensive back then?  Is this "Fitz" the same guy who did the front triggerguard cutout modification back in the day?

Just curious - can anybody help me out?

[bobwright]

I don't have all the dates and pertinent data at hand, but Fitz grips were contemporary with Franzite grips. Franzite grips were bettet looking, in my opinion, but were equally flimsy. Here is my Ruger "in the day" with Franzite grips:



And here is a Hy Hunter with plastic "stag" grips:




Bill Wilson introduced Great Western revolvers about 1953 or 1954 which competed, sort of, with Ruger. He offered a close copy of the Colt SAA, intended for movie use, which had simulated stag plastic grips.

Even then, ivory grips were expensive, though available. And both elk stag and Sambar stag could be had, but sources were little publicized or advertised. I remember seeing ads for stag grips in a small ad in the classified sections of some magazines.

But Hollywood piqued the interest in "stag" grips and these were readily available via mail order, as were the guns at that time.

And, no, there was no connection with the Fitz Specials. Believe his name was Fitzhugh (? spelling) and he would have no no truck with plastics.

Bob Wright

[bobwright]

And, further..........................Jay Scott grips appeared abut the same era. They were more solid and fairly nice looking, but were bonded on a hardwood backing which really detracted from their looks.

Bob Wright

[45MAN]

IN MY MIND THESE OLD IMITATION STAG GRIPS ARE NOTHING SPECIAL, DESIREABLE OR WANTED, JUST SOMETHING THAT WAS THERE BACK IN THE DAY. I DON'T THROW 'em AWAY WHEN A GUN COMES WITH THEM, I JUST SET THEM ASIDE, AND FOR SURE I AM NOT GOING TO A BBQ WITH 'em.

[drycreek]

I always had the same opinion of the plastic “stag” grips. I would rather have a plain walnut than plastic, but other woods are much more desirable to me. It’s all personal to each of us, our likes and dislikes. One thing for sure though, you can’t go wrong with a nice flattop in any caliber.

[burneyr]

Appreciate all the replies-

Enjoy this forum and the knowledge here.

[Ken O'Neill]

Fitz grips had no connection to John Henry FitzGerald (that's the way he wrote it) of Colt fame.

[contender]

Basically,, from what I was schooled in over the years was that it had to do with TV & movies.

They would use fake stag to "dress up" the good guys guns,, and make them appear fancier looking for the cameras. But when the good guys had to "drop your gun" or throw it away,, it was cheaper to use the fake stags than bust real ones.
And of course,, all the kids wanted guns to look like the hero's guns,, so the commercial market sold a bunch of them.