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April 18, 2016
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Any one know where DW sourced their revolver grips? Reason this comes up is I just bought a High Standard Crusader and the one piece grip looks so much like a DW grip it must come from the same place.
Dans Club
March 28, 2023
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I do not think they are still around. I take it your trying to put Zebra Grips on them. I know I have a pair of 8 inch engraved ones and I was told the Zebra only came on the 44 magnum not the 45 Colt. Well I had a set of 6 inch High Standard Crusaders so I swapped the other Zebra grip off the 6 inch gun so my matching set (serial numbers) both have Zebra's. What beautiful guns! The 8 inch engraved only 51 each were made (51 of the 44 magnums & 51 of the 41 Colts) The 6 inch ones are still very rare with only 500 or less made) I do believe the old wise tale of there being 1oz of gold being on the side of each gun is debunked now or the prices would have increased in the last few months. Anyway I would think with some wood filler and a Dremel drill you could modify a existing Dan Wesson grip to fit your Crusader! Remember to double click twice to really see a close up! 
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Dans Club
March 25, 2013
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I don't know if you are asking who made them or where the wood came from. There were various grip makers that made the grips. Eagle, Cataba, Hogue, and others made factory grips at various times.
The actual zebra wood was a South American and Central American tree that is no longer harvested due to it being a protected species. Very similar looking species from Africa are now called zebrawood I believe.
There is no connection between HS Crusaders and Dan Wessons as far as designers, clockwork or dimensions. The Crusader action is very different than a Dan Wesson. The barrel and shroud is not used and the frame sizes are different. The Crusader frame is very similar to a S&W Model 29 and the large frame Dan is much more robust. If you attempt to modify a DW grip to fit the Crusader I suggest you try it using a beat up LG frame target grip before you damage a $250 zebra.
April 18, 2016
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The crusader has a plain wood grip, no plans to change it for the time being. It's almost identical to the plain wood grip on one of my DW 44's. I do have a zebra DW grip but no plans for it.
P.S. Total of 866 Crusaders made including all variants. 431 six and a half inch 44s.
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Dans Club
March 28, 2023
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It's funny I have seen that number on the 44 mags but I also have seen 6 inch 44's with serial numbers higher that 431 I saw one that was 459 so I know your most likely getting those numbers from unblinking eye. I don't know why they may have started the serial number higher than 01 when they produced the run. I know Palmer Dan Wessons started their serial numbers at 500
April 18, 2016
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The special commemorative 8-3/8 inch models were numbered from 0 to 50. The 6-1/2 inch commemorative models started at 251. So the last 6-1/2 inch 44 would be numbered 482. Mined being 431 is just a coincidence.
So who made the standard wood grip for the DWs?
Oops! The 6-1/2 revolvers started at 51, not 251!
DWF Supporters
July 12, 2020
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Ole Dog answered that in the third post
August 28, 2009
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Sile Grips was the manufacturer of the standard factory, square butt, target grip for Dan Wesson. Hogue made (and still continues today) the rubber grips and their own style wood grips which where offered as a second grip option in some of their packs. Most of the others made aftermarket grips.
If your Crusader grip looks a lot like the standard, small frame DW factory grip, there is a good chance it was made by Sile. Sile also made grips for most of the main firearm manufacturers back in the day, including Colt, S&W, Ruger, etc.
I have a bunch of the original DW grips in the original Sile packaging. If your grip looks like this, good chance it was made by Sile.
April 18, 2016
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The Crusader grip looks like the one on my DW 44, a large frame grip.
April 18, 2016
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Dans Club
March 25, 2013
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There were 500 of each of the Crusaders made. The first 51 of each were the 83/8" and engraved. There were some of each caliber that were returned for problems and replaced with one of the others. They were never put into production so there were no extra guns or parts to fix the returned guns. That is why the numbers are out of sequence.
DakotaJack, the Siles grips date from late 70s and newer. The finish is very polished and the base not as wide as early versions. Small frame grips changed a lot from the porkchop and early dash 2 days.
April 18, 2016
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We may never know the exact details. My information is a grand total of 866 for all variants combined. Numbers 0 to 50 for each caliber of the 8-3/8 specials.
Mine appears unfired but with some minor evidence of handling. Next question is do I shoot it or is it a safe queen?
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Dans Club
March 25, 2013
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I have one 44 and 3x 45Colts. All unfired. I had a 45 that had a little bit of rust. Snake-eye and I shot it. Then I sold it. We may be one of the few who have actually shot one. They may be as beautiful as a python or nicer but they are no DW large frame for accuracy IMHO. If I ever see a used one for sale I may buy it to take the gold Crusader off and have it checked for whether it is solid or plated. Inquiring minds want to know.
Dans Club
March 28, 2023
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Yes I was thinking of taking one of mine to the coin shop down the road. They can put it intact under the machine and give a answer without pulling it apart I think. I'm pretty sure we already have that answer if that is I OZ of gold someone would have figured it out by now and they would already be sold out on Gunbroker since that would make each gun worth over 4k Also what type of gold 14K or higher?
April 18, 2016
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My information says 14K gold. I'd be curious as to how that emblem was made, not just the gold but the image under it.
The original intent was to make 1000 commemoratives and then start regular production. Long story short, due to various financial problems and other issues, only 866 total were made.
Dans Club
March 28, 2023
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I just looked it up, if they are 1OZ 14k gold which seems more likely since anything higher would be soft and would get dented or pushed out of shape is worth $2456 so if they are 1 0z of even 14k gold well worth buying up all the 6 inch guns prying the Crusader off and selling it for scrap. Now that seems a bad thing to do but the gun would shoot just fine with the Crusader gone. I have a better idea. Pry them off, have a jeweler of someone that can make a Crusader and just gold plated them, glue them back on the gun and resell the gun plus put the gold in your pocket. If you can buy the 6 inch guns for $1100 to $1400 there is quite a bit of profit to be made. I still think if they really were 1oz of even 14k gold there would be none for sale right now. Most likely they are plated.
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Dans Club
March 25, 2013
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Gold was $161 an ounce in 1977. 14 carat would have been about $90. The guns cost about $1000 new. It is possible that they are gold but not likely. But they were a special introduction Commemorative. The later guns were not to have the gold Crusader. Stan, take it to a jeweler and get it checked just for grins. My FFL is a pawn shop too had has the device to check it. Next time I uncover one from the bottom of my safe I will do it. Not sure when that would be.
Unspellable, there were 1000 made, 500 of each. But some were sent back for warrenty work and they had to cannabalize some guns for parts. Hence, less than 1000 were in customers hands. John Simpson wrote about it. He was the fellow who pried the records out of the BATF.
February 16, 2016
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Stmstan 445 said
Most likely they are plated.
I can almost guarantee you that they are plated, not solid.
April 18, 2016
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If John Simpson retrieved records from the ATF, why can't we get records for DWs and others? Also astounded me that manufacturers did not keep a parallel copy so the ATF didn't leave everybody in the dark.
Dans Club
March 28, 2023
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Speaking of grips, I finally sent Hogue 4 sets of Dan Wesson medallions and bought 4 grips that were on sale for black Friday! Been waiting almost a year to do this project. They charge $25 to install the medallions (per grip) I got the grips on sale black Friday so $90 for the grips they are finger groves stripe caped not chex the medallions $36 and $25 to install do each grip comes out to $151 Can hardly wait to see them!
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