maybe this?
Gentlemen
Consider the following ...Ruger faces many adversities in not only marketing nation wide but world wide ..addressing gun lock laws etc.
In their quest to economically stay competitive they are constantly addressing physical changes in their product
One such change is ...in my opinion the gripframes ...and in specific the one's being discussed
We know the XR3 original of which there is no other like it in all respects dimensionally, then came larger XR3-RED off shoot, the XR stainless series and the XRN-3RED of which all three would reasonably accept the same sloppy factory grip ....and then of course the "New Vaquero" [name applied by many to differ it from the original Vaquero which was built on a Blackhawk size frame and gripframe but witout adj sights] ...this was suppose to be a return to the XR3/Colt feel alike ...it does do that BUT the small Vaquero grips WILL NOT fit an original XR3 gripframe nor will an XR3 grip fit the newest Vaquero ...none the less this small Vaquero gripframe IS being placed on a Blackhawk marked mainframe and known as the "flattop"
Here is the bottom line ...and the problem I suspect you folks are encountering ...the original XRN-3RED WAS originally in the field as anodized black Alloy (read aluminum ) product ...the finish added NO DECREASE in the distance between the anchor pin and the wing underneath the hammer where the grip panel goes into battery at the top of the grip panel
Enter the NEW XRN-3RED painted gripframe ..and YES NEW for two reasons ...first the powder coating is evidently added AFTER the area UNDER the wing has been milled ...this reduces distance between the anchor pin and the bottom surface of the wing as the powder coat is quite thick AS WELL as pools in the what was a perfectly milled right angle making a U and not a i_
The second thing is the wing is at an ever so slightly different angle with the back of the wing where the blackstrap flairs out to the wing is ever so slightly lower than on the original anodized XRN-3RED
So a tightly fitted (as it should be) custom grip for an XR3-RED, XR stainless or orginal XRN-3RED anodized CANNOT fit ...and when you place this just named fitted grip on a PAINTED XRN-3RED with the panel inserted on the pin it will first hit the wing on the side toward the backstrap and as you follow the top of the grip panel toward the mainframe you will see where it looks very close to being able to go into place but of course it will not
So it is forcing me to add additional disclaimers in my advertising of Blackhawk grips that if you are buying for a painted gripframed Blackhawk that you will require a model of grip SPECIFIC to the painted gripframe
Darn another SKU!!!!!!!!
BearPaw
