Pewter grips

[venison]

I found this site http://gripus.com/AntiquePewterScroll.htm which sports a nice set of grips. They say they're made out of pewter but to tell you the truth I do not even know what pewter is. What do you guys think about them?

All I found is that some pewter my darken with age so, maybe, this set http://gripus.com/BrightPewterScroll.htm would be a better choice?

[venison]

Thanks to the search tool I found out that those grips are rather heavy so I better find something else.

[BHP Fan]

pewter is silver and lead.

[gfavaron]

Uhh, actually pewter is an alloy of tin and other metals, usually antimony. Not silver.

[gfavaron]

Pewter objects were occasionally PLATED with silver so as to appear to be silver, but silver is not part of the alloy itself.

[CZJedi]

I had a pair and the grip screw holes were off. I could get one side to fit, but the other never did fit right. I contacted the company, and they pointed out that they stated that "fitting may be required."

[kcshooter]

I found out that those grips are rather heavy
Yeah, that would be my first thought on those too. Might look nice but for as heavy as pewter is, probably not a good idea.

[BHP Fan]

Pewter objects were occasionally PLATED with silver so as to appear to be silver, but silver is not part of the alloy itself.

Makes sense.Is this what's called ''german silver'',as in patch boxes and furniture on old rifles?

[CZJedi]

German silver is not the same; looks more like regular silver (not a dull as pewter).

[venison]

They make the same design in wood as well: http://gripus.com/Mesquite_Floral_Feature.htm

"Mesquite grips for the full size 1911 and true clones. These grips are laser etched with a floral design."

How does that etching stand over the time? What about the grip?

[gfavaron]

German silver is a nickel alloy - mixed with zinc and copper.

[sarge43]

They make the same design in wood as well: http://gripus.com/Mesquite_Floral_Feature.htm

"Mesquite grips for the full size 1911 and true clones. These grips are laser etched with a floral design."

How does that etching stand over the time? What about the grip?
Laser etching is fairly shallow, less than 1/32 in many cases, but theoretcally, unless you use the weapon enough to wear through 1/32" of wood, it should be fine. I have tried to get some laser owners to go deeper than that, and most balk at it. I believe it's something to do with the smaller equipment that they use to do it and its range of depth. I'm sure there is bigger, more expensive equipment that can do it though. I've shot some Weatherby Lasermark rifles that had the laser engraivng that was at least 1/8" deep into the stock.
I like the wood version much better than the pewter version for what it's worth, but then that's just me.
Good luck with your decision!
Sarge

[tonka]

[QUOTE=sarge43]Laser etching is fairly shallow, less than 1/32 in many cases, but theoretcally, unless you use the weapon enough to wear through 1/32" of wood, it should be fine.

Good luck wearing out mesquite wood at all! That stuff will dull a chainsaw or axe more quickly than any oak tree on the planet. There are other exotics that are harder, but not many.