1953 Colt by DW King, wrapped in Walter Roper grips. In the era of bullseye shooting that started before World War II, the revolver was king. In those days, most folks shot either Colt or Smith & Wesson. Eventually, gunsmiths came up with ways to accurize the 1911, and with that, the revolver began to fade. Way before Shockey, Giles, or Dinan, DW King was massaging 1911s into purpose driven scalpels. “DW King gunsight company” was the premier gun sight accessory company between 1920-1953. King was known for aftermarket sights and custom target pistols. Both Arnold Capone and Bob Chow worked at DW King as gunsmiths. After King went out of business, Chow started his own shop in San Francisco and Capone “borrowed” the King name and started King’s Gunworks in Los Angeles. During this golden era of BE shooting, the most popular and best known grip maker was Walter F. Roper. Roper was an engineer and designer, but it is widely known that he did not make the grips himself. A French-born craftsman named Mathias Gagne actually crafted Roper grips. Roper grips of any kind are rare as hens teeth and highly sought after by collectors. Because bullseye shooting in this era was dominated by revolvers, very few 1911 Ropers grips exist. If you are lucky enough to find a set, be prepared to pay $900+. Are these 87 year old grips worth it? You be the judge. Swipe all the way left to see how many fucks DW King gave.
Scattered Shots 