Bianchi Lightning Grips

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Loyalty Above All.. but Honor

Yes sir
I have a set like the brown ones you show. They are unique.

Yep..... had a pair of brown ones. Never did like them. Wound up giving them away some time ago. I think that Pachmayr made them for Bianchi, but never marketed them as "Pachmayr"....

I have a pair of the Bianchi "Lightning" grips that I long ago employed on this Model 60. They fill the hand well and offer good control. They work well as intended, but having a steel framework, they are rather heavy. I find that they therefore work best in a shoulder holster. These were an interesting concept and have become collector items today.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

I remember them, but never owned any.

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

looks good. imagine if the whole gun was brown like that

Preceded by the JR grips in wood - run as a small side company by John Bianchi's son. Ad from 1973.

He may not see this thread. Red Nichols has previously stated that the molds were made to his hand.

Red didn't say, but as the owner of Mustang was a Bianchi friend, and the lower profile of the wood grips looks like the Mustang J frame grip - I'd guess the JR grips were made by Mustang.

Attached Images

JR hammer shroud grips ad 1973.jpg (121.4 KB, 103 views)

I had a pair that fit a K. frame sold them. I also had a pair of fit a J frame and I gave them to a friend. Wish I would’ve kept those since I have lots of J frames now.

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Two Handguns every day

Yep, I have 2 K frames, new in the box which I purchased several years ago from someone on this wonderful Forum. I would take a pic but they are way back somewhere in the safe.

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"Happiness is a warm gun"

Grips do add a little bulk weight but an excellent way to go shrouded hammer especially for the S&W K frame revolvers. Still have a K frame grip in my collection of grips/stocks.

Yes, a spinoff of the Colt DS and Cobra shrouds.

Had a set - never cared for them much. They did keep the hammer from catching but they were just too bulky for my liking.

Yep, had them on my Model 36 I bought in 1991. My first ankle carry gun. Unfortunately I no longer have neither.

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Watch & Pray

I had a K frame set. Worked well, but heavy as a boat anchor.

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My sgntr is mor thn 30 chrctrs

I too had, & still have at least one K Frame pair around here somewhere. I never really needed any J Frame versions as I've always tended to use DAO Model S&W's, from my very first 'Bobbed & Neutered' 2" M-36, then later I came across a nice little 3" Rd Butt M-37, which I carried IWB in summer, & sometimes in my coat pocket in winter. I always felt those K Frame versions made for an excellent Home Defense Revolver set up, when combined with either an 3" or 4" K Revolver. But, I guess they truly are somewhat dated these days, & especially so for me ever since I picked up my 3" M-640, which to me is amongst the more efficient little cm Frame I currently own. My only issue is it's not not an Airweight !!

Best, Dom P. / 'dpast32'

I too had, & still have at least one K Frame pair around here somewhere. I never really needed any J Frame versions as I've always tended to use DAO Model S&W's, from my very first 'Bobbed & Neutered' 2" M-36, then later I came across a nice little 3" Rd Butt M-37, which I carried IWB in summer, & sometimes in my coat pocket in winter. I always felt those K Frame versions made for an excellent Home Defense Revolver set up, when combined with either an 3" or 4" K Revolver. But, I guess they truly are somewhat dated these days, & especially so for me ever since I picked up my 3" M-640, which to me is amongst the more efficient little cm Frame I currently own. My only issue is it's not not an Airweight !!

Best, Dom P. / 'dpast32'

I still have a set. Back in the early 1980's (pre Internet), I visited every gun shop near me, looking for a Bodyguard. I just could not locate one, they were scarce.
I ended up buying a nickel model 37 and putting these grips on it to accomplish the next best thing.

While they solve a few issues such as possibly catching a hammer on clothing and also tame recoil, they are HUGE, cumbersome, heavy and defeat the sole purpose of a small / light J frame EDC carry gun IMHO. They are so large that they preclude some forms of concealed carrying. While they might keep a hammer from snagging, the rubber itself can snag fabric. Don't care for them much.

Yes. I didn't know they were also heavy, but their size certainly negates the compactness of a J-frame gun. Might as well go to a K-frame.

Yes, heavy enough to mess up the balance of a 2 1/2” M66.

I can’t bring myself to Bob a hammer or even buy a revolver with the hammer already bobbed, but I might just have to look into a wood version of the Lightning Grip… gotta be lighter and could be made more compact.

Attached Images

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