Got my girlfriend a Model 65 . Gun currently sports smooth magnas . I'd like something that'll allow her a better grip in case she steps up to 357 ammo . I've got fairly large hands & current grips seem way too slick &/or small . I'm sure someone here has been through this with their wife / girlfriend / daughter etc . I plan to start her off with 38 special wadcutters & gradually increase loads as she progresses . Ideally I like for her be able to at least handle Buffalo Bore + P 38's if not 357 mag loads . What y'all think ?

May I suggest Altamont K-Round Combat Oversized Finger Grooves (Shown on my M-64 "Luscious")

Altamont Company - Smith & Wesson

I have Hogue Bantam rubber grips on my 3" 65 carry gun, small, grips well, easily concealable.

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Dick

I was wondering if even I would like rubber Pachmayrs myself until I started shooting from .38 special to full .357 without even thinking about the grips. The heaviest loads were a piece of cake.

Don't know about Pachmayrs as I am one of the people who hate them. Never seem to totally fit right on stuff. I have seen and shot some of the Hogues on J and L frames and don't mind them.
As for me, give me walnut.
Larry

I too like nice wood & as it's for a female pretty never hurts .

I had Pachmayr Compacs on my CS1 and full-bore magnums were never an issue for me. I'm one of those that doesn't mind the look of rubber grips on a stainless revolver (although generally my handguns and rifles do tend toward the blacker and polymer-ier end of the spectrum ). For a wood grip, my favourite was was Ahrends "Retro Banana" grips. They're smooth, which might be an issue, but the finish on them is not super-slippery. I (and my smaller hands) really liked them.

Wood of course looks nice but get her the Pachs. Much better grip, softens the recoil, less money.

The lame mono grips that SW uses now are useless in my opinion. Why leave the metal backstrap exposed?. All the recoil goes to the web of your hand.

I just ordered several of these. The good old Uncle Mikes. They are a great two piece grip with finger grooves. Not to big and not real "sticky" as far as snagging on clothing while drawing. Take a few weeks to get as they are in another warehouse.

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/w...layErrorView_N

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Still Running Against the Wind

How about a set of these?

or theses?

Small hands and short fingers require the web of the hand to be closer to the trigger, thus ruling out any grip that I'm aware of that wraps the back of the frame with material.

For double action accuracy ya just gotta get the right grasp on the gun and still get the trigger finger properly on the trigger . . . with the hand high on the horn of course!

My old M65 had the big Pachs on it years ago when I bought it used and they were worthless for me. I've actually had great results for years with the Hogue rubbers in double action matches. That's the true test of any hand to grip "match" . . . how it keeps the gun in the right spot while the gun is being torqued in recoil in a double action match.

The new Altamonts shown look wonderful . . . IF the wood on the horns isn't too wide for a small hand. If the fit ain't right for a small hand a wood grip can be worse than brutal. I might have to break down and order a set for my 3" barreled M65.

The old-school magnas + Tyler T-grip also works great for a person like me with small hands.

Hope this helps . . .

Ordy gun has a set of magnas like yours in the bottom pic .
Tom turner I agree with you , but haven't seen a set of Hogue's that don't cover backstrap .
Rule3 do the Uncle Mikes cover the backstrap also ?
Don't know yet just how recoil tolerant she is & don't want to scare her off . She flat refuses to shoot my Mossy 590A1 which is a heavy gun . Years ago she shot a 12 gauge & did not like it at all . Well I knew this was going to take time , patentice & some expirementation . Was trying to cut the curve down some .

"Rule3 do the Uncle Mikes cover the backstrap also ?"

Yes, they have finger grooves and are a very good grip. I have medium size hands and like them a lot. I put these or Pachs on all my range guns.

M-66's

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Still Running Against the Wind

consider hogue monogrip my wife likes them she also digs S&W finger groove combat stocks, work fine for me too.

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the rules? there are no rules

"BK" grip adapter