Rubber grips swap out

hdtwice · #1 02-19-2018, 02:03 AM

Hi all,

I have had my 8 shot 627 for about a year. This gun comes with rubber Hogue grips which have finger grooves. After a year shooting with these grips, I have decided I am not crazy about the finger grooves. I love the look of the wood grips I see some of you have but I wonder how well the wood soaks up the recoil from 357 loads compared to the rubber grips.

Can anyone here shed some light on what you experienced when you switched from rubber to wood grips?

Any input is appreciated, thanks.

Old cop · #2 02-19-2018, 08:00 AM

Rubber that covers the backstrap works best for long (100+) range sessions but wood is better for carry b/c it does not stick to clothing.

zogger · #3 02-19-2018, 08:17 AM

I agree with old_cop that rubber is better for range work and wood is better for carry.

I also am not crazy about grips with finger grooves. They never seem to line up with my fingers. Right now I am on a craze to have target grips on all of my revolvers.

Pizza Bob · #4 02-19-2018, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdtwice

Can anyone here shed some light on what you experienced when you switched from rubber to wood grips?

Pain!

The more "give" the better recoil absorption.

500SNW · #5 02-19-2018, 01:23 PM

If anybody can find grips for the 627 snub...which do NOT have finger grooves...I'm all ears. That's definitely one thing I've come to hate about round butt frames. It seems like the available grips on the market all have finger grooves. I went to VZ Grips website and was searching for their "Tactical Diamond" grips...but again was disappointed to find they only come with finger grooves.

Drm50 · #6 02-19-2018, 03:37 PM

I hate rubber grips. Seems like a lot of S&Ws I have bought have
pachs on them. Most because grips were sold off separately. It
takes a lot of shooting with heavy loads to notice recoil. Rubber
is probably better for extensive firing of heavy loads. Firing mild
target loads I don't think you will notice.

colt_saa · #7 02-19-2018, 04:13 PM

The beauty of soft Rubber grips is that they work fairly well even if they do not fit you properly whereas poor fitting wood grips leave behind a sting with a long memory.

Proper fitting wood grips are usually just fine for all but the recoil sensitive shooter or the heaviest cartridge loading.

I keep wood on most everything. I think it looks better and I do not get very much advantage with rubber.

However on the Big 500 Magnums I do want to use the Recoil Tamer grips that S&W/Hogue designed together, but I hate the Hogue finger groove spacing with my big hands.

The solution is to use a Dremel with the sanding drum attached and sand off the bottom finger groove from the Hogue Tamer grip.

This leaves just the top finger groove, a configuration that appears to fit more people. BTW, single finger groove is one of the ordering options for Hogue wood grips

Up until very recently, the Hogue Tamer grip was an exclusive product of Smith and Wesson. As I understand it, the agreement has recently expired and Tamer grips are available directly from Hogue. At the moment they are only in black.

Under the Smith and Wesson logo they have been manufactured in Black, OD Green, Yellow and Orange

The colored ones can often be found on the various auction sites. I like the colored ones and grab them whenever I find a good deal

colt_saa · #8 02-19-2018, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 500SNW

If anybody can find grips for the 627 snub...which do NOT have finger grooves...I'm all ears. That's definitely one thing I've come to hate about round butt frames. It seems like the available grips on the market all have finger grooves. I went to VZ Grips website and was searching for their "Tactical Diamond" grips...but again was disappointed to find they only come with finger grooves.

Hogue will make all that you want

These are all round butt frames.

The first four are very old photos (need to re-shoot those) from a group of 10 grips I had Hogue do for me in the early 90s. All are Goncalo Alves, no finger grooves with the white line spacer and contrasting butt cap.

The last one is No Finger groove Tulip Wood with checkering.

Pisgah · #9 02-19-2018, 05:17 PM

I have to disagree somewhat with those who say the "give" of rubber grips is what "soaks up" the recoil. Rather, the slight "tackiness" or "give" of the rubber allows a firmer grip, which means the hand itself becomes more efficient at soaking up the recoil

Wooden grips can do the same IF they are the proper size and shape to afford the same firm, uniform grip on the gun. As an example, I find that Magna grips plus a T-grip give me more comfort and control on an N-frame, even a .44 Magnum, than any rubber grip I have ever tried. Nothing springy about that set-up, but the combination just works best to give me a complete, firm, recoil-absorbing grip.

hdtwice · #10 02-19-2018, 06:01 PM

I do like the look of the wood, but I am a function over form guy. Since my OP, I have looked on Hogue's website and see they do make finger-less rubber grips also....that might be the way to go.

But those wood grips do look nice! I don't really want to gamble spending the $$ on wood grips and then not like them. However, maybe some used grips at a decent price to try? In the meantime, I am going to order the rubber finger-less.

I hear changing grips is very easy...never done it or seen it done.

I bet there is a you-tube vid on it...seems to be a you-tube vid on just about anything.

(edit ... yup, easy you tube vid

) I would though be installing the hogue rubber grips without finger grooves.

Ole Joe Clark · #11 02-19-2018, 08:07 PM

I love wood grips/stocks on a nice revolver, but I also like some rubber ones that allows the nice wood ones to reside in a drawer, labeled for the gun. They get re-installed for special occasions and photos.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

Zipdog · #12 02-19-2018, 08:33 PM

There is another Hogue grip available not made of rubber. It is made of Nylon in the same pattern as the rubber grip. They can be sanded on to suit your taste and since they are Nylon they will not stick to your clothing. I have one in K-Frame round butt and I believe it was priced the same as the rubber Monogrip. Cheap enough to whittle on to suit your needs.

hdtwice · #13 02-20-2018, 04:14 AM

Zipdog.... Good to know, thanks for the info.

500SNW · #14 02-20-2018, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colt_saa

The last one is No Finger groove Tulip Wood with checkering

Thanks for the reply! That last grip really caught my eye. I've got to have checkering if we're talking wood - I've got "slippery palms" or something like that. I also love Tulip Wood and have always wanted some of it to adorn one of my guns.