Was merely hoping this informed group could cull the list of quality wood boot grip options I have for my 442. Just this morning on line I've looked at boot grip options from both Smith and Wesson direct and from Altamont Company. Both looked great but was looking for comments from those of you who may have tried either or another brand.

Funny thing is I love the stock rubber grips on my 442-2. It's simply a stellar handgun and my favorite EDC, followed by the Sheild (feels like an anchor in comparison). But I'm a Smith revolver nut and love the looks of a wood boot grip.

Of course, pictures are welcome.

Thanks!

Craig Spegel makes a great boot grip for J frames. Get on his wait list, they are worth it.

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Tim
SWCA #2697

I have Altamont boot grips on my 649. Of course, they aren't as comfy as the rubber grips, but they do conceal better and they do provide a decent grip. They aren't range grips, but they work for their purpose.

Not a good picture but you get the idea...

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Qoheleth 12:13-14

I put Craig Spegel boot grips on my model 60. I've them for t-shirt weather.

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IMG_20170313_204711.jpg (72.6 KB, 171 views)

I believe the original was the Eagle Secret Service:

S&W J Frame Square butt - GENUINE ROSEWOOD Secret Service Grips - CHECKERED - Eagle Grips, Inc. - The World's Finest Handgun Grips

I think I have a set somewhere but never tried them, embarrassingly enough.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Does anyone know of a boot grip style that covers the back strap?

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

Doesn't the new Pachmyrs do this?

Oh boy. I looked at the pictures on Craig Spegel's page. Those stocks look GREAT. Besides a boot grip for my 442 I think I'd be very happy to put on a set of his full sized fancy checkered grips on either my five-screw K22 or my 14-4. Thanks for the tip!!

Eagle secret service smooth ebony for my carry J-frame. Never drags on clothing or prints.

My 640-1 wears a set of Hogue Bantam grips. They're a great fit in my hand.

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Don't You Ever Wash That Thing

Thank you everybody. Looks like some great choices out there. I'm a sucker for a good looking Smith and Wesson. Those damn rubber stock grips really are great, especially for shooting.

Altamont basket weave rosewood boot grips for me and my 640-1

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Life NRA, Life TSRA, C&R FFL

I have Altamont boots on my 640-1 in the Fleur-De-Lis design. I can recommend them. They look nice and fill up the palm of my hand. I use them at the range as well.

Another vote for Spegel boot grips. They're what I have on my EDC 642-1.

My 642ND had Eagle Secret Service grips, which also work well. I actually swapped them out with the current S&W factory rubber boot grips because the Eagle grips don't work with the Safariland Comp I speedloaders I use. However, the set I have is in the neighborhood of 20 years old so the current design may have changed somewhat.

I've heard good things about Esmeralda grips, but I have no personal experience with them.

Eagle copied the Spegel boot grip to make the Secret Service grip. I remember when the Secret Service grips were first introduced and the Spegel boot grips had already been fairly well-established by then.

As far as I know, Spegel was the one who originated the "boot grip" concept.

Lots of good choices. I have Eagle's Secret Service grips in ebony on my 340, and wouldn't trade them.
And I'll second that last post; Spegel was first, not Eagle.

Man, it's not getting any easier. If only all my worries were this trivial. Seriously, many different brands of boot stocks look great. I imagine maybe the fit of the Spegel's is superior based on price? Just a guess.

As far as fit, I bought mine retail. I did have to do a little minor fitting to blend them into the backstrap for a smoother fit, but they do fit very well onto the rest of the frame. Half the time I think I could probably manage without using the grip screw. Another feature I like is that, being a right-handed shooter, the grip screw head is on the right side, so it's not against my body where it has a higher potential for corrosion (I carry IWB on my right hip, FYI).

I know Spegel offers an option to fit his grips to a customer's specific gun, but it is an extra-cost option and I don't have the details on how he does it, as he says it doesn't require the customer to send in the gun for fitting.

One thing Spegel does that the other makers don't do (as far as I know) is make grips where the "ears" at the top of the grip go up the full height on Centennials.

The main reason I like them is because they do a great job of filling my hand without being bulky, which I think helps with felt recoil and recoil control. It's like the recoil forces are spread out over a larger surface area, even though the grips are relatively small, if that makes any sense.

And they don't interfere at all with my speedloaders.

The one thing I don't like is the finger grooves, but that's because I generally don't care for finger grooves on self defense guns. Fortunately, they're not too deep or sharp so it doesn't bother me too much. The other features more than makes up for that.

Craig Spegel grips are a long wait. Took me a year after I was on the call list to get mine. It is worth it though.

I love my Spegel boot grips, but I have the Hogue G10 that is pretty nice, and ships quickly. Spegel is definitely worth the wait.

I like the Ahrends on my M&P 340.

Thank you! Dang, looks like yet another great option. I knew I'd get the skinny posting in this forum. thanks again

My 642 came with those skinny little wood stocks when I bought it about 20 years ago. Hurt my large hand so much I hated to shoot the gun. Replaced them with Uncle Mike's rubber boot grips. I can shoot a whole box without pain. Not long ago, to keep the grips from "sticking" so much to clothes, I replaced the UM's with Altamont smooth rosewood. Cheap, look great, fit great, feel great. Except I'm back down to around 15 rounds is all I want to shoot at one time. Small snappy guns don't match well with my large hands. My EDC is a BG380, with the 642 being second choice.

Thank you. I appreciate you commenting on fit. Most of the manufacturer pictures don't really focus in on the wood to metal fit.

Mr. Badger makes nice grips for the J frame: Custom Smith & Wesson J Frame Round Boot Pistol Grip

Another vote for the Ahrends Boot Grip.
I order them unfinished and like to customize a bit with 80 grit. Then, I work them down to 600 grit and oil with pure Tung oil, cut with Turpentine.

Best,
Rick

I had Eagle Secret Service grips on mine (see picture), but I went back to the Talo Grips that came on it since they were easier to shoot with (and less painful) for me.

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642 with Eagle SS grips.jpg (41.7 KB, 50 views)

As someone else mentioned, one of the nice things about Spegel's grip is the high horn version for Centennial frames. You want to get your hand as high as possible on the back of a lightweight J-frame to mitigate recoil and with the Centennial Spegel grip, the high horns widen the knuckle of the gun's frame that rests in the web of the hand between the trigger finger and thumb, the area most people experience pain firing these little guns. This grip spreads the recoil out over a wider area of the hand, reducing discomfort. Plus it looks great, more finished, than similar grips that go only halfway up the rear of the gun.

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SWHF #448

Wow. Looks fantastic db. I guess I should call Craig but I'm afraid of what he'll tell me the wait is.

Here is mine with the TALO grips that came on it. I switched back from the Eagle Secret Service grips, because the TALO made for better shooting and feel for my hands with very little change in conceal-ability.

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IMG_0309.jpg (174.4 KB, 57 views)

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Loving retirement!

Ditto ...... saves me some typing.....................

I'm looking for the same thing as the OP! I just got a 442 and I want some nice wood grips. Spegel seems to make some cool looking grips. What wood is this?

I'm thinking of getting mine checkered though!

More Spegel grip photos would be cool (for the OP of course!)

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Those are Bolivian Rosewood.

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SWHF #448

Alright, you twisted my arm...

Cocobolo Spegel Centennial boot grips, S&W 642-1:



This picture shows the Spegel boot grip's palm swell shape I like, as well as where I had to sand down the edges to blend it into the backstrap for a smoother fit (note: this was my older 642-1 with badly worn finish, after ~4.5 years):



And for comparison, Ebony Eagle Secret Service Grips, S&W 642 no-dash (L), and Cocobolo Spegel Centennial boot grips, S&W 642-1 (R):