We are about to design our new J-Round grip and are looking for input from J frame users as to what they would want. The plan is to make something that is concealable and shootable, in either a combat or boot (sorry banana lovers). The grip will have a covered backstrap, will work with speedloaders and will not be thicker than the cylinder.

Feel free to post additional comments below to describe what you want. We appreciate any input.

Thank you!

Got a 60-10 .357...... need a full, but compact grip.....

one finger groove ...to the top of the frame....works for more folks than the others

Out of your options, I'd pick the non-finger-groove version. I'm not sure what's meant by "modified" combat grip, though.

For me the ideal grip would have, in no particular order of importance:

*Speedloader clearance.

*No finger grooves.

*Palm swell shape.

*A little longer than boot grip length, maybe 1/4".

*Checkering around the front of the grip, smooth on the back.

*Fill in the space behind the trigger guard (I think most aftermarket grips do this).

*Ears that extend up the frame of Centennial models.

Basically, if I could get Spegel Centennial boot grips without finger grooves, checkering around the front with a smooth back, and about 1/4" longer, it'd be the perfect grip for me.

It's possible I may have given this some prior thought.

I would think a slim grip that is just past the bottom of the grip to get just enough of your pinky on it but not as long as a 3 finger combat grip. This gives the shooter just enough to grab onto when you are carrying it and just a little better control with the 3rd finger groove for better control during rapid fire. Plus would not sacrifice concealment. Like the best of both worlds regarding a boot grip and a combat grip, somewhere in between.

I voted for the finger groved combats.

I've been wanting a shrunken copy of Ahrends RB combat grip for my J frames for the longest time.

I would like to see a boot grip that covers the backstrap.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

Add; like the grip "ears" to extend to the top of the frame.

I like boot grips for my small j frames,(under 3" barrels), so they will be able to be pocket carried. I would like a nice palm swell to fit my hand, and the covered backstrap sounds like it will be nice.

Might I inquire when a new grip might be available? I was thinking of getting another j frame grip for Father's Day.

I'll pick C and add that for me, the profile and cut of the crimson trace LG 405 model is the perfect balance of "enough grip" for prolonged range shooting yet compact enough for carry. I like that they:
- are hand filling but slim.
-cover the back strap AND fills behind trigger
- no real pronounced finger grove but not smooth either.
-checkered panels on the sides but not front or back.
longer than boot grips for better control.

( Honestly, I really don't care about the laser much!)
Laser Sight for Smith & Wesson J Frame Compact | Official Crimson Trace

p.s Now if you could marry the beauty of wood with a hollow rubber insert in the rear to protect the web of the hand (like the 405 has) you would own the market!

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Dave

It would be A for me. On my 337ti I have the altamont version of the combat 3 finger groove that cover the back strap. The fit is not real good & to me the fake wood looks fake but they are comfortable for shooting 38+p sd rounds. I would consider your version to replace them.

The Bantam grip for K frames has a little piece for part of the pinky but is cut back the the frame by the time it gets to the back strap.

I'd like to see a round to square conversion PC style grip. I like finger grooves.

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Mike, AmVets Member, Navy Vet

Design to production is a long process. Grips will not be available for 3-4 months.

All of the above as long as they come from Crimson Trace.

I want a grip that extends to the top of the rear of the frame on a Centennial. Covered backstrap and 1/4 to 1/3 inch below the bottom of the gripframe.

I have a set of Spegel Centennials that fit perfectly for a high double action hold on a J Centennial. They need to be longer and a covered backstrap.

About a year a go I couldn't find what I wanted so I did this

Houge Tamer "boot grips", modded for concealment

And it's basically perfect for me. Padded back strap, short- to frame at the bottom, some palm swell. If something had been available I wouldn't have gone to the effort, but everything time I carry it I'm glad I did.

Jennifer:

Well, I have a bunch of "J" frames, and a lot of them are Cenntenniel style. In my opinion, grips for the Cenntenniel style Js should emulate the early "high horn" style that came with the guns, and also fill in behind the trigger gaurd the way that a Tyler's T grip would. Basically a boot grip, but with high horns. The advantage of widening the top of the grip all the way up is to mitigate the effect of recoil. Some of the new ultra light weight guns, like the 340 PD that I carry with magnum ammo, and only 11 or 12 ounces of weight would benefit from this.

Not too long ago, a bunch of us here on the forum lucked into a cache of police trade in 640-1s, and I was happy with the gun, but not so much with the issue grips. I found a pair of Eagle "Secret Service" grips made of rosewood on eBay for not too much, and they are nice, but have some flaws. Here is a picture, mounted on my 640-1:



One flaw is that the grip does not come all the way forward to the trigger gaurd, and the little opening can cause pinching when firing. Also, as you can see, the grip does not go all the way to the top of the frame. It would do so on a Chiefs special J frame, though, so they make one grip to use on all J frames, and thus it doesn't take advantage of the high frames potential to mitigate recoil. Maybe you could have two variations, one for the Cenntenniel, and one for the Chiefs Special style.

Keep us posted, we will all be excited that you guys are working on this new project, and I'm sure that there will be a market for a good J frame grip.

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

Guess I'm old school...stock magna grips with a tyler-t works for me.

These Sile grips are the closest thing to perfect for me. They are pretty wide, though not as wide as the cylinder. I like that because it spreads the recoil across more of my palm, especially when shooting my favorite 158gr magnum rounds.







Something like these Altamonts, without finger grooves but having the palm swell would also work well. Further up on the Centennial frames would be nice to get rid of the gap.

Please, PLEASE make a boot grip for a square butt J-frame! I have a square butt 2" Model 36 and there is absolutely nothing out there for these.
Ideally it would be just wide enough to absorb recoil well without being too fat, cover the back strap, extend just a little below the frame and have the bottom rear corner rounded.
If you make that, I will surely buy it.

Ranger, that's what I have on most of my Smiths, and Colts also. I am a huge fan of the combination, especially on my "vintage" guns. The two model 66s that I carried for almost 20 years as a police officer were both (4", and 2 1/2") carried with Magnas and a Tyler. Here's one of the best feeling grips that I have...little "I" Frame, a .32 Hand Ejector from 1923, with the period "service" stocks, and a much more recent Tyler T Grip, the hard to find #2. This combination is both comfortable and concealable....I love Tylers:



But I do have a few guns with custom grips as well. I think it's great that John and Jennifer are doing research that will pick the brains of a lot of us enthusiasts to make something that will possibly incorporate our pooled experience and sense of what works best. The boot grip itself, as we see on recent Smith J frames coming from the factory really just mirrors a magna grip and a Tyler T Grip which so many of us like, but does it in one piece.

John: Those 640-1s sure look familiar!!!

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

They are awesome for concealment. I find that even with standard .38 ammo the two finger grip does not provide enough purchase to keep my off hand from coming loose when shooting. If I can get all three fingers on the grip I have no problem, even with .357 magnums in my 640-1. I will sacrifice some printing for better control of the revolver.

FWIW, Spegel makes his boot grips for square butt J-frames, but then you have to deal with the 1-year wait.

Thank you to everyone who has provided details about what they are looking for in a J frame grip. There is some very useful information here. John is taking replies into consideration. We appreciate your input. Two more days for this poll so hope to get some more replies.

I did not vote

The grip is very dependent on how I am carrying the firearm and which firearm I am carrying. Is it Steel, Alloy or Scandium?

I keep a wide range of grips on my teaching firearms so I never need to compromise when I carry a J-frame
If I had to choose just one and it had to be non-laser enhanced, I would go for the combat grips that appear on the two 940 Specials in the second column.

I would NOT cover the backstrap since that increases length of pull and is troublesome to those students with smaller hands.

I voted boot grip flush to frame with 2 finger grooves. I'd also like to see you guys make some that mimic the typical factory round butt mangos.

Christmas then!

I would suggest getting stocks long enough for your pinky to be on the grip, which obviously will depend on the size of your own hands. For me this means it comes down a bit below the frame.

For concealed carry I like an open backstrap, otherwise the closed backstrap feels better for me.

Never been a fan of finger grooves.