Well, as much as I love the classic look of my 3" 64 NY-1 with the factory wood grips and even with a T-grip it just doesn't work for shooting.

I went back to the original pre-medallion Compact, the one that covers the backstrap. Feels like an old friend now and I shoot it much better. I also picked up a 1791 holster for my range sessions as I just can't bring myself to carry this wonderful revolver so won't be ordering a Sparks holster.

Forgive my indiscretion.

Good looking:


Feels better:

Your gun and your hand. Use what works for you.
You can always change for pictures.

Love the look of wood. Love the feel and ‘shootability’ of the Pach’s. My guns wear Pach’s

Looks great.

My 3” RB NY-1 wears Pachmayr Compac Professional (open backstrap).




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The Pachmayr SK-C is one of those ‘just right’ grips for me as well. It’s one of the smallest grips I can shoot decently.

My shooting buddy was just showing off some nice combat stocks at the range, and then proceeded to shoot far better with the $30 Pachmayr set !

I like the look on the 3-inch guns too.

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- Post No Bills -

As long as you win a competition I dont care what grips you have. You just wont win a beauty contest

But all of my guns are shooter. No display items. If the feel and handling can be improved by Pachs or Hogues, so be it. I keep the grips just in case I change my mind or want to sell.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

All of my Woodies now wear rubbers... Pachmayr, Hogues, and CTC's.

My 627PC was that last one to get rubber after a box of .357 caused me to bleed from the web of my hand.
Ouch!

As a matter of fact, my original bought new 686ND had Pachmayrs from the very beginning in 1986. The woodies have only been on this for photos. I still have the box & receipts...

PLUS, the CTC's save much ammo by allowing you to watch and correct via dry-firing.

Anyone who looks down their nose at rubber grips has never had to use a gun for anything other than recreation. Working guns have rubber grips ( A tip of the hat here for G10, which can be very good for a work gun if done properly.). I always ended up with Hogue's. They just seem to fit my hand better then Pachmyers. The model 66 with a set of Hogue's is the best police duty revolver ever designed.

You won't carry the perfect concealed carry revolver ............... shame!!!!!!

I have Pac Compacts on my 4" round butt 686..... Compact Professionals available for all my 2 1/2 and 3 inch K-frames...... if the SHTF.

For general/everyday concealed carry I prefer Spegel checkered wood boot grips

Compac Pros (the open backstrap version) are still my favorite shooting grip for round butt K frames. Not the prettiest, but they definitely work.

My 4" S&W M-27 and 6" Ruger Stainless Security Six wear Pachmayrs.In addition to shooting comfort the black rubber looks good with those finishes.

This 13-2 is a constant camping and fishing companion. The full-coverage Pachmayr Compac stays grippy no matter what slop I'm in. The 640-1 is wearing a set of oil-finished Spegel boot grips, but it sometimes wears a Hogue Bantam grip.

Gila's Trout Slayer.jpg Model 13 and 640-1 .357.jpg

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Tom in AZ
Respect the Dingbat

I see what you did there. Shame on you

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Forum consigliere

On a J frame, I find that a rubber boot grip has the same profile as a set of magna's and a tyler. Doesn't look as old school but does the same job. On another note, I never could figure how rubber grips with no covered backstrap somehow "softens" recoil-but then again I never claimed to be a rocket scientist

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Forum consigliere

I believe that you made a wise decision. I also run the same grip on my Model 13 three-inch. I prefer the closed-back grips as they (for me) enhance pointability AND cushion recoil. I have a touch of arthritis in dominant hand and the rubber permits me to shoot heavier +P loads in my revolver for longer duration. On those few occasions when I do use .357 Magnum rounds, the Pachmayrs make shooting those type round more tolerable.

As an aside, a few years ago I had Jordan Trooper wooden stocks made for my Model 58. Two weeks ago I took it to the range with those stocks. After twelve rounds of 215 grain lead bullets atop 8.0 grains of Herco, I switched to Pachmayr Decelerator grips for the remainder. That is not a heavy load, however the Pachmayrs cushioned the recoil and did not affect my arthritis.

One last thing you may wish to consider.....periodically remove the Pachmayrs and check for rust beneath the grips, even with a stainless steel frame. Moisture/rain and sweat have a way of slipping between the rubber and frame. Ask me how I know.

HTH.

JPJ

Rubberize or keep the wood on my last 3 inch NY-1 ?

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Sure you did

Clean it up already!...

AND, quit spying on me!... ...

Your indiscretion is forgiven. Sometimes, function wins out over form. After trying Altamont combat stocks that looked great, I went back to Pachs. These position my hand perfectly, and give me a very sure grip. This 65-3 has been my EDC for over a year now:

Attached Images

_DSC0236.jpg (105.1 KB, 46 views)

The only Pachys I like are the RB Compacs.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Compac Pros on my 686+ L frame, 66-8 K frame and Compac grips on
the 1989 Model 60 J Frame. Yeah, I like Pachs on guns I shoot.

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M60 442 642 637 686 686+ 629

It's funny...the Pachs are just old enough to be cool again. I used to toss them into a box. Now, they are appropriately "retro." Also, super functional.

I really like these on my edc J frame. Unconventional for sure but they feel good to me. With arthritic knuckles these grips keep my bad knuckles away from the trigger guard.

Attached Images

7C5BF488-0253-4EBC-BEBD-E2818C8DBB22.jpg (37.0 KB, 36 views)

Pacs are cool but as they get older the rubber gets hard and slick. I like the rubber Bantam grips on a J RB In this case a 1970 Model 60 with bobbed hammer.

I find the Pachs comfortable when shooting and that they add a bit of "stickyness" in hand, that I think is a good thing in an SD weapon.
Steve W

Good stuff folks. I was weaned on the Presentation square butt grips in the mid/late 70s on 4” K frames. My late dad bought the Gripper with his 686 no dash 4” in 1981-I put the factory targets back on it when I inherited it when he passed in ‘92 but admit to using the Hogue rubber grip on the rare times I shoot magnums.

bronco45-I agree with using the Bantam on J frames. It’s the only way I shoot a J well.

The only J frame grip that fits me is the factory Combats. Don’t like the K/L and N frame Combats but the J’s do.

I put these on a 31-1 so I could shoot it. The std. sq. butt stocks were way too small for my hand. This was a good solution.



If I ever sell it both the original (# matches SN) and the Pach's will be included.

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That's just somebody talkin.

I tried Magnas and a BK adapter on a 4" HB Model 10 in an IDPA match - thought it might be some good advertising. But after just two 18-round stages of IDPA-minimum power 38 Specials the hand and wrist couldn't take any more pounding. Had to visit the safe area and switch to some Pachmayrs that covered the backstrap. (The rest of the stages went just fine.)

I can tolerate the Magnas with a grip adapter at a "regular" range session, but the rapid fire stages were just too much, even with a 15-20 minute break between them.

I guess that if I ever sell my 1st 686ND, then I should also include the "extra" Pachmayr Grippers with it...

Attached Images

	Pachmayr-Box.jpg (166.0 KB, 30 views)
	20210413_062340.jpg (32.4 KB, 27 views)

Most of us have been fighting the “indiscretion” since the early 70s, or whenever the first Pachmayrs appeared. They’re nothing to look at, but they do the job well. I like the presentations (small size) on the K- and N-frame square butt revolvers, and the Compacs on the J-frames. Never found anything better yet.

Unfortunately the rubber does tend to harden and glaze a bit as time goes by. I wonder if that is due to exposure to UV light or something? I have a few old ones in their original cardboard boxes that have held up well. Those that were out and about are the ones that seem to change over time.

I agree, they do get just a bit harder, but not much.
BTW, on the back of the Pachmayr box (above) it says that they started in 1979.

As far as comfort, I have to give that to the Hogues. I also have a couple CT grips to practice with. Not quite as comfortable but OK.

Back when police officers all carried revolvers, I would always look to see what gun was in their holsters. Of course, most common were K or L frame Smiths. If they had Pachs I knew the officer was a shooter. Factory grips I figured they were not.

A few years ago in elk camp a fellow hunter and I both had Ruger Redhawks. His was a 44 and mine a 45, both loaded with heavy cast loads. He told me he didn’t shoot the load he had much because it tore his hand up. I asked if he’d tried different grips and showed him mine with Uncle Mike’s. He said he chose not to because he liked the “look” of the factory stocks better. I didn’t have the words to respond.

When I first got bitten by the handgun bug, the first thing we all did with a new gun was replace factory stocks with rubber. Now it seems we’ve switched. This thread proves there’s still some shooters hiding in the closet with their rubber handles.

Dan

I run Altamont BATELEUR® on my working J's, but have Pachmayr Compacs on my 3" 686 and Grippers on my Ruger Security Sixes.

I like the covered backstrap for for heavy loads.

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SWCA #2817

Tyler or BK grip. Change nothin

I could potentially shoot faster with rubber grips. Possibly.
But wouldnt get the oohs and aahs from other range patrons without wood stocks.
Wood for me except on the Xframes
Ymmv

I was lucky enough to pick up this model 10 with pachmyers. I must have 6 in my grip box from all the years. I lost the mounting screws or I'd have them on the 617 as well.

For now I switch Hogue Big Butt rubber and wood grips on it.

My favorite Pachs are the Signature Grips.

I picked up this 3" 625-3 and it had these Pachmayr "American Legend" hybrid wood/rubber stocks. They actually feel great for shooting and don't look half bad.

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No good deed goes unpunished.

No offense meant Klyde. I didn’t mean carrying a gun with rubber grips meant they we “better” shooters. It was only my perception, right or wrong, that if they cared enough to change grips they probably shot more often.

One of the best PPC shooters I knew carried a M66, then a 686 as duty revolvers. His had factory targets as his department did not allow changing grips.

Dan

I may be the only one here who does not like grip adapters.
I don’t like the feel of them on my revolvers though they do look kind of cool.

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Sure you did

I see what you did there. To avoid blemishing my spotless record, I’ll refrain from any accidental discharge comments.

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213th FBINA

First new pistol I ever bought was a six inch 28-2. Magna grips were not so good for me. Put on Pachmayr Presentation grips. Perfect. That was in 1980. That pistol later went down the road. The grips ... now on my 625-2. Match made in heaven. Also have various PPG on my K-frame revolvers. Only my 686 has the factory wood target grips. Not only beautiful, but when I'm doing the draw/fire routine ... I find I can make slight grip adjustments if my initial grab is a bit off. Sincerely. bruce.

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<><

I've tried all the various combinations, but keep reverting to my EDC which has always been a J Frame. The last 19 years have been a 637-2 that came with "optional" Altamont wood combats. Prior to that it was Model 36, then Model 60 but with factory standard magna's which I was always OK with.

The Altamont wood combats did look nice but I balked at the $75 dealer upcharge (and I didn't get to keep the factory magnas), until I handled it, did some holster draw and present exercises..and lo and behold it remains my EDC.

Model 64 with well worn magnas and Tyler T just doesn't feel comfortable and familiar as the EDC, though shoots well enough. Pretty much a range gun. Recently got new Rosewood Altamont "karma" grips added...Looks real good now!

Model 66 with factory rubbers is a real sweet shooter with full load maggies aboard...so I think they (rubbers) would be my choice if I really had to "step-up" my EDC game from 38 + P, to 357 Magnum for whatever reason.

Attached Images

	S&W 38 spl-2.jpg (43.0 KB, 19 views)
	Mod 64-1 g.jpg (74.5 KB, 21 views)
	Model 64 rosewood grips.jpg (69.3 KB, 21 views)
	Model 66-6 a.jpg (45.0 KB, 26 views)

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Charlie B
SWCA#3083, SWHF#570

The rubber grips on the 66 look like Uncle Mike grips; which are modeled on Craig Spegel's "extended boot grip"and were produce under license.

I really like Uncle Mike's version of the Spegel boot grip. I have had them on J and K frames and still have a bunch in my box o' stocks 'n' grips.
Uncle Mikes 59006_K-L RB.jpg

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Tom in AZ
Respect the Dingbat

When I bought my 29-3 four inch, it had S&W altamont grips on it...for three magnum rounds. Way too thin! I switched to Pachmayr presentation grips. Problem solved. I now shoot a set of Jordan Troopers on that gun and they solve the recoil problem almost a well as the rubber grips.

I too have gravitated back to wood for my Smiths. That said, my pre 29 wears either its Cokes or a set of wood grips customized to my hand for most of the year, when it shoots exclusively light specials. BUT come about mid October, the Pachies go on, and I shoot a cylinder full of hunting magnums each weekend in preparation for deer season. After deer season, the wood goes back on.

I get it.

I can remember when S&W was selling those around $15-20 to clear them out. I bought a few of the K RB, should have bought a bunch more. Though they give up some concealability, they feel great in my hands.


Edit: pics added of a 66-1

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Sure you did

Groo here
IMy grand dad was a carpenter so wood is in my blood...
BUT , the purpose of shooting is hitting..
So, ALL [and I mean ALL] my S&Ws have rubber grips that cover the backstrap.
After years of magnums ,, 38's hurt with wood grips......

Those look great. I'm on the hunt...........

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“What you got, ain’t new.”