What do you think of rubber grips?

[astigmat2000]

Hello to all,
I fitted both of my S&W revolvers with rubber grips. The model 19 got a Pachmayr and a Hogue when the model 29 is fitted with a Hogue. After a good session at the range that Saturday, I really find these grips too narrow to correctly spread the recoil energy on a big surface of the hand.
I don't have exceptionnally big hands but I really find these grips made for small hands and I don't understand why different sizes aren't available like in the UK for shoes, small, medium and large.
What is your opinion on that?
Regards from France....
Jack

 

[Arc Angel]

They're usually ugly; but, somewhere - between having a comfortable, nice 'n wide, easy-to-control backstrap; and the importance of maintaining solid front-to-back control over a pistol's grip - there has to be a, 'happy medium'. Apparently you haven't found yours, yet.

Between Pachmayr, and Hogue I personally prefer the Hogue design. More weapon familiarization might help! By the way, a solid grip isn't supposed to, 'spread the recoil energy on a big surface of the hand'; instead, your: wrists, forearms, elbows, and shoulders are supposed to do the absorbing.

Your job is to continue to maintain firm contact (or, 'control') over the highest (read, 'firmest') point on the backstrap; AND, with a revolver, to keep the muzzle up during double-action trigger strokes.

 

[Shark Bait]

I like the Hogue Monogrips for a day at the range, but wood is far more attractive. If you want a slightly larger grip, try the X frame Hogue Monogrips on your N frame. They cover the grip frame completely and provide more recoil absorption.

 

[moosedog]

While not very nice to look at, they make a lot of difference with recoil/vibration especially if you are cursed with arthritis in your hands. Also helpful when your hand is wet as from rain, snow or blood.

 

[Ben_hutcherson]

My 629 Mountain Gun came from the factory with Hogues(with the S&W logo molded into them).

I changed them out for Pachmyars. I don't know what model I have on the gun now. I have an ancient set of Presentations that came off a 27-2(that got S&W targets shortly after I bought it) and I find them uncomfortably large. They worked on the 629 and felt secure, although I was always a bit uneasy with the space left by the round butt in a grip made for a square butt.

The ones on the gun now are a finger grooved combat-style grip.

My 45 Colt Blackhawk also wears presentations for range days where I'm going to shoot "Ruger Only" loads. Otherwise, it carries factory wood.

In any case, I've come to prefer Pachmyars as a whole over Hogues. When I use a rubber grip, it's usually specifically because I find the "smack" of the backstrap against the web of my hand under recoil uncomfortable. The Hogues I'm familiar with leave this area uncovered, while Pachmyars generally cover it. No rubber grips are exactly attractive, but I do find Hogues generally win at least slightly in the looks department vs. Pachs. With that said, I use rubber grips for function, not appearance, so it's Pachs for me.

I have to admit too that I find the S&W factory Hogues to be nicer looking than the laminate flooring S&W is using on their new guns.

 

[Targets Guy]

Pachs are fine, they are just ugly.





Hard to believe it is the same gun.

 

[jimmyj]

My favorite for shooting: Hogue Soft Rubber Combat Grips

 

[astigmat2000]

Hi guys,
Here is the full set of my stuff. For the grips, I expected something, at the least, as thick as the original wooden S&W ones. It is true that, last Saturday, I fired, for fun, quite strong reloadings and I still have the stigmates on my thumb coming from the cylinder lock of my 29
Another idea would be to produce sort of rubber socks to increase the grip sizes if necessary. It 's strange that no-one finds these grips too narrow regardless of the make.
Have a great week....
Jack

 

[mojave30cal]

I have a set of Uncle Mikes rubber grips for my S&W 681. I
like the looks of these grips, and they work well when shooting
full house .357 loads. These aren't made anymore, so E-bay is
a good place to score a pair. Unfortunately, they didn't make
these for N frame revolvers.

 

[HARDWARE]

hate. hate. hate.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Swapping the stock wood performance center grip for a rubber Hogue grip allows me to comfortably shoot magnums from my 2.5" 686+.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Model 65 is a like a good looking woman. They can wear anything and still look good.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Own and use just about every rubber grip made.
For carry and shooting, they cannot be beat!
They come in a wide range of sizes, shapes and firmness.
For any particular gun - situation You may need to try several different grips to find the one that works best for you.
If I get invited to go hog hunting over in Texas with Jerry Campbell, I might carry my 624.
You don't really think I want to climb in-out of Jerry's Jeep and run through the brush with these grips?

 

[astigmat2000]

Hi all,
Mojave, unfortunately, from France we don't have access to the equipment sold on E-bay USA and neither Amazon. If I had an American address it would be completly different. Most of the sellers send the message "will not ship to France" and the others give a shipping price that is tremendous....
Once I rented an American address by a local company based in Florida whose name is MyUS, it costed only $ 10 a month. Then I bought 2 pairs of Levi's in a Frisco shop that costed me 50% of the French price. After I had to pay the re-shipping of my trousers from that US address to Europe, then the customs fee here in France. All together I had paid the price I would have paid here in France
On top, MyUS doesn't ship anything related to arms or guns even a second hand grip.....life is hard in here
Have a good end of day...
Jack

 

[bigwheelzip]

Make a shopping list and come here on a shopping trip vacation.

 

[linde]

. . . I fitted both of my S&W revolvers with rubber grips . . . I really find these grips too narrow to correctly spread the recoil energy on a big surface of the hand . . . I don't understand why different sizes aren't available like . . . small, medium and large . . .

I believe Pachmayr Presentation grips do come in small, medium and large . . . at least for K-frame and possibly other frame sizes. Even the Pachmayr Compac grips have both open backstrap (the Compac-Pro) and closed backstrap to fill larger hands.

As others have commented . . . I too am partial to the Uncle Mike's grips once made for K-frames under a license agreement using a Craig Spegel design.

One suggestion when using any type of rubber grip . . . remove them each time the gun is cleaned to remove dirt & moisture and then apply a thin coat of protective wax to the frame. In addition, I frequently store my non-carry range guns without grips to avoid the potential for corrosion. It's not a pretty sight to remove rubber grips from a duty gun after many years exposed to the elements and never removed for cleaning.

Russ

 

[df06]

They are ugly but very functional. I have them on a number of my revolvers.

 

[walkin jack]

I put a set of Hogues on my Ruger SP-101. With those stock plastic grips beating my hand to pieces I was unable to get through a box of 50 magnum loads. The Ruger is fairly well weighted and balanced but the .357mags just take my tolerance to the limit and a little beyond.

The Hogues soften the recoil nicely and they fill my hand and are super comfortable. As far as looks go I wasn't wild about the grips that came on it so I call it a break-even deal cosmetically.

While I was shopping for the grips I saw some beautiful maple grips but at my age it's more about how it feels than how it looks. The arthritis in my hands tells me I made the right decision.

 

[the ringo kid]

They are OK, and when you need to handle one with sweaty hands like I had to, you grow to accept them. Ive none on any of my guns and most likely never will as I like the feel of wood on my guns. But over-all, use what you like and to hell with negative opinions on your preferences.

 

[jag312]

Rubber is fine for the tires on my car, but not for the grips on my guns. Besides, they feel too narrow for my hands.