Shooting large bore revolvers: Rubber or wood?

[amazingflapjack]

I prefer at least 5 inches of barrel. Having said that, It depends on the shooter and the wood, but rubber wins in big recoil contests most of the time. I like 44 mags in the 12-1400 fps range-so I can use either, depending on the revolver.

 

[BC38]

With the big bores, wood is for pictures - rubber is for shooting (IMO).

 

[292]

I want to be able to control my revolver without feeling it smack me in the palm. I thought I could handle hunting loads in my 629 3" Deluxe but wood grips gave me a beat down. After two cylinders of 240 grains I had to take a break. I also want to be able to use hot Buffalo Bore 44 Magnum cartridges. This wood has to go.

I had to switch to Hogue Rubber grips.[emoji23]

How many of you prefer rubber over wood in your large bore revolvers?

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Thanks for starting this thread, I have Hogue mono grips on my M29. Hate the look, love the shooting.

 

[292]

If they're really beating on you, try the X frame Hogue grips for the big revolvers. They provide cushion at the back too.

X frame grips fit N frames? I'm ordering a set. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Shark Bait]

X frame grips fit N frames? I'm ordering a set. Thanks for the tip.

Yes, as long as they're round butt. I haven't tried them on square butt grip frames, but I doubt they would fit them.

 

[cadmike]

A grip that properly fits your hand is a must for magnum loads, the material shouldn't make a difference. My 629 came with the hogue rubber monogrip and that's what works for me. I see no reason to spend money on wood.

But does anyone know where I can get some pretty wood tires for my truck? I'm so embarrassed to drive my truck around town with those ugly rubbers on it.

 

[CDR_Glock]

I shoot anywhere from 25-50 rounds. I do realize the Snubby is spicier but it shouldn't pound my hand like this.

I have Snubbies in 357 and 454 Casull that have rubber that are comfortable, and have the same grips.

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[jack the toad]

No doubt the general consensus prefers wood as do I but when it comes to heavy recoil like with the full bore 329 and 500 magnums, the Hogue Tamer grips do make shooting bearable.

 

[uncleted327]

I've grown to prefer G10 grips on all my revolvers. VZ usually. These are VZ 320s in black cherry on my L-Comp.

 

[Lou_the_welder]

Rubber is good for recoil. Wood is good for looking purdy.

On a side note. X frame grips will even fit on an L frame. A trick Pizza Bob mentioned. My hands were too big for a rubbered L frame, so i had an x frame grip and used it. It fills the gap perfectly as it adds rubber along the backstrap; to fill my ape-like hands! Lol.

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[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Considerable experimentation and experience have proved to me that what several others have posted above is correct: it is fit
that counts, not material. If there is any advantage at all to using one material over another, it is very small.

As it happens, for my size of hand most of the best grips are made of

 

[oddshooter]

All mine wear wood except my S&W 360PD. That little 13oz 357 may be the hardest hitting recoil of them all; which is the only reason it has full wrap around rubber.

I don't just think wood is prettier, I think rubber is ugly. It makes a gun look cheesy and cheap. If I need to, I wear the Walmart weight lifter gloves for shooting all day for several days in a row.

I just don't want to shoot ugly guns. I don't care how practical it is.


Prescut

 

[montezumaz]

Rubber for the range and carry.
Wood for the BBQ and the safe.

 

[stu1ritter]

Years ago I would shoot full house .44 Magnums with factory wood grips and not think much of it. Times change. X frame Hogue rubbers on my 629 make life much more pleasant for my aging hands.

Stu

 

[ISCS Yoda]

I have a personal distaste for the .44 Magnum, probably acquired during the time I owned a Lew Horton 3" M629. Anyway, I did fire six rounds through it with the original wood grips, laughed, and said I would never do that again, and proceeded to switch to the Pachmayrs that I acquired with that gun. MUCH BETTER!!!! Still, I never could warm up to that piece except when I loaded it with .44 Specials so I happily "sold" it to pay off a poker debt many moons ago.

Which brings me to my favorite .44 Magnum story.

On the revolver stage of the Texas concealed handgun instructor's exam, I guess it was 1999 or 2000, the young man next to me pulled out a nice looking 4" barreled .44 Magnum. Wooden, checkered stocks. And the 50 rounds he was prepared to shoot through it were in a factory original box of .44 Magnum cartridges. I was shocked. I asked him if he didn't have .44 Specials for the test. He told me he didn't need them, he'd be fine.

Young. Dumb. Central Texas law enforcement officer. Proud as a peacock! Tougher than nails; probably eats nails for breakfast.

"Good luck", says I!

He did pass the test. But at the end of the test his hands were blistered, bloodied, and quickly bandaged. He looked at me and I laughed and said, "Tolyaso!". He acknowledged that he would never do that again.

So, if you're going to shoot big bore handguns, rubber stocks are the answer.

I will note that in the posts above there are some interesting wooden stocks that might be a good answer, too, but they appear to specialized, customized stocks. With no experience using them I cannot judge. I would be happy to try, however, one round only, until I was sure. NOT the factory combat stocks. Those I know about!

 

[Birdgun]

I chose to go with both. If shooting my light "Cowboy" loads and for show and tell, I have the Altamont redwood grips on my Model 625-9 "Mountain Gun" in .45 Colt. When I'm going to be shooting the stiffer "defense" loads, I go with the original rubber grips.

S&W Model 625 "Mountain Gun" .45 Colt

Thanks for looking at my "Mountain Gun."

God bless,
Birdgun

 

[Ohsheepdog]

I have found that great wood works. But I cannot be so arrogant as to say that it works better than the rubbers. truth only.

Mr Harry, what brand and wood are your great looking stocks?

 

[75Vette]

I bought the same Talo edition 3" 629-6 and found out the hard way the the pretty Altamonts were thumb shredders. It took forever for it to heal cause even though I changed over to rubber Hogues it would bust back open a week later when I went to the range again. A fellow shooter recommended wrapping it with masking tape while shooting and that was the ticket until it finally healed.
Now it's rubbers at the range while throwing lead.

 

[cmj8591]

People who actually work with a gun don't have to ask this question. They have rubber or some type of composite grip that will provide traction for wet or bloody hands. You just can't control a handgun with slippery grips in a pressure situation. Pressure situations sometimes happen outdoors in wet weather. At the very least, believe me when I tell you this, when you have to actually present your gun in a defensive situation, your hands will be sweating. My work guns have ugly, sticky, rubber grips. My BBQ, range, safe queens have nicely figured wood grips.

 

[CDR_Glock]

P II .l...p.ip I .k


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