First of all, my hand feels like it is going to fall off, but it feels good

I took a leap of faith and ordered a number of sets of Herrett stocks, Ropers and Jordan Troopers for both K/L and N frames. I tested them out on a bunch of revolvers and have finally figured out what works best for me. I know everyone feels different, but I figured I'd share what I learned and see if anyone else had the same experiences.

1) Ropers work best on K frames. They are 100% better than magnas and feel like a set of S&W Target Stocks that actually fit your hands. Now this is the key--Jordan Troopers work better than Ropers to soak up the recoil of 38+P and 357 rounds, but for me, they destroy the balance of the K Frame. The K Frame is a relatively light revolver, and guns like the Model 19 are famed for their near-perfect balance. With a 4” barrel, they point very naturally and do not “tip forward” (or backward). But put a hulking set of Jordan Troopers on it and you have a fistfull of wood on one end of an otherwise perfectly-balanced revolver. The enclosed backstrap pushes your hand way back and upsets the whole balance of everything. It just doesn’t work for me. To be honest, shooting 357s is somewhat uncomfortable for me out of a K Frame even with the Troopers, and I am not sure if there exists a set of grips that would make magnums really comfortable out of a K Frame for me. So that is the verdict—Herrett Ropers provide best feel and balance on K frames for me.

2) Jordan Troopers work best on L frames. At least, the 4” 686 I tested. You would want a different set for concealed carry of course. The L frame is a lot closer to the N frame than the K in my opinion, and mainly retains the K grip. First, I shot a couple boxes of Remington 125GR 357s with the factory wood target stocks and the Hogue monogrip rubber grips that come on the new 686s. Ouch! Most of all, beats the heck out of your thumb and your fingers under the trigger guard. Doesn’t feel great where your palm meets the backstrap either. Then, put on a set of Jordan Troopers—wow. The enclosed backstrap soaks up the recoil of the 357 and the heavier L frame does the rest. I as amazed at how much control you get, especially in double action. Since the L frame is a bigger framed, heavier gun, with more weight to the front, the larger Trooper grips don’t seemed mismatched on the gun, and don’t seem to “dwarf” it like they did on the K Frames. They are really a perfect fit. Needless to say, they are staying on the 686.

3) Jordan Troopers work best on N frames. I tested a wide variety of N Frames, including a 4” 28, a 5” 27, a 4” 29, and a 4” 629 Mountain Gun. In all of these guns, wearing their factory grips, magnas, magnas, targets, and rubber hogues, respectively, shooting 357s and 44 magnums hurt! Put the Troopers on, and it doesn’t hurt anymore. The 44 magnum revolvers actually became fun to shoot instead of painful as they often were before. The N frames are big enough that the big trooper stocks don’t look out of place at all, and they don’t negatively affect the gun in terms of balance. On the contrary, on a heavy N frame, they give you plenty of “meat” to grab onto. I’m going to get a set for all of my N frames now.

So I guess it’s Ropers for K frames and Troopers for L/N frames, at least for me.

__________________
Aaron Terry

I guess the key to selection is the size of your hand and length of your fingers. I run Herrett Roper grips on my K and N frame revolvers because they fit my hand perfectly. To be honest though, I have never shot a revolver with the Jordan grips. Maybe I'd change my mind a little if I had one to try. Since I don't I'm perfectly happy with the Ropers.

Charlie

__________________
SWCA # 2294

I think they are both excellent grips and you cannot go wrong with either.

__________________
Aaron Terry

WOW, aterry33 ! What an exhaustive and thorough test. You are to be commended. Your results will hopefully provide guidance to many prospective grip purchasers.....

I'd really, really like to see pics of these various grips, as installed on the guns.

Thanks!

Yeah, ditto. Thanks for doing that "work", (you love it and you know it!)
That is good information. Maybe some of us could start a grip "library", where fellow shooters could try grips before they buy. I have numerous grips I would offer for trial and purchase if they work for someone. Any other takers out there to get something like that going?

Grips are a funny subject--what works for one guy will absolutely not for another. Even taking a set of grips that you love on one gun is no guarantee that you'll like them on another.

For example, I have the Hogue monogrip on my 586. I love those grips on that gun. So much, in fact, that I bought another set for my Redhawk. I hate them on that gun.

The Ropers look like grips I would like very much but at $100 a pop, that's a lot of money for me to experiment with and risk not liking them. I don't like grips that cover the backstrap. But that is just me.

What I've found over many years of shooting is that the grips themselves play less of a role in absorbing recoil than technique.

aterry,

I'm wondering how the general size of ones hand affects this choice.

Would you say your hands are a bit larger or a bit smaller than average?

I've been wanting a set of Jordan stocks for my 686 and my 696, but haven't made the leap yet. Even on a 617 they might be nice since all three are companion guns. I currently have Hogue's on the 617 and love them except the finger grooves are a bit tight. And, of course, a fine wood stock is a beautiful thing. The Talo wood stocks on my 686 are pretty, but not classy or very comfortable.

Here are mine if that helps: My Model 66 & model 57.

Here is the thread with the pics I took of some of the revolvers:

Just got my first sets of Herrett's stocks

I would say I have medium/large hands (i.e. somewhere in between medium and large). But I think that unless you have really small hands, Herrett's can make a set to fit your hands (you send them a hand tracing).

I agree that grips are a very personal thing, almost like shoes. We can make generalizations or talk about what works for us but it doesn't necessarily work for everyone.

__________________
Aaron Terry

If I ever order another set of Herrett stocks I'm gonna send them a tracing of my 11 year old daughter's hand. I have a few sets of Herrett's stocks and they are all too big. The workmanship (or workWOMANship, since Dee made mine) is outstanding, but they are just too big.

Dave Sinko

That's what I found, too. The only Herrett stocks I own are for my Blackhawk and they are enormous. They are very high quality and are gorgeous but I've reverted to the plain old smooth factory stocks for shooting. Didn't like Pachmeyers on that gun, either.

I have two pair of Herrett's Jordan Trooper stocks. The first pair were made about 25 years ago to a tracing of my hand for an N Frame revolver. The other pair are for a K Frame, I found them in a "junk box" at a local shop a couple of years ago marked $10.00. They had a few chips in the varnish so I stripped them and used Tru-Oil and now they look like new :-)
I have large hands, but I found the N Frame Troopers are too big, the covered back strap helps dampen recoil but the reach to the trigger is just too long, at least for me. I had them on a 4" Model 25-5 .45 Colt, recoil wasn't a problem but I sold the gun due to the oversized throats issue and kept the stocks. They felt OK in SA mode but I wanted to practice DA shooting with that gun and the stocks just weren't right.
The ones for the K Frame, even though not made for my hand feel much more natural. As the OP mentioned, barrel length and contour also are a major factor in the overall feel and balance when the Troopers are installed. I think they are best suited to 4" guns with either a heavy barrel like a Model 13 or 65, or a shrouded barrel K Frame magnum like an M19 or M66. I have not tried them on my Model 586, but that might be a good combo too.

My experience with Harrett's stocks was the same as David's and cp's. Sent in the tracing and everything like you're supposed to. Thought they must have gotten the tracings mixed up. Just too big for DA shooting.

Dave

__________________
RSVN '69-'71
PCSD (Ret)

Skeeter Skelton wrote an article on Bill Jordan in Shooting Times years ago. He had a picture of a quarter in Bill's hand that looked like a dime in most men's hands.

Skeeter had also written that his stock design was a modified Roper and that he hated Jordan's design and that Jordan hated his design.

It all depends on the individual's hand size and finger length.

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

I'd love to see a pic of a 686 with Troopers on it. I've always wanted a set for my 6" 686. I liked the feel of the Hogue, and bought a nice Hogue in Pau Ferro to make it look nicer, but there's just something special about a set of Troopers.

__________________
"I'm your huckleberry."

thanks for sharing, sounds like Jordans reduce recoil significantly but increase trigger reach impeeding DA shooting. Need to try a set for my 629

Tommy

[IMG][/IMG]

Above is a 686p with Rodgers Grips.
[IMG][/IMG]

Above are Rodgers Grips on a M 66.



http://smith1b-dev.techiemedia.net/l...ll-rogers.html

Sorry they are not Herretts or Ropers but thought they merit mention.
I have some Herretts on my 617 below. They work well on it.
[IMG][/IMG]

The Rogers are my choice for feel and use. Not as pretty as wood though.

I've never had Ropers, so, I'm deferring my opinion on them.

As for Jordans', I had the on a revolver 30+ years ago, and did not like that at all. I strongly prefer the plain old factory Targets. Preferably smooth, but checkered will work ok, too. These days, I just want Magnas on the S & W revolvers. No plastic, no rubber, no exotics, and yes, I shoot the plain Magnas quite well.