Nice collection. If I ever get another J frame I might try the pachmyrs on it. I kind of really don't like the way they look. But they look like they'd feel right.

These two finger Badger boot grips are great for conceal carry but the three finger Pachmayr Diamond Pros are awesome at the range.

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Waiting for the break of day

What revolver is that bottom one?

I prefer the Uncle Mikes boot grip for my working J frames, which is most of them. When they were on clearance a couple of years ago I bought a bunch of them, still have one or two spare sets. A few of my J's still have their original Magna's on, but I don't shoot them as much.

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Wheel guns are real guns.

I am torn, wood won't print, but rubber would help you keep your gun in a close quarters scuffle. Both of those things could be an issue where snubbies tend to go.

Don't carry a gun and you won't have either problem.

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Thanks for weighing in, but I was hoping to hear from someone who carried a gun.

Another vote for the Spegels. I recently got a call from Craig himself and found myself with a set of Bolivian Rosewood Boots he had lying about the shop. I stole them.

This is also my Model 36 that was worked over by the newly retired (on 5/5/17, after 41-years) Art Bellerose at the Factory.

Art was given "literary license" to do as he pleased to the piece. He opted for a Highway Patrolman blue. I burnished it slightly with a treatment of Flitz. He added my name to the sidplate.

For reasons I can't fathom, it shoots wonderfully. With my handload of the Matt's 157gr (sized .359") Lead Wadcutter at about 800 fps, it'll throw them into a tight cluster at 30-feet.

Great gun and grip combination.

One of the nicest snubs I have ever seen. I will match that statement with "one of the best targets shot at 30' I have ever seen fired from a snub.
You know your stuff.

Gtoppcop- Those grips look amazing! And that is some excellent shooting too!

As far as J-frame grips go, I'm currently using the hogue micarta grips, they are decent. I would pay a lot of money for ahrends to make me a sccaled down pair of their finger grove tactical grips to fit a J frame.

I use these banana grips on my Bug.


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All,

Thanks for the kind words about the Spegels and the Chiefs. It's my idea of simple and effective armament. As many of us here have surmised, there are many, many shades of grips for the venerable J-Frame revolver.

I have evolved on the subject over a period of many years. I still like the old (without emblem) Pachmayr COMPACs for the J-Frame Round Butt. These are for gun that are in a hip or IWB holster. They are the best of the oversized grips for the model IMO.

I will allow that the J-Frame Service Panels (S/B or R/B) have their place, but must be used with a T-Grip or Pachmayr grip adapter. I use them on my 1998-vintage Model 38-2 Bodyguard (detailed much earlier on this Forum).

I use this Bodyguard Airweight for pocket carry (with a pocket holster!) around the house. As you can see, the Service panels allow for near seamless carry in a front jeans pocket.

I did pick-up a new shooting style for these small guns from our esteemed Jerry Miculek. The high "1911 Thumb" was something I came up with, or learned from Clint Smith. I can't recall exactly. The result is a impediment-free trigger action that can deliver five shots in about 1.5 seconds (if that's your thing...).

It may look weird, but I urge each of you to try it. Some of you will like it, others won't. Just another arrow in your quiver, if you will.

When I volunteered at my local SoCal gun shop, I cringed when the well-meaning husband would buy a J-Frame Airweight or worse, an Airlight for 'Mama Bear'. It never got used and often found itself back in the case unfired for a heckuva good price.

These are Expert's Guns. Many people who have these as a first gun, don't devote the training required to attain a modicum of proficiency with them and quickly lose interest.

When I was an LEO, I trained with this Bodyguard and a Centennial all the time. We had a range downstairs in the Sally Port, so when blizzards or torrential rains hit the Mile-High City, I was able to train sitting down (to simulate accessing my Mitch Rosen Duncan's Ankle rig while seated in my Patrol Car), or supine. Like the venerable 1911 or K-Frame S&W, I can't remember a time in my life I've been without a J-Frame.

Knowing and being able to manipulate the piece under stress, or at least have a level of proficiency and knowing the envelope to employ it in are the biggest parts of learning the J-Frame. I am in no way an expert, but rather an "informed user" of this wonderful weapon system.

Whew!

Great story and a beautiful snub. I'll have to give your hold a try.

Ok, now I am officially jealous of two of your snubbies. That dovetailed big dot on your bodyguard is flawless.

Thanks Square. Snubs are fun. Not sure if you guys have frequented snubtraining.com by Michael DeBethancourt. Good place to go to get little life hacks. He speed loads his guns different than me. if it works for some by all means...

I use the Universal Reload on all of my revolvers (J through N Frame). On the J-Frames the grips I choose have to work with Speed Strips and my JET Loader. I also train with the 2X2X2 pouch. Decently fast, but something that takes a fair amount of practice. I have many dummies that I load up on the press, so it's easy to do while watching TV.

The Speed Strip is good, but I'm experimenting with round configuration(s). I normally have a full six rounds, but as of late, I'm staggering the five rounds. Still working at it...

I'm also going to try that hold. While on duty my j frame is in my pocket. I always carry a speed loader for it and I have two speed strips in an old phone case I carry.


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There's a set of flat steel grips on a 640 on a auction site right now. Very unique...

I like shooting j frames with that thumb over the top of my hand, but I'm always worried that if I trained that way, I might do that under stress with an auto.

Interestingly enough, I've seen a guy espouse you should do this with K frames too and claimed there are people teaching that technique. I'm not sure of what I think about that.

I'm afraid the questions you ask about most comfortable Jframe grips is impossible to answer, because everybody is different which is why so many types of grips are sold for the same guns.

I have carried a Jframe for many years and currently carry a 340PD. Mine wears the Hogue Bantam, and I find it to be the most comfortable even on the rare occasion I shoot 357s. I ordered a beautiful set of Craig Spegel grips because everyone said they are the ultimate Jframe grips. They were extremely beautiful, and extremely uncomfortable for me to shoot with my 340PD. As far as a pocket carry grip I have never found anything as good as the Bantam grip, but that's just me. Ask around the forum to see if there is anyone near you that would mind meeting you at the range to shoot some grips before you tie up a fortune in testing.

Before and after my secret yellowing process for plastic ivory grips with a faux pearl.
Pre # airweight Chief's.

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I'll just leave this here . . .

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Now go make God proud...

The two best j frame handles I have come across are...



Fuzzy Farrant and



Craig Spegel

This banana grip is very comfortable and just fits my hand.


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I just ordered a set of Pachmyr Compacs. The Tamers are getting moved to my Mom's Bodyguard .38. And I'll try these pachs. I'm liking boot grips more and more, but in order to get my fingers to all work, there needs to be something over the backstrap to get my fingers back a little. I've been wrapping rubber bands around boot grips to add that girth. I see other people wrap other stuff. What do you guys wrap?

Here they are:



I'm not sure how I like them yet. They are a tad wider in the bottom end then the hogue tamers. They don't cover the backstrap all the way. And they're heavier. But they feel really good and for some reason I feel like I have more trigger control with them.

I also painted my front sight white. So it got kind of a facelift. I plan on going shooting Tuesday, so... I'll see how they feel then.

The older Uncle Mike combats feel good. I wouldn't mind ordering the factory rubber combats to try out but they're out of stock.

Shooter686 - If you want a J frame stock for extended shooting sessions then I would buy the Pachmayr Compac. I have one that I used to use on my 640 if I wanted to load it with real magnums. Here is a pic of several that I have tried over the years:


Thanks - I was looking for something in the "eating recoil" department. Pachmayrs are less appealing to me over hogues because I like the tacky feel of hogues. But I like to shoot what I own and need something to tame this airframe!

Possibly the subject of a different thread - but some Trail Boss powder will go through my 642 with the stock grips this weekend. That might be the ticket for practice. For those of you who have not looked at this powder - it seems a perfiect fit for mild loads. I had ignored it since its fan club is in the Cowboy Shooting world and I am not. But it now has my interest...

Thanks-

Shooter686

let us know how it goes

Although the Uncle Mikes and Houge Bantam offer the most for shootability, I pocket carry J-frames. Eagle Secret Service grips are my favorite. Smooth rosewood on my 340sc and smooth ebony on my 442. Since that's what I have on them they are what I train with. No issue on the 442 even with stout loads but a bit painful on the 340sc with medium velocity 357's. I'm not insane enough to use full house 357 in that gun no matter what grip I use. No issue with follow up shots at all just a little 3 day arthritic twinge. Hurts alot less than a bullet or stab wound I can imagine. Training, training, training, you can never get too much

i have a 637 that I was thinking about doing the very same thing with. Nice look there labworm, I've always like stag grips on revolvers.

For extended (50 rounds or more) shooting sessions with my 637-6, the factory supplied rubber grips are hard to beat for comfort and control.



I bought my first J-frame in 1970. Years of buying and shooting various J and K frame revolvers allowed my hands to become used to the Magna-style grips. For concealment, the pictured Dymondwood stocks on my 637 are perfect, and I can shoot several cylinders of +P ammo without undue discomfort. More importantly, I can control the gun while firing with these abbreviated grips.

For those who desire a more retro look on their modern J frames, here's a set of real English walnut (not laminate), oiled (not stained & lacquered), round to mildly square grips....

Where do you buy those?

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